The Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, Kate Green, has stepped down from Parliament after being nominated as Greater Manchester’s new deputy mayor.
Green, who will take over from outgoing deputy mayor Bev Hughes who stepped down last week, announced the news on social media last week.
She said: “It has been an enormous privilege to represent my wonderful constituents in Stretford and Urmston over the past 12 years, and I am very sad that I will no longer be your MP.
“But we have a great candidate in Cllr Andrew Western, and I look forward to campaigning to get him elected to parliament.
“I want to pay tribute to all Bev has achieved in the role – she has always been a huge source of support to me.
“It has been an enormous privilege to represent my wonderful constituents in Stretford and Urmston over the past 12 years.”
Bev Hughes, the previous incumbent, received praise from the Mayor over her handling of the response to the Manchester Arena attacks, the campaign against gender-based violence and overseeing Greater Manchester Police coming out of special measures in record time.
The new deputy mayor
Kate Green was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in law.
She was elected to parliament in 2010, serving as MP for Stretford and Urmston for the last 12 years.
Her politics can be characterised as centre-left, belonging to the ‘soft left’ of the Labour Party.
The 62-year-old served as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities in Jeremy Corbyn’s first shadow cabinet.
However after losing confidence in Corbyn’s leadership, she resigned in 2016 and chaired Owen Smith’s unsuccessful leadership challenge which Corbyn won in a landslide.
She also served as Shadow Secretary of State for Education from 2020 to 2021 under Sir Keir Starmer, and was Chair of the Committee on Privileges and Committee on Standards from 2018 to 2020.
Green has avoided controversy in her career, the biggest blight against her coming in November 2011 when she was criticised for failing to declare her membership of the GMB trade union when attempting to amend the Legal Aid Bill.
Her apology to Parliament was accepted by speaker John Bercow, who described her as “most courteous” and stated the issue had been resolved.
Green will become Greater Manchester’s new deputy mayor in the new year.
