Joan Ruddock

Joan Mary Ruddock (born 28 December, 1943), is a politician in the United Kingdom. She is Labour Party member of Parliament for Lewisham Deptford and was first elected in 1987.

Born in Wales, she was educated at Pontypool grammar school and at Imperial College, London. Prior to her election to Parliament, Joan Ruddock was well known as the Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, a UK pressure group highly active during the 1980s; she resigned the chair in 1985. Under the Blair administration, she served briefly as Minister for Women.