Dawn Butler was born to immigrants from Jamaica, and is one of six children. She worked on a market stall and in a bakery in her youth but started her career as a computer programmer/systems analyst. She later became a civil servant, as manager in the employment service and then a trade unionist. Her desire to enter politics came from a deep rooted commitment to address inequality.

Elected as the Member of Parliament for Brent South on 5 May 2005 Dawn’s maiden speech described her constituency as a “shining example of integration at its best”. Dawn became the first elected African-Caribbean woman to become a Government Minister in the UK.

Dawn ran a hugely successful campaign in 2015 and won Brent Central with a majority of nearly 20,000; giving the largest vote swing in Britain.

Dawn has always been a passionate campaigner for young people; she is an Honorary Vice President of the British Youth Council, was formerly Chair of the APPG on Youth Affairs, a member of the Children & Families Select Committee and Vice Chair of the Labour Party with responsibility for Youth. Her work on youth led to Dawn being appointed as the Minister for Young Citizens & Youth Engagement at the Cabinet Office by Gordon Brown. This made Dawn the first ever African-Caribbean woman to serve in a British Government.

A natural campaigner, since returning to Parliament Dawn has taken on the ‘Big 6’ energy companies over the excessive cost of pre-payment meters. She has held a Westminster Hall debate, launched a national petition and secured a commitment from the Prime Minister to look at this issue.

Dawn is the former Shadow Minister for Diverse Communities and was recently voted the People’s Choice Labour Party MP of the Year.