In the run up to the General Election on May 6, the Enfield Independent is featuring profiles on the candidates vying for your votes.

Today we feature Labour's Joan Ryan hoping to be re-elected in the Enfield North constituency.

Joan Ryan, 54, has been an MP since 1997.

Born and brought up in Warrington, she graduated from the City of Liverpool College in 1979 with a BA in History and Sociology, and did a masters in Sociology in 1981.

She began her career in politics when she was elected to Barnet Council in 1990. She was deputy leader from 1994 to 97.

Then she was elected as one of the so-called 'Blair babes' to Enfield North with a majority of 6822, the first female MP to hold the seat.

She opposes the downgrade of Chase Farm Hospital, and claims to have been a "leading champion for protecting the hospital". Other key campaigns fought include fireworks misuse and anti-social behaviour.

Between 1997-2002, she was the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Andrew Smith MP, Minister for Employment and Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

In 2002, she was appointed Assistant Government Whip and a year later was made a Senior Government Whip, delivering votes on major Government Bills on foundation hospitals, tuition fees and ID Cards.

In May 2006, the Prime Minister appointed her as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for nationality, citizenship and immigration at the Home Office, a post she held for a year.

In 2007, Ms Ryan was appointed Vice Chair of the Labour Party. She was also appointed the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Cyprus.

However after publicly calling for a leadership contest in September 2008, shortly after Gordon Brown became prime minister, she was sacked from the two posts.

She holds weekly advice surgeries at her constituency office and monthly coffee mornings.

She is a Governor at Chase Side Primary School, a Trustee of Riders for Health and a Patron of Nightingale Community Hospice Trust and the North London LUPUS charity.

Ms Ryan, lives in Enfield with her husband Martin. She has two grown-up children and two grandchildren.

She enjoys swimming, reading, music and visiting historic buildings.