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{{Short description|British Labour politician}}
{{Infobox MP
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
| honorific-prefix =
{{Use British English|date=October 2019}}
| name = Natascha Engel
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-suffix =]
| honorific-prefix =
| image = Replace this image female.svg
| name = Natascha Engel
| imagesize = 150px
| honorific-suffix =
| constituency_MP = ]
| image = Natascha Engel 2012.png
| parliament = United Kingdom
| caption = Engel in 2012
| majority = 10,065 (23.2%)
| office = ]<br />]
| predecessor = ]
| term_start = 3 June 2015
| successor = ]
| term_end = 8 June 2017
| term_start = ] ]
| 1blankname = Speaker
| term_end =
| 1namedata = ]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|04|9|df=yes}}
| birth_place = ], ] | predecessor = ]
| successor = ]
| death_date =
| office1 = Chair of the ]
| death_place =
| predecessor1 = ''Office established''
| nationality = ] (British Subject)
| successor1 = ]
| spouse = David (Newton) Salisbury-Jones
| term_start1 = 15 June 2010
| party = (New) ]
| term_end1 = 3 June 2015
| relations =
| office2 = ] <br /> for ]
| children = three (Malek, Anton, Lukas)
| parliament2 =
| residence = United Kingdom
| majority2 =
| alma_mater = ], ]
| predecessor2 = ]
| occupation =
| successor2 = ]
| profession = Politician
| term_start2 = 5 May 2005
| religion =
| term_end2 = 3 May 2017
| signature =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|04|9|df=yes}}
| website = http://www.nataschaengelmp.org.uk/
| birth_place = ], ]
| footnotes =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| party = ]
| relations =
| spouse = {{marriage|David Salisbury-Jones ||2012|end=div}}
| children = 3 sons
| residence = United Kingdom
| alma_mater = ],<br />]
| occupation =
| profession = Translator; trade union organiser
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
}} }}
'''Natascha Engel MP''' (born ] ]) is a ] ]. She was elected as the ] ] for ] in the ]. Her background has included extensive involvement in the ] movement and connections with allies of ]. '''Natascha Engel''' (born 9 April 1967)<ref name="politics.co.uk">{{cite web |title=Natascha Engel: Biography |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/natascha-engel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328215008/https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/natascha-engel |archive-date=28 March 2019 |access-date=4 July 2017 |work=Politics}}</ref> is a British former politician. She served as ] ] (MP) for ] from ] until her defeat at the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.desmog.uk/2017/06/08/what-does-hung-parliament-mean-energy-and-climate-change-issues|date=9 June 2017|title=What Does a Hung Parliament Mean for Energy and Climate Change Issues?|author1=Kyla Mandel|author2=Mat Hope}}</ref>


During her final two years in Parliament, Engel was Deputy ] (]). She established and was the inaugural chair of the ] (2010–2015) for which she was awarded Parliamentarian of the Year in 2013 by the ]<ref name="edin">{{cite web|url=http://www.aog.ed.ac.uk/news_and_events/news/2013/director_presents_awards_at_psa_ceremony|title=Director presents Awards at PSA Ceremony|work=University of Edinburgh Academy of Government|access-date=18 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219025513/http://www.aog.ed.ac.uk/news_and_events/news/2013/director_presents_awards_at_psa_ceremony|archive-date=19 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the Spectator's Backbencher of the Year in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Fraser |date=2015-11-05 |title=Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year 2015: the winners |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/spectator-parliamentarian-of-the-year-2015-the-winners/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=The Spectator |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life and education==
===Early life===
Natascha Engel was born in ], ] to a German father and an English mother. She was educated at the independent ] in Canterbury, and trained as a ] at ] ( and ) and at the ] (] in ). In addition to her political career, Engel has done postgraduate work in translation: she speaks ], ], and ].


Engel is now CEO of cross-party policy and research institute, Palace Yard.
===Family life===
She is married to David (Newton) Salisbury-Jones,<ref name="DSJPIC"></ref> a ] who served (1994-8)<ref name="DNSJMCV"> David (Newton) Salisbury-Jones 'mini-cv' from the </ref> as a Labour councillor for ] (Princes Ward<ref name="PRINCESW"></ref>) and fought<ref name="UX"></ref> ] in the ] for the Labour Party. They have three sons, Malek (born November 2003), Anton ( May 2005) and Lukas (born January 2008). They live in ], near ].


