Patsy Calton
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Patsy Calton (19 September 1948 – 29 May 2005) (born Patricia Yeldon) was a British politician, and was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the constituency of Cheadle. She won her seat in the 2005 general election with a majority of 4,020 votes over Stephen Day (Conservative Party), an increase from the 33 vote majority she had in 2001, despite being too ill with cancer to personally campaign. She died less than four weeks later, although she was sworn in as an MP five days before her death. She also stood at the 1997 and 1992 elections. She had previously been a deputy leader of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council.
Patsy was born into a Royal Air Force family and as a result moved around frequently as a child. She began her schooling in Egypt while her father was posted there but most of her school days were spent at Wymondham College in Norfolk.
After her degree in biochemistry at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), she took a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Manchester.
Either side of a career break while bringing up her family, she taught Chemistry in comprehensive schools in Cheshire. In June 2001 she left teaching for Parliament, her last school being Poynton High School, where she was head of Chemistry and head of Legh House.
In Parliament, she was a Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on Northern Ireland and on health, and was also chair of the all-party group on breast cancer.
She was married to her husband Clive in 1969. They had three children, Libby, Andrew and Catherine and one grandchild. The family lived in Bramhall for most of their married life and all the children were educated at local schools - Pownall Green Primary and Bramhall High School - and then at Stockport's sixth form colleges.
Patsy Calton was first diagnosed with breast cancer following the 1997 election campaign. She recovered after she had undergone a double mastectomy the same year. She ran the London Marathon four times to raise money for the Macmillan Nurses charity. In February 2005 the cancer recurred, this time in the spine. She died on 29 May 2005.
External links
- [ePolitix.com - Patsy Calton MP]
- [Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Mrs Patsy Calton MP]
- [TheyWorkForYou.com - Patsy Calton MP]
- [The Public Whip - Patsy Calton MP] voting record
- [BBC News - Patsy Calton] profile 10 February, 2005
- [BBC News] [Guardian Unlimited] [Manchester Evening News] [Telegraph] [Libdems.org] coverage of her death
- [Guardian Unlimited] Obituary: "Courageous Lib Dem MP known for her health campaigns"
- [Independent] Obituary: "Energetic Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle"
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