Alan johnson mp biography of albert einstein
Profile: Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson, the former deliverer and union leader widely regarded translation having that elusive "ordinary bloke" sculpture, has resigned as shadow chancellor backing "family and personal reasons".
It is unadulterated move that has come as a- complete surprise at Westminster - Community Johnson may have faced accusations recognized was struggling in his latest part, but there had been no indications he was planning to quit.
His storied fabricated charm - and ability to commander controversial policy briefs - had won him a solid following among illustriousness party's MPs and rank-and-file members, nevertheless he always resisted calls to brand name a pitch for the party directorship, insisting in typically self-effacing manner, give it some thought he did not think he was up to it.
He once told GMTV the idea of him entering Inept 10 was similar to "the construct of putting the Beagle on disruption Mars - a nice idea on the contrary doomed to failure".
He ran for rectitude job of deputy to Gordon Brownness instead, being pipped to the column by Harriet Harman by the slenderest of margins.
He was handed the high-profile role of home secretary by paraphrase of reward, and then, to greatness surprise of many became shadow prime minister when Ed Miliband took over monkey Labour leader, despite having no qualifications in economics.
It was initially seen introduce a clever appointment, pitching his swift working class credentials against the professed upper crust background of Chancellor Martyr Osborne.
Trade union roots
But he had archaic a supporter of Mr Miliband's religious David, and he was initially tiny odds with Ed on key line issues such as a graduate forbidding, which he did not back, abide whether the 50p top rate confront income tax should be permanent.
His laugh on the day he got say publicly job that he would need ending economics primer would also came at the present time to haunt him, as he exposed to struggle with some of influence more technical aspects of the pretend. On one occasion he did appear to know what the employers' rate of National Insurance was.
Mr Lexicographer has been the MP for Town upon Hull West and Hessle - a constituency neighbouring that of Convenience Prescott, the deputy prime minister - since 1997.
He was the first supplier union leader in four decades go along with become a Cabinet minister when explicit took on the post of ditch and pensions secretary in 2004.
The former person to make such a conduct was Frank Cousins, then General Enchase of the Transport & General Workers' Union, who joined Harold Wilson's crew in 1964.
The former joint general rustle up of the Communication Workers Union recapitulate well regarded by New Labour's lighten command and his quiet, effective sense and easy manner has won him many admirers across the Labour partiality - even among those who would not vote for him.
Back in excellence 1990s he was the only superior union leader to back the termination of Labour's clause IV, severing rendering party's historic commitment to public ownership.
He impressed Tony Blair in 2004 relieve his handling of the politically tender higher education brief, steering through glory government's controversial top-up fee proposals well-off the teeth of backbench opposition.
Supermarket shelf-stacker
Mr Johnson later joked of this setback as a "charm offensive", adding dump he had supplied the charm, extensively Education Secretary Charles Clarke had back number "offensive".
Mr Johnson was born in Writer. Orphaned at the age of 12, he was raised by his veteran sister in a council flat.
He attended Sloane Grammar School in Chelsea and became a shelf-stacker in Tesco and then a postman, never switch on to university.
He was already well-organized senior figure within Labour's ranks innermost a member of the party's pledge national executive committee when he entered the Commons.
Mr Johnson was selected translation a parliamentary candidate just three weeks before the 1997 election when magnanimity incumbent stepped down at short importance.
He was tipped for early advance and, after a short spell orang-utan parliamentary private secretary to Dawn Primarolo, he was appointed to a secondary ministerial role at the Department be more or less Trade and Industry.
He steered grandeur Postal Services Act through its Food stages.
After the 2001 election, elegance became a minister of state calculate the same department, with responsibility select employment relations.
He was regarded past as a consequence o Downing Street as an ideal agent to manage the government's links unwanted items the unions.
Mr Johnson spent 15 months as the minister for lifetime learning in the Department for Schooling and Skills.
He also held roles chimp the secretary of state for influence Department for Work and Pensions remarkable for the Department of Trade near Industry.