Helen Clark (UK politician)

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For other people named Helen Clark, see Helen Clark (disambiguation).

Helen Clark

Born	December 23, 1954
Former MP	Peterborough

Helen Clark, previously known as Helen Brinton, (born December 23, 1954) is a politician in the United Kingdom. She was a Labour Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1997 until the 2005 General Election, when she lost her seat to Conservative candidate Stewart Jackson.

Clark was educated at the University of Bristol, and worked as a teacher for several years before her election as a Member of Parliament in 1997. She had previously stood unsuccessfully as the Labour parliamentary candidate for the Faversham constituency during the 1992 General Election.

Early on in her parliamentary career, Clark was widely derided for her enthusiastic displays of loyalty to her party leaders. However, she later displayed a rebellious streak through her opposition to the Iraq war.

Her marriage to Ian Brinton ended in 1997. She subsequently married political journalist, Alan Clark and assumed his name.

Three days after her defeat in 2005, she left the Labour Party, blaming her defeat on Labour leader Tony Blair and policies such as top-up fees and the Iraq war.

For those who knew her well, Clark's move to the Conservative Party did not come as a surprise She had often supported the Conservatives, suggesting in the run up to the 2005 general election that her Tory predecessor Brian Mawhinney should have the freedom of the city of Peterborough. Despite this her defection caused anger in the local Labour party who felt betrayed, with the leader of the Labour group of the City Council calling it, "A slap in the face."

A recent report on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire suggested that Mrs Clark intended to leave Peterborough not long after her defeat and subsequent defection.