Who Is Who: First EU 'Foreign Minister' Catherine Ashton

EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton has been elected the first EU "Foreign Minister" under the Lisbon Treaty. Photo by EP

Catherine Ashton was elected the first EU High Representative on Foreign Policy under the Lisbon Treaty by EU leaders Thursday night when Belgian PM Van Rompuy was elected EU President.

Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland (born 20 March 1956) is a British Labour politician who is currently serving as the European Trade Commissioner; formerly, she served both as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council.

On 19th November 2009, Baroness Ashton was appointed the first High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Ashton has studied economics at London University. From 1983-89 she was Director of Business in the Community working with business to tackle inequality, and established the Employers’ Forum on Disability, Opportunity Now, and the Windsor Fellowship.

She chaired the Health Authority in Hertfordshire from 1998 to 2001, and her children's school governing body, and became a Vice President of the National Council for One Parent Families.

Ashton has 2 children and 3 stepchildren.

She was made a life peer as Baroness Ashton of Upholland in 1999. In June 2001 she was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education and Skills.

In 2002 she was appointed minister for Sure Start in the same department. In September 2004, she was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department for Constitutional Affairs, with responsibilities including the National Archives and the Public Guardianship Office.

Lady Ashton of Upholland was sworn of the Privy Council in 2006, and became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the new Ministry of Justice in May 2007.

On 28 June 2007 the new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, appointed her to the Cabinet as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council.

On 3 October 2008, she was nominated as the UK's European Commissioner in the European Commission.

In November 2009, she became the first EU foreign minister.

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