Melanie Johnson - Parliamentary Career

Parliamentary Career

In 1994 Johnson unsuccessfully stood for Labour in the Cambridgeshire seat at the European Parliamentary election. Two years later she was selected to stand for Labour in the United Kingdom Parliament through an all-women shortlist.

She was first elected in the 1997 election overturning a majority of 6,583. Johnson won her seat, Welwyn Hatfield, a traditional Conservative strong hold, following a statement made by her opponent, David Evans, which made national newspaper headlines. Evans was taped by sixth-form students (at Stanborough School, Welwyn Garden City) denouncing Johnson as "a single girl, lives with her boyfriend, three bastard children" and saying she had "never done a proper job". At this time Johnson was working as a school inspector and living with her partner of 18 years, raising their young family. In this taped statement Evans claimed Johnson didn't "have a chance in hell". Evans also criticised her for living in Cambridge rather than actually in his then constituency.

In her maiden speech Johnson commented that Evans was" widely renowned for his plain speaking" but could be "personally very charming. I saw that for myself on election night when he congratulated me on my victory in Welwyn Hatfield and recorded how much he had enjoyed being a Member of Parliament". She further commented "I am a firm believer in diversity and my own style will be a little different from his. As a mother of three, I can assure the House that my children will help to keep my feet on the ground."

Johnson was re-elected in the 2001 elections with a reduced majority. Welwyn Hatfield had never previously been held for more than one term by a Labour MP.

From 1999 to 2005 Johnson was a junior minister serving first as Economic Secretary to the Treasury, next in the DTI as Minister for Competition and Consumers, and finally as Minister for Public Health in the Department of Health. Johnson was also responsible for the White Paper Building Trust in Statistics As Economic Secretary she supported the EU action against money laundering stating "Money laundering is a very serious offence, with the capacity to undermine financial markets and to corrupt professional advisers" Following the 2000 Budget Johnson, whilst speaking to NPI Conference, commented "in the Budget three weeks ago now, this Government took the next steps towards our ambition for a Britain of opportunity and security not just for a few but for all, with prosperity reaching the people and places the economy has too long forgotten.". Journalist Benedict Brogan likened the delivery of her speeches to "the read-your-weight manner of a supermarket Tannoy" describing them as tedious and accusing her of just repeating "the mantra that had been programmed into her".

During Johnson's time in DTI she gained media coverage for her concerns regarding "US regulators (having) the power to monitor, investigate and discipline UK auditors". Johnson was also responsible for Government's Enterprise Bill, commenting that 'We will provide a robust regime for dealing with those who abuse their creditors.'

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 Johnson became more vocal on the issue, stating "Breast cancer can happen to any woman, regardless of who she is. I am acutely aware it is something many women still do not believe will happen to them." Cancer was later to become one of Johnson's responsibilities as Public Health Minister.

As Public Health Minister, her responsibilities included policy on smoking, obesity, drugs, alcohol, diet and nutrition, communicable diseases, sexual health, sustainable development and health inequalities. One of her key roles was to improve cervical smear testing, which she achieved in a move to get new better smear tests. With the new test Johnson introduced, there are less false positives, meaning fewer women are now required to return for a second smear due to an error with their first test. Johnson additionally announced plans in 2004 to cut domestic violence during pregnancy with the integration of routine enquiries into antenatal appointments.

Johnson campaigned to cut salt levels, setting targets to significantly reduce salt in foods in order to improve cardiovascular health. She gained credit from "salt victims" who had suffered strokes supporting her work to make large companies reduce salt. Johnson's campaign was echoed by Food watchdogs, whilst she pushed for large food companies to make specific action plans in order to reduce salt.

In October 2003, Johnson had was the subject of criticism when she was quoted as saying that fluoridation of water should be "the preferred method of preventing tooth decay on a population basis". Simon Thomas accused her of suggesting people should thrown away their toothbrushes, Thomas stated the proposals were "crazy" and "full of contradictions". Others such as Martyn Shrewsbury accused her of failing to consider the health risk of fluoride as well as the ethics of medicating people against their will. Johnson later clarified her comments stating "we are not saying that people should stop brushing their teeth".

Johnson was defeated in the 2005 general election by Grant Shapps on a 9.2% swing to the Conservatives.