== Early life and education ==
==Politics==
]
While living in ], ], Engel worked as a volunteer for two years in the local office of ] while earning a living as a teacher of ]. After returning to Britain to work as a ] subtitler, Engel joined the ] (BECTU). She was among the first join the Organising Academy of the ] (TUC), serving with the ] (GPMU); she worked on political fund ballots in persuading trade union members to retain their financial backing for the ].
Engel was born in ], ],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/news/parliament-week-and-contributing-democracy |title=Parliament Week and contributing to democracy |last=Engel |first=Natascha |date=31 October 2011 |website=Total Politics |access-date=28 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328181642/http://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/news/parliament-week-and-contributing-democracy |archive-date=28 March 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> to a German father and an English mother. After her parents' divorce she moved with her mother to ] and was educated at ] and ].<ref name="Almanac">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YnAmle9e7AMC&pg=PA351 |title=The Almanac of British Politics |last=Waller |first=Robert |last2=Criddle |first2=Byron |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2007 |pages=351|isbn=9780415378246 }}</ref>


She later trained as a ] in German and Portuguese at ] and at the ] where she obtained a ] in Technical and Specialised Translation (German, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese).<ref name="politics.co.uk"/><ref>{{LinkedIn page}}</ref>
Engel joined the Labour Party staff as a Trade Union Liaison Officer organising marginal seats campaigning at the ]. She later became policy co-ordinator for the Trade Union Liaison Office, before leaving to work as programme director of the ]. Her work there included researching on skills and the needs of working women. In October 2002 through the Smith Institute she co-authored the book "Age of Regions: Meeting the Productivity Challenge".


== Early career ==
She was an assistant to ] in February 2003, and the two have co-written a pamphlet,<ref name="TUC pamphlet"> ()</ref> published by the TUC, and an article,<ref name="NS article"></ref> published by ], arguing that unions should offer learning opportunities in order to recruit more members. Despite the lack of local connections, she was selected<ref>Francis Elliott, "", ''The Independent on Sunday'', 8 February 2004, p. 4</ref> as the Labour candidate for North East Derbyshire following the retirement of the sitting Labour MP ]. Her connections with allies of Gordon Brown were remarked upon.
While living in ], ], Engel worked as a volunteer for two years in the local office of ] while earning a living as an English and German teacher. After returning to Britain to work as a ] subtitler, Engel learned ] and volunteered as a communication support worker. She was among the first to join the Organising Academy of the ], serving with the ]. In 2001 she co-ordinated the ] ballots to help trade unions to maintain their political funds.


Engel joined the Labour Party staff as a ]r in 1997 organising marginal seats campaigning and co-ordinating trade union policy with the Labour Party. In 2001 she became programme director at the think tank, the ].
Her husband, Salisbury-Jones, was serving as the membership secretary to the the North-East Derbyshire Labour Party.<ref name="NEDLP">North East Derbyshire Labour Party </ref>


== Parliamentary career ==
Engel won her seat with a majority of 10,065 in the ]. She (together with her husband) bought a house in her constituency<ref name="LPROP">Engel (together with Salisbury-Jones) retains business and residential property interests in ] and ], London</ref> at Barrow Hill<ref name="Barrow"></ref> near ] in July 2006.
===House of Commons===
After her election in 2005, Engel was appointed to the ].


She served as ] to ] when he was Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She performed the same role for ] in 2008 when he was at the Cabinet Office, and then for ] when he was ] in 2009.
==Parliament==
When the ] were established in the new Parliament, Engel was appointed to the ]. After being on maternity leave,<ref name="Anton">, BBC News, Tuesday, 31 May 2005</ref> she made her ]<ref name="maiden">'''', House of Commons, 6th series, vol. 437, cols. 1012-1013</ref> on ] ], the last of the incoming Labour MPs to do so. As traditional, she paid tribute to her predecessor ] for his work, and made a speech concentrating on her constituency. She supported the devolution of power and resources to local communities, highlighting examples in ] and ]; she referred to ] as "the simple idea that if someone helps their neighbour, their neighbour will help them".


