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Shahid Malik MP
 Shahid
Malik is the Member of Parliament for Dewsbury, West Yorkshire and was
elected in May 2005. Within a year Shahid was appointed to the influential
Home Affairs Select Committee and served as a PPS to Schools Minister Jim
Knight.
In 2007 he was appointed Minister for International Development in Gordon
Brown's first government. Prior to entering Parliament he sat on Labour's
ruling National Executive Committee between 2000-2005.
In 2008 Shahid Malik was promoted to serve as Minister for Justice and in
March 2009 took on additional responsibility covering a protfolio at the
Home Office.
Shahid Malik was born and raised in Burnley in one of the most deprived
areas in Britain, ranked 8th most deprived out of more than 8,000 wards in
the country.
Prior to entering Parliament Shahid served as a Commissioner for Northern
Ireland, was the country's youngest Chief Executive of a major
regeneration agency with a £150m programme, was a member of Gordon Brown's
Economic Policy Commission and was Vice-Chair of UNESCO.
After undergoing a period of major growth in the 19th century, Dewsbury
went through a period of decline although more recently there has been
rapid and ongoing redevelopment of derelict mills into luxury apartments
and other projects concerned with regenerating once deprived areas.
According to the 2001 census the Dewsbury urban sub-area had a population
of 54,341.
In Saxon times, Dewsbury was a centre of considerable importance. The
parish of Dewsbury extended east of the Pennines to encompass
Huddersfield, Mirfield and Bradford. Ancient legend records that in 627
Paulinus, the first bishop of York, preached in the church situated here.
Numerous Saxon graves have been found in Dewsbury and Thornhill.
Today the town is famous for its award winning market which draws coach
trips from across the north of England. The town is also home to the
Dewsbury Rams Rugby League club who won the championship title in the
1972/73 season when they beat Leeds in the play-off final at Odsal Stadium
22-13. The Rams were also crowned Division Two Champions in 2006.
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