Alexander Redd

Alexander Redd (born 10 October 1983) is a British politician who is serving as the Leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister since January 2003 and Tony Blair's resignation. Redd has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Poplar & Canning Town since 2002.

Born and raised in Tower Hamlets, Redd joined the Labour Party as a teenager while in college. Redd panned to study Law in Oxford University but instead became fully invested in British politics. In 2001, Alexander Redd became the Secretary of the former MP for Poplar & Canning Town, Jim Fitzpatrick. After Fitzpatrick retired in 2002, Alexander Redd was chosen to be the next Labour Candidate for the constituency of Poplar & Canning Town. Rapidly rising up in popularity and fame within the party, Redd set himself apart by campaigning passionately both outside and within Parliament about not joining the Iraq War.

Alexander Redd was elected Labour Leader in January 2003 after the shock resignation of Tony Blair. In the 2003 Labour Party Leadership Election, he ran against Benjamin Chang and Minh Phuc Nguyen. Redd won in the first round with 57.1% of the votes. Labour party membership and ratings also saw a rapid rise after his election, seeing him as a fresh new face that was separate from the scandals of Tony Blair. Alexander Redd's election as Labour Leader marked the first time in British history that a BAME member (not including those of the Jewish community) has become leader of a major political party and Prime Minister. He also became the youngest Prime Minister (19), beating William Pitt's record of 24.

Broadening the party's ideological span, Alexander Redd has been noted of not fitting perfectly into the typical Labour factions, believing and introducing ideas and policies from across the political spectrum. In a shock move, Redd shifted the party's Iraq War stand, stating that he would not allow the country to enter the Iraq War, a contrast to his Conservative counterpart, Clarkson, and his predecessor, Tony Blair. However, he assigned his New Labour Deputy Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, to many Cabinet positions, showing an ability to compromise.

Alexander Redd also moved the nation into a more Democratic Socialist position, a contrast to Blair's New Labour. However, his Government carried on the social reforms that Blair's Government were pushing for, legalising homosexuality, gay marriage and creating an independent Supreme Court. Redd (a massive Liverpool fan) also started the creation of the Hillsborough Independent Panel that were assigned to find out the facts of the Hillsborough Disaster and who was to blame for it.

## Early life and Education

Alexander Redd was born in Tower Hamlets on the 10th October 1983. Redd was the son of a Bangoli Muslim father and a Spanish Catholic mother. Moving into Poplar, he grew up in a working class household. His family were on the benefit system for a few years in his early childhood.

In Secondary school, Redd excelled in all his subjects but took particular interest in History, Business and Drama. He also joined a debating club, becoming interested in the politics around him. At the age of 16, as a strong Liverpool FC supporter, he started campaigning to boycott the Sun Newspaper for the article they posted on the Hillsborough Disaster which was proven to be pushing fake news. While in Secondary school, Redd met Jane Rose, a girl who had an interest in medicine (along with other hobbies), who he quickly became close with, due to similar passions and hobbies and eventually started dating. Redd excelled his GCSEs and went to college.

At college, Redd studied History, Government & Politics and Economics for A-Levels. Not only did he get A\* for all these subjects but he also became the Head Boy of his college. It was at this time that Redd joined the Labour Party and started focusing more on politics.

After college, Alexander Redd planned to enter Oxford University but instead went directly into politics. Redd campaigned for Blair to reject the endorsement from the Sun. He also protested against the Iraq War on multiple occasions, stating it is "not Labour policy to start wars for foreign leaders with sweet words".