In July 2009, she was elected to the Select Committee on Reform of the House of Commons,<ref name="RHCC">{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/reform_committee.cfm |title=Reform of the House of Commons Committee |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=19 February 2012|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308133249/http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/reform_committee.cfm |archive-date= 8 March 2010 }}</ref> chaired by ].
Engel has not broken the Labour whip in her time in Parliament.<ref name="whip">The website shows that the only occasion on which she has differed from a majority of Labour MPs was on a Private members' bill, and on free votes on reform of the House of Lords.</ref> However, asked in an interview, in 2005, "If you were an MP at the time, how did you vote on military action in Iraq?", Engel answered, "Against".<ref name="Iraq">" - part two", guardian.co.uk, Monday, 26 September 2005</ref> After entering Parliament, Engel has voted, consistently, (] ], ] ], ] ]), with the government, against motions calling for an independent inquiry on the ].<ref name="Iraq Select committee inquiry">.</ref><ref name="Iraq Inquiry"></ref><ref name="Iraq again"></ref>


On 15 June 2010, the House of Commons voted to create a ], and one week later, Engel defeated Sir ] 202 to 173 in a secret ballot of MPs to become its first chair.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/backbench-business/BBBC-Chair-Results.pdf |title=Election for Chair of Backbench Business Committee—Result |work=House of Commons |access-date=22 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013193447/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/backbench-business/BBBC-Chair-Results.pdf |archive-date=13 October 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 6 July 2011 she was named "Backbencher of the Year" for her work with the committee.<ref name="bboftheyear">{{Cite news
In 2006, Engel's name was included on a list of 15 up and coming Labour MPs compiled for ].<ref name="Portland">Paul Murphy, "", ''Media Guardian'', 2 February 2006</ref> She backed<ref name="deputy">"Peter Hain's ", ''Guardian Unlimited'', Thursday, 17 May 2007</ref><ref name="Haindeputy">Engel - for Hain </ref> ]<ref name="hainguprofile">, ''Guardian Unlimited'', Profile (GUP)</ref> for deputy leader of the Labour Party in the 2007 leadership contest and represents the Labour Party on the Board of Trustees of the ]. Engel has worked to encourage local and national ] thought in youngsters and advocates the lowering of the voting age to sixteen.<ref name="YDEMO"> North-East Derbyshire District Council</ref><ref name="VID"> The interactive magazine for North East Derbyshire</ref><ref name="NAT">15 Oct, 2007 </ref><ref name=VA16> Hansard, 5 Dec 2007 : Column 855
| title = Natascha Engel Recognized As "Backbencher of the Year"
</ref> She has shown special interest in the sexual health of youth, including the free supply, on the ], (NHS) of condoms,<ref name="CONDOMS">(Failed Bill 2006/07 session)</ref> advocating, through the ], that youth sexual health should find special attention in the next Labour Party manifesto.<ref name="YSEX">. ''Dear Ed: Manifesto suggestions. '' Fabian Review, Autumn 2007</ref> She was instrumental in trying to arrange, ultimately unsuccessfully, the construction of what would have been the world's largest ] in her constituency.<ref name="Egypt"></ref><ref name="spdeclined">Solar Pyramid </ref>
| work = The Chesterfield Post
| date = 7 July 2011
| url = http://www.chesterfieldpost.co.uk/public_services/mp_politics/mp_news_00000086.html
| access-date = 3 August 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110809123620/http://www.chesterfieldpost.co.uk/public_services/mp_politics/mp_news_00000086.html
| archive-date = 9 August 2011
| url-status = live
}}</ref>


Engel's role was to allocate roughly one day a week parliamentary debating time between competing backbenchers by a process described by ] as akin to '']''.<ref name="Elliott">{{cite news |last=Elliott |first=Amber |date=21 April 2012 |title=Engel: 'The last two years have been hell on earth' |work=Total Politics |url=https://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/interview/engel-%E2%80%98-last-two-years-have-been-hell-earth%E2%80%99 |url-status=live |access-date=4 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711132328/http://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/interview/engel-%E2%80%98-last-two-years-have-been-hell-earth%E2%80%99 |archive-date=11 July 2019}}</ref> She expressed pride in the committee, which is "a powerful check on the executive".<ref name="Elliott"/> Debates are allowed on any topic and, unless they are against party policy, the ] don't interfere.<ref name="Elliott"/> The most contentious debate was on the EU referendum<ref name="Elliott"/> held on 24 October 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15425256|title=EU referendum: Rebels lose vote in Commons|publisher=BBC News|date=25 October 2011|access-date=2 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608161905/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15425256|archive-date=8 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Engel was re-elected, unopposed, to the chair of the committee May 2012.<ref name="reelectbbbc2012">{{cite web
Engel was ] to Hain from ] ] (Hain resigned his ] posts on ] ]<ref name="Hainres">, BBC News, Tuesday, 24 January 2008</ref>).
| title = Natascha Engel Elected Chair of the Backbench Business Committee
| work = House of Commons
| date = 17 May 2012
| url = http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/news/natascha-engel-elected-chair-of-the-backbench-business-committee/
| access-date = 31 May 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120726073010/http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/news/natascha-engel-elected-chair-of-the-backbench-business-committee/
| archive-date = 26 July 2012
| url-status = live
}}</ref>


