I realised after the reshuffle today that my home town (Redditch) is now represented by the Home Secretary (Jacqui Smith) and my current MP (Bob Russell) is a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee.
Slightly more interestingly, I’ve been trying to find details of which constituencies Redditch was in pre-1974 as while I’m pretty sure Jacqui Smith is the first MP (at least post-1832) for the town to hold one of the great offices of state, I’m wondering is she’s also the first to be in the Cabinet. Of course, the problem of trying to find out any history of Redditch is that it’s a town so anonymous, many people who live there don’t even know it exists.
#1 by poons on June 29th, 2007
I work just around the corner from the history centre in Worcester, I’ll pop in and see if they’ve got any records of such if you like.
#2 by Anthony on July 30th, 2007
I think it was in Bromsgrove prior to 1974 (the change from Bromsgrove to Bromsgrove & Redditch seems to be largely just the name, the seats look pretty much identical on maps). Prior to that I think it had been in Kidderminster constituency (which used to stretch right across to the Eastern edge of the county) since 1918, though I suppose it might have sneaked into Evesham. Beyond that it’s difficult to say, but presumably it was in East Worcestershire. If so it buggers up your theory, since Austen Chamberlain was Chancellor of the Exchequer as MP for East Worcestershire.