About Sally
Sally Keeble is a campaigning MP who takes the key issues for her constituents up to the highest level of Government. She has campaigned especially on family finances, law and order and local environmental issues, and works closely with local residents groups and community organisations.
Sally has been MP for Northampton North since 1997 and has been a vocal advocate for the town in Parliament. Among her achievements have been:
- Getting social security regulations changed to ensure that flood victims in Northampton could get emergency payments.
- Lobbying Government to get inter-city style trains for Northampton.
- Winning extra funding for the schools reorganisation in Northampton.
- Spearheading a partnership to promote Northamptonshire’s chances in the 2012 games.
- Campaigning to get extra powers for police to deal with town centre drinking.
Sally's parliamentary priorities have been those of her constituents. She is a member of the powerful Treasury Select Committee that scrutinises Government policy on the economy. She has also served on the Home Affairs and Education Committees of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
She served as a minister in the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions from 2001 - 2002 and in the Department for International Development from 2002- 2003. She has also served as parliamentary private secretary for Rt Hon Hilary Armstrong MP, and was previously on the Agriculture Select Committee. She was vice chairman of a Commission on funding of the voluntary sector set up by the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, and completed an Industry and Parliament Trust fellowship with Barclays Bank.
The Schools for Africa campaign, which she launched in 2004 has won support from outside Northampton. Over 60 schools nationally now take part in the campaign which sends boxes of school equipment, toys and clothes to orphans and vulnerable children in Africa.
Sally is married with two children. She has degrees from Oxford University and the University of South Africa, and is an honorary fellow of South Bank University. Before entering Parliament she was a journalist in South Africa and then in Birmingham. She then worked for the Labour Party, the Inner London Education Authority, and was head of communications for the GMB trade union before becoming a full-time council leader in inner London.