After the ], Engel was elected unopposed to be Deputy Speaker (Second Chairman of Ways and Means) under ]'s speakership. Alongside her fellow Deputies, Rt Hon ] and Dame ], Engel never said how she voted in the 2016 EU referendum knowing that she would later have to chair debates on the subject.
Standing down from the Work and Pensions Committee on ] ],<ref name="WPC"> "" Thursday, 8 November 2007</ref> she has been recognised for her work with the UK Youth Parliament.<ref name="UKPA"> 28 November 2007</ref><ref name="DT">''Derbyshire Times'', 13 December 2007</ref> Although recently on maternity leave with her third child, Lukas <ref name="MATL">Jennifer Ivers, "", ''Derbyshire Times'', 25 October 2007</ref><ref name="NAME">Richard Marsden, "", ''The Star'', 15 January 2008</ref>she is occasionally attending the ] and voting.<ref name="VOTEREC"></ref>


=== Youth campaigns ===
==Affiliations==
]
*The <ref name = "CF"></ref>
Engel was on the Board of Trustees of the ] and has worked to encourage young people to participate in democracy. Engel became chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Affairs in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/memi582.htm|title=Page cannot be found|website=UK Parliament|access-date=5 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001165446/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/memi582.htm|archive-date=1 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="YAG">{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ].</ref> At the ePolitix Charity Champion awards in November 2007, Engel was named "Children and Youth Champion" for her work.<ref name="UKPA">{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, 28 November 2007.</ref><ref name="DT">''Derbyshire Times'', 13 December 2007</ref> At the 2007–08 annual general meeting of the ], she was chosen as an Honorary President of the council.<ref name="BYC"> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501161350/http://www.byc.org.uk/view.php?parent_id=257&content_id=267 |date=1 May 2009 }}.</ref>
*The
*The General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union (]) <ref name=GMB></ref>
* <ref name = "SCF">] ], , 28 April 2006</ref>


==Publications== === Expenses ===
The ''Legg Report''<ref name="leg">{{cite web|date=4 February 2010|title=Review of past ACA payments|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmmemest/348/348.pdf|publisher=House of Commons Members Estimate Committee|access-date=5 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214183244/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmmemest/348/348.pdf|archive-date=14 February 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> showed that 343 MPs had been asked to repay money, including several from Derbyshire.<ref name="Legg">{{cite news|url=http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/MPs-told-repay-thousands-expenses-row/article-1418008-detail/article.html|title=MPs told they should repay thousands in expenses row|work=Derby Telegraph|date=14 October 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505065442/http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/MPs-told-repay-thousands-expenses-row/article-1418008-detail/article.html|archive-date=5 May 2013}}</ref> Engel repaid £1,934 of which she said £1,339 was a mortgage claim the Fees office paid twice which she repaid immediately whilst £595 was a refund of a house rental deposit.<ref name="Legg" />
*], Costley, N., Engel, N., (ed.), Gemmell, S., Healey, J., MP, ], ], Riordan, T., Samuda, R., White, P.(Dr.), ''Age of Regions: Meeting the UK Productivity Challenge'', 2002, ISBN 1-902-48850-4
*Engel, N., Healey, J., (MP), ''Learning to organise'', TUC, 2003, ISBN 1-850-06659-0
*Engel, N., Healey, J., (MP), ''Everybody out . . . for training!'', The Skill Factor (Special Supplement), New Statesman, Vol. 132, March 10, 2003. p. xiv
*Engel, N., , , ''Moving on up : progression in the labour market'', ,(Pearce, N., Margo, J. eds.), Palgrave Macmillan, 2007, pp 191-214, ISBN 0-230-52493-1


===Later elections===
==References==
In the ], Engel's majority of 1,883 was the 17th-smallest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukpolitical.info/labour-mps-elected-2015.htm |title=Labour Members of Parliament 2015 |website=UK Political.info |archive-date=2018-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929214847/http://www.ukpolitical.info/labour-mps-elected-2015.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> She had been expected to lose but she retained her seat.<ref name="Pidd">{{cite news|last=Pidd|first=Helen|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/29/derbyshire-north-east-jeremy-corbyn-wasnt-an-asset|title=Derbyshire North-East: 'In our part of the world Corbyn wasn't an asset'|work=The Guardian|date=29 June 2017|access-date=4 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703221947/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/29/derbyshire-north-east-jeremy-corbyn-wasnt-an-asset|archive-date=3 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{reflist|2}}


