Dean Russell
MP
Official portrait, 2020
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise and Markets
In office
20 September 2022 – 27 October 2022
Prime MinisterLiz Truss
Preceded byJane Hunt
Succeeded byKevin Hollinrake
Member of Parliament
for Watford
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byRichard Harrington
Majority4,433 (7.6%)
Personal details
Born (1976-05-08) 8 May 1976
Birmingham, West Midlands, England[1]
Political partyConservative
Alma materDe Montfort University
Websitewww.deanrussell.co.uk

Dean Russell FRSA (born 8 May 1976) is a British politician and author who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford since the 2019 general election.[1][2] A member of the Conservative Party, he briefly served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise and Markets from September to October 2022 under Prime Minister Liz Truss.[3][4]

Early life and professional career

Russell was born in Birmingham and attended Park Hall School in Castle Bromwich.[1] He later graduated with a BSc in Physics and Business Studies and an MPhil in Physics and Material Science both at De Montfort University. He then worked in marketing initially with Bluewave.[5]

Political career

Russell stood for Parliament in Luton North in 2015 and Luton South in 2017, losing both times to incumbent Labour candidates.[5] In 2019, he stood for election in Watford in 2019 after Conservative MP Richard Harrington decided not to stand for re-election in the seat. The Conservatives won the election with Russell getting only 45% of votes.[6]

Since being elected, Russell has become a member of the Health & Social Care Select Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights.[7] In October 2021, the Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, appointed Russell as the Chair of the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art.[8] In November 2021, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.[9]

In June 2021, Russell presented the Tips Bill to Parliament. This bill would prohibit employers retaining tips and gratuities intended for staff and make provision about the division of tips and gratuities between staff. The bill was withdrawn before its Second Reading.[10] In June 2022, after the Business Minister, Paul Scully MP, reassured Russell in Parliament that the UK Government would still support his bill,[11] Russell presented the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill to Parliament. The bill was immediately granted a second reading in the House of Commons on 15 July 2022.[12]

Between 2019 and 2021, Russell sat on the public committee during the committee stage of the Telecommunications (Security) Bill on its passage through the House of Commons. The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 was given royal assent on 17 November 2021.[13]

In March 2021, Russell presented the First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill under the Ten Minute Rule in a failed attempt to change the law to make it compulsory for mental health first-aid to be in every workplace.[14] He attempted to reintroduce the bill in January 2023, which was criticized by experts who warned that it was a tick-box exercise and would have negative consequences. Mental Health First Aid England board members wrote a letter to Russell urging that he amend the bill, which he ignored. [15] This second attempt by Russell was also a failure.[16]

Personal life

He married Michelle in 2004 with whom he has a daughter.[1]

Bibliography

Russell has written five books.

Year Title Publisher ISBN
2013 Mouse and the Moon Made of Cheese Far Far Away Books and Media 978-1-9087-8670-8
2013 So Frog Far Far Away Books and Media 978-1-9087-8668-5
2013 So Gorilla Far Far Away Books and Media 978-1-9087-8681-4
2013 Is Daddy Home Yet? Far Far Away Books and Media 978-1-9087-8678-4
2019 How to Win: The Ultimate Professional Pitch Guide Epifny Consulting 978-1-9996-0240-6

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Russell, Dean, (born 8 May 1976), MP (C) Watford, since 2019". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2020. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u294109. ISBN 9780199540884. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "Watford parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  3. ↑ "Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Enterprise and Markets) – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  4. ↑ "Dean Russell MP". GOV.UK. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Dean Russell". Watford.
  6. ↑ Last election result for Dean Russell
  7. ↑ Dean Russell MP – Parliamentary Career. UK Parliament.
  8. ↑ Dean Russell MP selected as Chair of the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art. UK Parliament
  9. ↑ "List of Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS): December 2021". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  10. ↑ Tips Bill – Private Members' Bill (Presentation Bill). UK Parliament.
  11. ↑ Fairness at Work and Power in Communities – Volume 714: debated on Thursday 12 May 2022. Hansard.
  12. ↑ Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill – Private Members' Bill (Ballot Bill). UK Parliament.
  13. ↑ Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 – Government Bill. UK Parliament.
  14. ↑ First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill – Private Members' Bill (under the Ten Minute Rule). UK Parliament.
  15. ↑ Mental health first aid bill could cause unintended and negative consequences, experts warn
  16. ↑ First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill
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