Ian McCartney - Definition and Overview

The Right Honourable Ian McCartney (born 1951) is a British politician. As of 2004, he is Chairman of the Labour Party in two capacities - as the Party Chair (appointed by the party's leader) with a seat in the Cabinet, and as the Chair of the National Executive Committee (elected by the members of the NEC). He is also chair of the party's National Policy Forum.

In 1967 at the age of 16 he became chairman of the Youth Communist League in Makerfield.

He became MP for Makerfield in 1987. He was a Minister of State the Department of Trade and Industry from 1997 to 1999, then was Minister of State at the Cabinet Office until 2001. He then became Minister of State for Pensions at the Department of Work and Pensions. He entered the Cabinet as Minister Without Portfolio and party chair in April 2003.