Beckett, Margaret (1943- )

British Labour politician, secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs from 2006. She became president of the Board of Trade and secretary of state for trade and industry when the Labour government was formed in 1997, and in the July 1998 cabinet reshuffle became president of the council and leader of the Commons. Beckett took a lead in pressing for reform of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy. She was secretary of state for environment, food, and rural affairs 2001-2006.

As deputy leader of the Labour Party from 1992, she briefly took over as acting leader after John Smith's death in 1994, but was defeated by Tony Blair in the leadership election that year. She also lost in the concurrent deputy leadership contest to John Prescott.