Catherine Ashton

The Richt Honourable The Baroness Ashton o Upholland PC
Heich Representative o the Union for Foreign Affairs an Security Policy
In office 1 December 2009 – 1 November 2014
Precedit bi	Javier Solana (Heich Representative for CFSP) Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Commissioner for External Relations)
Succeedit bi	Federica Mogherini
First Vice Preses o the European Commission
In office 9 Februar 2010 – 1 November 2014
Preses	José Manuel Barroso
Precedit bi	Margot Wallström
Succeedit bi	Frans Timmermans
European Commissioner for Trade
In office 3 October 2008 – 1 December 2009
Preses	José Manuel Barroso
Precedit bi	Peter Mandelson
Succeedit bi	Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Leader o the Hoose o Lords Lord Preses o the Cooncil
In office 27 Juin 2007 – 3 October 2008
Prime Meenister	Gordon Brown
Precedit bi	The Baroness Amos
Succeedit bi	The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Personal details
Born	(1956-03-20) 20 Mairch 1956 Upholland, United Kingdom
Poleetical pairty	Labour
Spoose(s)	Peter Kellner (1988–present)
Bairns	2
Residence	St Albans, Unitit Kinrick
Alma mater	Bedford College

Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton o Upholland, PC (born 20 Mairch 1956) is a British Labour politeecian that in 2009 became the Heich Representative o the Union for Furren Affairs an Security Policy for the European Union. Unner the Treaty o Lisbon, this post is combined wi the post o Vice-Preses o the European Commission. She haudit this poseetion til November 2014.

Her poleetical career began in 1999 whan she wis creatit a Life Peer (Baroness Ashton o Upholland) bi the Labour Govrenment. Unner this govrenment she became the Parliamentary Unner-Secretar o State in the Depairtment for Eddication an Skills in 2001 an subsequently in the Depairtment for Constitutional Affairs an Meenistry o Justice in 2004. She scame a Privy Councillor (PC) in Mey 2006.

Catherine Ashton wis appyntit Leader o the Hoose o Lords an Lord Preses o the Cooncil in Gordon Brown’s first Cabinet in Juin 2007. She wis instrumental in steerin the EU's Treaty o Lisbon throu the UK's upper chamber. In 2008, she succeedit Peter Mandelson as Commissioner for Trade in the European Commission.

In December 2009, she became the first person tae tak on the role o Heich Representative o the Union for Foreign Affairs an Security Policy that wis creatit bi the Treaty o Lisbon. As Heich Representative, Baroness Ashton serves as the EU's foreign policy chief.

Ashton teuk a central negotiatin role in the P5+1 talks wi Iran that led tae the 2013 Geneva interim agreement on Iranian nuclear program.