SERVING the community into which he was born, David Drew is committed to being your MP both in the Commons and closer to home. David is pleased to be serving his third term of office for the Stroud Constituency having proved himself as one of the hardest working and best value MPs in Parliament. He is well known for his commitment to local issues and the wellbeing of his constituents together with his no-nonsense approach to Westminster politics.
Married, with four children, he was born in south Gloucestershire and has lived in the town of Stonehouse for almost three decades. A Labour Party member for 40 years, he is well known to local electors and highly respected. In his period of service of more than a decade as a town, district and county councillor for the area where he lives he carried thousands of pieces of casework for individuals and groups.
Despite becoming MP 10 years ago, he has remained a town councillor and is now in his 21st year of service. He continues to take these duties extremely seriously. David is also a long-time member of the Co-operative Party and is pleased to have also represented that Party in Westminster.
He first fought the Stroud seat for Labour in 1992 when he increased the Party's vote by 50%. As an expert on education and health he had gained much respect in the regional and national Labour Party and could have fought a safer seat elsewhere. Instead he chose to seek to stay and win the Stroud seat and represent his native Gloucestershire. The result was a stunning victory for him and the Labour & Co-operative Parties.
From his first day in Parliament, David pledged to devote equal time to tackling issues in his constituency as in the Commons. A committed Christian, David has studied the rural aspects of poverty and subsequently introduced a 10 minute rule bill calling for a National Anti-Poverty Strategy. He has a keen interest in all environmental and rural issues as can be seen from his regular involvement in the House of Commons and outside.
Subsequently he was a key part of the campaign to introduce the Sustainable Communities Bill, now safely enacted which gives communities opportunities to defend and enhance services especially in rural areas. He has also taken a leading part in the legislative process over issues as diverse as community land trusts, planning, debt licensing and he retains a keen interest in the filed of climate change and international development. He is long-time Chair of the Associate Party Group on the Sudan a country he has visited on a number of occasions and where he has an acknowledged expertise.
As Vice-Chair of the Labour Group of Rural MPs David regularly pushed the Government for action to tackle rural problems. As a leading member of the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee he is well known for his support of farming and farmers, especially tenant and small family farmers. He has initiated many topics for investigation including the difficult problem of bovine TB. He was asked to lead the delegation that went to investigate climate change in China as part of the Committee’s ongoing deliberations in this important area.
David is a key member of numerous All Party Groups and an officer of the following; Charities and the Voluntary Sector, Poverty, Debt and Personal Saving, Sudan, the Great Lakes of Africa, Housing and Future Planning, Asthma, Nuclear and Health.
Among other Groups he regularly attends meetings of are Globe UK, Parliamentary Renewables and Sustainable Energy, Warm Homes, Ageing and Older People, ME, Family Farms, Disabilities and Building Societies.
He was also a Vice President of the National Association of Local Councils, recognition of his work on behalf of Town and Parish Councils. Other organisations with which he has a close liaison include Care and Repair (England), CPRE and Church Action on Poverty.
In the constituency, David helped the community in the successful fight to oppose the closure of Stroud Maternity Hospital and has taken a keen interest in planning and housing issues and is long associated with the Standish Hospital Campaign, the campaign for a community land trust at the old Cashes Green Hospital Site, the Berkeley Social and Sports Club, Gloucestershire Association for Disability, Stroud Care and Repair, Age Concern Stroud (The Acorn Centre) and the redevelopment of the Littlecombe and Berkeley Nuclear Labs sites.
He has taken a very active role in the campaign for the reduction of new houses to be built in the constituency but pioneered the need for more social and affordable housing. A key player in the efforts to regenerate the towns of Stroud and Dursley, he is also committed to oppose the opening of an incinerator at either Javelin Park or Sharpness and he has worked hard to improve local services, retaining sub-post offices and enhancing education, police and social services.
David regularly visits all of the large businesses and many of the smaller ones throughout the constituency and holds regular meetings in schools, medical facilities and with voluntary organisations.
Now David has an enviable record of speaking in Parliamentary debates, working in committees and asking awkward questions of ministers. Closer to home he is renowned for his work on local issues and attending events in every corner of the Stroud Constituency. It is common for him to turn up unannounced at community meetings explaining his excellent knowledge of the constituency and all that goes on within it.