Byers, Stephen (John) (1953– )

British Labour politician, secretary of state for transport, local government, and the regions 2001–02. A former law lecturer and local councillor for Tyneside North, he served as school standards minister in the Labour government 1997–98, chief secretary to the treasury in 1998, and trade and industry secretary 1998–2001. In October 2001 he was responsible for the controversial decision to withhold further state support for Railtrack, the private company responsible for the running of the British railway network, forcing it into administration in a move interpreted by some as ‘re-nationalization’. He was forced to resign following revelations of internal departmental problems, continuing inefficiencies in the public transport system, and his alleged untruthfulness in public statements.

Born in Wolverhampton, England, Byers went to school in Cheshire and read law at Liverpool Polytechnic. Between 1977 and 1992 he lectured in law at Newcastle Polytechnic, and was a councillor on North Tyneside Council 1980–92, serving as its deputy leader from 1985. He failed in his first attempt to become a member of Parliament (MP), for Hexham, in 1983, but from 1992 became MP for Wallsend (renamed Tyneside North in 1997).