Iain Coleman
Iain Clifford Coleman was a British Labour politician who was Member of Parliament for Hammersmith and Fulham in London from 1997 to 2005. He was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for Shepherd's Bush Green ward in May 2010.
Background
Coleman was born in London on 18 January 1958. He was educated at Tonbridge School. Coleman worked as a local government officer in the London Boroughs of Ealing and Islington. His mother and brother, Neale Coleman, were councillors in Barnet and Westminster respectively.Political career
Coleman was a councillor on Hammersmith and Fulham Council from 1986 to 1997, serving as Leader from 1991 to 1996 and Mayor from 1996 to 1997. He was elected to represent Avonmore ward in 1986, alongside his wife, Sally Powell. The ward's two seats were gained from the Conservatives. When Chief Whip of the Labour Group, he resigned over service cuts. Coleman latterly represented Gibbs Green ward, and stood down following his election to parliament.Coleman was first elected as an MP at the 1997 general election, and retained the highly marginal seat at the 2001 general election.
He announced on 14 March 2005 that he would be standing down due to ill health. Melanie Smallman was subsequently selected by the local Constituency Labour Party to replace him as the party's candidate, but was unsuccessful in her election bid, losing to Greg Hands of the Conservative Party. Coleman subsequently stood for Labour in the May 2006 local election for the North End ward, but failed to gain a seat, the Conservatives making a clean sweep of the ward. However, he was elected as a councillor for Shepherds Bush Green ward at the May 2010 local elections.