About Paul
Paul Blomfield was elected as the new Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central in May 2010.
I've lived in Sheffield for most of my life since my family moved here when I was 9. Sheffield is my home and the city I love.
It was the injustice of racism that first got me involved in politics. At school I joined the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) which campaigned for democracy and human rights for all the people of South Africa. Sheffield AAM, which I set up, became the UK's biggest anti-apartheid group.
I joined the Labour Party in 1978 because I wanted to fight inequality and injustice in this country. I wanted to change society then to make it fairer and more equal, and I still do today; it's what has always motivated me in politics.
I was Chair of Sheffield Labour Party for 15 years until 2009 and was proud to work alongside the late Jan Wilson when she was the Labour Leader of Sheffield City Council.
Before I became an MP I spent most of my working life at Sheffield University. Most recently I was the General Manager of the Students' Union with responsibility for 800 staff and an annual turnover of £11 million. In a voluntary capacity I was the Chair of the Sheffield City Trust between 1997 and 2008. The Trust is responsible for running all of Sheffield's major leisure and sports facilities including the City Hall, Pond's Forge, Don Valley Stadium and the Arena. My proudest achievement as Chair was opening the newly refurbished City Hall after the City Trust pulled together £12.5 million investment to save it. I'm delighted that today the City Hall is better used than ever and is the pride of our city centre.
In Parliament I am the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Hilary Benn, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. I also sit on the Business, Skills and Innovation Select Committee. This position allows me to scrutinise the Government's plans and expenditure in areas like job creation, manufacturing and universities. I am also the Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Universities, Vice Chair of the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform and Vice Chair of the All Party Group on Motor Neurone Disease.
I am also a member of Unison, Unite, the GMB and the Co-op Party.
I'm married to Linda McAvan, who is the Labour Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber. I have one son, Michael, who is currently working in America.
