Morris, Estelle (1952– )

British Labour politician, secretary of state for education and skills 2001–02. A former teacher in an inner-city comprehensive school in Coventry 1974–92, she was a successful school standards minister 1997–2001, overseeing improvement in pupils' attainment in standard tests and persuading teachers to accept performance-related pay. A pragmatic politician, she has been described as a ‘Blairite before Blair’ and was highly regarded by the prime minister.

Morris trained and worked as a teacher before being elected to Parliament, as member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Yardley, in 1992. She had previously been a Labour councillor on Warwick District Council 1979–91, leading the Labour group between 1982–89. Her father, Charles Morris, was former Labour prime minister Harold Wilson's parliamentary private secretary and her uncle was also a Labour MP.