James Purnell is Labour's MP for Stalybridge and Hyde and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

James previously held the position of Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

He entered Parliament in 2001 and prior to moving to the DCMS he was Minister for pensions reform at the Department of Work and Pensions. James has previously been Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism.

He joined the government as Assistant Whip in 2004. Prior to becoming an MP, James was a Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research on their media and communications project.

He went on to become head of corporate planning at the BBC and then worked as a special advisor for then Prime Minister Tony Blair from 1997 to 2001.

He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford and also worked for Tony Blair while in opposition when the former Prime Minister was Shadow Employment Secretary.