Denis MacShane has been MP for Rotherham since May 1994. He was named a Minister at the Foreign Office by Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2001 and was deputy to the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw and Minister for Europe from 2002-2005. He was sworn as a Privy Councillor in June 2005.

Before becoming an MP Denis worked in international and European political affairs and wrote books on the steel industry as well as on global political issues. He set up and was first chairman of the Steel Group of MPs in the House of Commons and works closely with Corus and the steel trade unions on behalf of the Rotherham steel industry. Denis enjoys sport and has run the London marathon twice raising thousands of pounds for Rotherham charities. He also won a special award in Switzerland as the UK's fastest MP on skis. Denis has four school age children. His brother was a surgeon at the Rotherham District General Hospital before becoming a GP and is now chief executive of a primary care trust. Denis's ambition is to see his second decade as Rotherham MP as successful in terms of job creation and public services as the last few years. He is a strong supporter of the Chamber of Commerce and watches the Millers and the rugby club when work and family duties permit. He was born in Glasgow and educated at Oxford (MA) and London University (Ph D).