Clare Short was MP for
Birmingham Ladywood
from 1983 to 2010 and
Secretary of State for
International
Development from 1997
to May 2003. She was Opposition
spokesperson on Overseas
Development from 1999 to 1997. In
2003, Ms Short resigned from the
Government over the Iraq war and in
2006, she resigned the Labour whip.
In November 2004, Ms Short’s book
An Honourable Deception? New Labour,
Iraq, and the Misuse of Power, was
awarded Political Book of the Year by
Channel 4. In 2006, Ms Short became
member of the Advocacy Panel of
Cities Alliance. She stood down from
Parliament in 2010, and is now active
in various organisations working on
slum upgrading in the developing
world, African-led humanitarian
action, Gay Pride in Birmingham,
Trade Justice for the developing
world and for a just settlement of the
Palestinian/ Israeli conflict. She is a
trustee of Hope Projects (West
Midlands) Ltd, Trade Out of Poverty,
the Welfare Association, Africa
Humanitarian Action, and the Human
Trafficking Foundation.