Introduction
David Leonard Watts, Baron Watts (born 26 August 1951) is a British Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for St Helens North from 1997 to 2015, and Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party between 2012 and 2015. He was nominated for a life peerage in the 2015 Dissolution Honours.
Early life
He went to Malvern Primary School, Huyton and Huyton Hey Secondary Modern School on Seel Road in Huyton. He had previously been leader of St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council for four years. He was a union official at Huntley & Palmers' biscuit factory in Wilson Road, Huyton.
Parliamentary career
Watts was a Government Whip and Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury from 2008 to 2010. On 15 March 2012, he was elected to succeed Tony Lloyd as the Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, a role he performed until he stood down to be replaced by John Cryer on 9 February 2015. He stood down at the 2015 General Election.
On 23 October 2015, he was created Baron Watts, of Ravenhead in the County of Merseyside, for life. By virtue of that life peerage, he became a member of the House of Lords. He entered the House of Lords on 3 December 2015 continuing to sit under the Labour whip.
Personal life
He married Avril Davies in 1972. They have two sons.
Styles of address
- 1951–1997: Mr David Leonard Watts
- 1997–2015: Mr David Leonard Watts MP
- 2015: Mr David Leonard Watts
- 2015–: The Right Honourable The Lord Watts