Stanley Emerson
| The Right Honourable Stanley Emerson MP | |
|---|---|
| |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 7 June 2017 | |
| Monarch | Victor Emmanuel I |
| Prime Minister | Catherine Willoughby |
| Preceded by | Edward Wilson |
| Leader of the Labour Party | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 7 June 2017 | |
| Deputy | Keith Patterson |
| Preceded by | Edward Wilson |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | |
| In office 11 April 2010 – 7 June 2017 | |
| Leader | Edward Wilson |
| Preceded by | Nancy Castle |
| Succeeded by | John Williams |
| Member of Parliament for University of Westminster | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 11 May 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Quentin Tisdale |
| Majority | 618 (4.9%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stanley Randolph Emerson 4 January 1977 Westminster, Kiribati |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse(s) | Christine Knatchbull (m. 2005) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents | The Earl of Haversham Lady Haversham |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Westminster (B.A., M.Phil) |
| Religion | Church of Tarawa |
Stanley Randolph Emerson is a Kiribatian Labour politician currently serving as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party. He has served as the Member of Parliament for University of Westminster since 2004.
Elected Labour Leader in 2017, Emerson, a self-described capitalist, has led the party in a more market-friendly direction and has taken controversial positions on several issues, including favouring Tarawan devolution. As an MP, Emerson does not represent a traditional geographical constituency, but is elected to Parliament by the students and faculty of the University of Westminster.
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Early life and education
Born in 1977 at Westminster's University Hospital, Emerson was the second son of Nashville Emerson, later 1st Earl of Haversham, an academic and Chancellor of the University of Westminster. He was at educated at the prestigious Westminster Latin and Grammar School and was accepted to study modern history at Trinity College, Westminster.
At Trinity, Emerson was an active participant in student politics and was elected president of the Westminster Political Union in his third year, noted for his skills in debate. Although his father is a Conservative peer, Emerson joined the Labour Party Students Association. He graduated in 1999 with a first-class honours degree and qualified for the Chancellor's Honours list, but was omitted due to concerns of nepotism.
Emerson was accepted back to Trinity the same year to begin graduate study in modern history. He wrote his master's thesis on the history of organised labour movements and was awarded an M.Phil in 2002. That year Emerson began working on doctoral research at Trinity, but was un-endorsed by the Academic Senate after attempting to unionise graduate researchers at the University.
Political career
Member of Parliament
With his academic career facing a dead end, Emerson turned to politics. He joined the Labour Party organising committee in preparation for the 2004 general election and was selected to stand as the Labour candidate for the University of Westminster constituency. His work organising graduate researchers and his presidency of the Union made him a notable name among students at the University, who form the majority of the electorate in the constituency. He won the seat in the election, narrowly defeating the incumbent Liberal Democrat Sir Quentin Tisdale.
Emerson's election at the age of 27 made him one of the youngest MPs of all-time, and the parliamentary Labour Party immediately recognised his talent. He was a frequent participant in debates, even on mundane issues, and began to establish himself as an advocate of student rights and issues.
Shadow Cabinet
In 2013, Emerson joined Edward Wilson's shadow cabinet as the Secretary of State for Education.
Leader of the Opposition
The 2017 general election marked Edward Wilson's third electoral defeat as Labour Leader, leading many in the party to believe he was unelectable. After pressure from both backbenchers and members of the shadow cabinet, Wilson resigned as party leader, prompting a leadership election. Emerson stood for election as Labour Leader and was elected after three rounds of voting.
