Clare Short

The Right Honourable Clare Short
Short in 2011
Secretary of State for International Development
In office 2 May 1997 – 12 May 2003
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	The Baroness Chalker of Wallasey[a]
Succeeded by	The Baroness Amos
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood
In office 9 June 1983 – 12 April 2010
Preceded by	John Sever
Succeeded by	Shabana Mahmood
Shadow portfolios
1996–1997	Shadow Minister for Overseas Development
1995–1996	Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
1993–1995	Shadow Minister for Women
Personal details
Born	(1946-02-15) 15 February 1946 (age 78) Birmingham, England
Political party	Independent (since 2006)
Other political affiliations	Labour (until 2006)
Spouse	Alex Lyon ​ ​ (m. 1981; died 1993)​
Alma mater	University of Leeds
Signature
Website	Official website

Clare Short (born 15 February 1946) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for International Development from 1997 to 2003.

Short began her career as a civil servant. A member of the Labour Party until 2006, she was Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood from 1983 to 2010. For most of this period, she was a Labour Party MP.

Following the 1997 United Kingdom general election, Short was made the first cabinet-level Secretary of State for International Development. She resigned from the cabinet over the Iraq War. She also resigned the party whip in 2006 and served the remainder of her term as an independent politician, leaving parliament at the 2010 general election.^[1]

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