At the 2017 general election, Engel lost to Conservative ] by 2,861 despite increasing her share of the vote and total number votes on the previous election.<ref name="Pidd"/>
==External links==
* Constituency Report 2008 (pdf):
*
*
*
*


== After Parliament ==
{{start box}}
On 5 October 2018 the Conservative government announced Engel as the new Commissioner for Shale Gas.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/natascha-engel-appointed-as-commissioner-for-shale-gas | title=Natascha Engel appointed as Commissioner for Shale Gas | access-date=27 October 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028033613/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/natascha-engel-appointed-as-commissioner-for-shale-gas | archive-date=28 October 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref> According to the ] the role was to be "a direct communication link between local communities, the shale gas industry and the industry regulators."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perry |first1=Claire |title=Letter to Clive Betts MP |url=https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/communities-and-local-government/Correspondence/190322%20C%20Perry%20to%20Chair%20re%20Shale%20Gas%20Commissioner.pdf |website=] |publisher=] |access-date=28 April 2019}}</ref>

From 2019 to 2022, Engel was partner at policy and opinion research agency, where she established the energy and infrastructure practice.<ref>{{cite news |last=Delahunty |first=Stephen |date=2 July 2019 |title=Public First hires former House of Commons deputy speaker |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1589718 |work=PR Week |access-date=15 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

From September 2022, Engel co-founded Palace Yard with former Public First associate, Tom Waterhouse, where she is now CEO. Palace Yard is a cross-party policy and research institute which specialises in making complex policy accessible to policy-makers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-13 |title=London Influence: Nature calls — New think tank klaxon — Comms 101 |url=https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/politico-london-influence/nature-calls-new-think-tank-klaxon-comms-101-2/ |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 2012, she and her ] husband divorced; they have three sons.<ref name="Elliott"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://nataschaengelmp.org.uk/ |title=Natascha Engel |access-date=10 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225125409/https://nataschaengelmp.org.uk/ |archive-date=25 February 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown }}
* {{UK MP links |parliament=natascha-engel/1507 |publicwhip=Natascha_Engel |theywork=natascha_engel }}

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Latest revision as of 10:07, 26 July 2024

British Labour politician

Natascha Engel
Engel in 2012
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
Second Deputy Chair of Ways and Means
In office
3 June 2015 – 8 June 2017
SpeakerJohn Bercow
Preceded byDawn Primarolo
Succeeded byRosie Winterton
Chair of the Backbench Business Committee
In office
15 June 2010 – 3 June 2015
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byIan Mearns
Member of Parliament
for North East Derbyshire
In office
5 May 2005 – 3 May 2017
Preceded byHarry Barnes
Succeeded byLee Rowley
Personal details
Born (1967-04-09) 9 April 1967 (age 57)
Berlin, Germany
NationalityBritish
Political partyLabour
Spouse David Salisbury-Jones ​ ​(div. 2012)​
Children3 sons
ResidenceUnited Kingdom
Alma materKing's College London,
University of Westminster
ProfessionTranslator; trade union organiser

Natascha Engel (born 9 April 1967) is a British former politician. She served as Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Derbyshire from 2005 until her defeat at the 2017 general election.

During her final two years in Parliament, Engel was Deputy Speaker (Second Deputy Chair of Ways and Means). She established and was the inaugural chair of the Backbench Business Committee (2010–2015) for which she was awarded Parliamentarian of the Year in 2013 by the Political Studies Association and the Spectator's Backbencher of the Year in 2015.

Engel is now CEO of cross-party policy and research institute, Palace Yard.

Early life and education

The King's School, Canterbury

Engel was born in Berlin, Germany, to a German father and an English mother. After her parents' divorce she moved with her mother to Kent and was educated at Kent College and The King's School, Canterbury.

She later trained as a linguist in German and Portuguese at King's College London and at the University of Westminster where she obtained a Master's degree in Technical and Specialised Translation (German, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese).

Early career

While living in Madrid, Spain, Engel worked as a volunteer for two years in the local office of Amnesty International while earning a living as an English and German teacher. After returning to Britain to work as a Teletext subtitler, Engel learned British Sign Language and volunteered as a communication support worker. She was among the first to join the Organising Academy of the Trade Union Congress, serving with the Graphical, Paper and Media Union. In 2001 she co-ordinated the political fund ballots to help trade unions to maintain their political funds.

