Education
Born Laura Jean Field in London in 1954, she was educated at Hazelwick School in Crawley, West Sussex before attending the Crawley College of Technology (now renamed Central Sussex College).
Born Laura Jean Field in London in 1954, she was educated at Hazelwick School in Crawley, West Sussex before attending the Crawley College of Technology (now renamed Central Sussex College).
From 1975 until her election to the House of Commons in 1997, she worked as a state registered nurse at Crawley Hospital. She joined the Labour Party in 1979 and was elected to Crawley Borough Council in 1984, remaining as a councillor until 1997 and serving as the town"s mayor in 1990. Moffatt stood in Crawley at the 1992 general election, but lost out to the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament Nicholas Soames.
Foreign the following election she was again selected as the Labour candidate, though this time through an all-women shortlist.
At the 2005 general election she was elected to the Commons on the smallest majority in the country with 37 votes, with her share of the vote falling by over 10 percent from the 2001 general election result. After an epic count, and numerous re-counts, Moffatt broke down in tears after being returned to Parliament.
In the Commons, Moffatt has served variously as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (Parliamentary Private Secretary) to the Lord Chancellor Derry Irvine (2001-2003). The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs Charles Falconer (2003-2005).
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions David Blunkett (2005).
The Minister of State at the Department for Education and Skills Jacqui Smith (2005-2006), and since 2006 has served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Alan Johnson initially as Secretary of State for Education and Skills and since 2007 as Secretary of State for Health. On 15 March 2010, Moffatt announced her intention to stand down at the 2010 General Election because the job had taken a toll on her family life. Having the support of John Prescott in 2005.
52nd United Kingdom Parliament. 53rd United Kingdom Parliament. 54th United Kingdom Parliament]
From 1997–2001 she served as a member of the Defence Select Committee.