Engel joined the Labour Party staff as a Trade Union Liaison Officer in 1997 organising marginal seats campaigning and co-ordinating trade union policy with the Labour Party. In 2001 she became programme director at the think tank, the Smith Institute.

Parliamentary career

House of Commons

After her election in 2005, Engel was appointed to the Work and Pensions Select Committee.

She served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Peter Hain when he was Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She performed the same role for Liam Byrne in 2008 when he was at the Cabinet Office, and then for John Denham when he was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in 2009.

In July 2009, she was elected to the Select Committee on Reform of the House of Commons, chaired by Tony Wright MP.

On 15 June 2010, the House of Commons voted to create a Backbench Business Committee, and one week later, Engel defeated Sir Alan Haselhurst 202 to 173 in a secret ballot of MPs to become its first chair. On 6 July 2011 she was named "Backbencher of the Year" for her work with the committee.

Engel's role was to allocate roughly one day a week parliamentary debating time between competing backbenchers by a process described by Quentin Letts as akin to Dragons' Den. She expressed pride in the committee, which is "a powerful check on the executive". Debates are allowed on any topic and, unless they are against party policy, the whips don't interfere. The most contentious debate was on the EU referendum held on 24 October 2011. Engel was re-elected, unopposed, to the chair of the committee May 2012.

After the 2015 General Election, Engel was elected unopposed to be Deputy Speaker (Second Chairman of Ways and Means) under John Bercow's speakership. Alongside her fellow Deputies, Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Dame Eleanor Laing, Engel never said how she voted in the 2016 EU referendum knowing that she would later have to chair debates on the subject.

Youth campaigns

Engel in 2008

Engel was on the Board of Trustees of the UK Youth Parliament and has worked to encourage young people to participate in democracy. Engel became chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Affairs in 2008. At the ePolitix Charity Champion awards in November 2007, Engel was named "Children and Youth Champion" for her work. At the 2007–08 annual general meeting of the British Youth Council, she was chosen as an Honorary President of the council.

Expenses

The Legg Report showed that 343 MPs had been asked to repay money, including several from Derbyshire. Engel repaid £1,934 of which she said £1,339 was a mortgage claim the Fees office paid twice which she repaid immediately whilst £595 was a refund of a house rental deposit.

Later elections

In the 2015 general election, Engel's majority of 1,883 was the 17th-smallest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage. She had been expected to lose but she retained her seat.

At the 2017 general election, Engel lost to Conservative Lee Rowley by 2,861 despite increasing her share of the vote and total number votes on the previous election.

After Parliament

On 5 October 2018 the Conservative government announced Engel as the new Commissioner for Shale Gas. According to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy the role was to be "a direct communication link between local communities, the shale gas industry and the industry regulators."

From 2019 to 2022, Engel was partner at policy and opinion research agency, Public First where she established the energy and infrastructure practice.

From September 2022, Engel co-founded Palace Yard with former Public First associate, Tom Waterhouse, where she is now CEO. Palace Yard is a cross-party policy and research institute which specialises in making complex policy accessible to policy-makers.

Personal life

In 2012, she and her veterinary surgeon husband divorced; they have three sons.

References

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  5. Engel, Natascha (31 October 2011). "Parliament Week and contributing to democracy". Total Politics. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  6. Waller, Robert; Criddle, Byron (2007). The Almanac of British Politics. Taylor & Francis. p. 351. ISBN 9780415378246.
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  15. Youth Affairs Group, British Youth Council.
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  19. "Review of past ACA payments" (PDF). House of Commons Members Estimate Committee. 4 February 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  20. ^ "MPs told they should repay thousands in expenses row". Derby Telegraph. 14 October 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
  21. "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  22. ^ Pidd, Helen (29 June 2017). "Derbyshire North-East: 'In our part of the world Corbyn wasn't an asset'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  23. "Natascha Engel appointed as Commissioner for Shale Gas". Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  24. Perry, Claire. "Letter to Clive Betts MP" (PDF). Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee. House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  25. Delahunty, Stephen (2 July 2019). "Public First hires former House of Commons deputy speaker". PR Week. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  26. "London Influence: Nature calls — New think tank klaxon — Comms 101". POLITICO. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2023.

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Preceded byHarry Barnes Member of Parliament for North East Derbyshire
2005–2017 		Succeeded byLee Rowley
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