▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁Const ance ▁Ann ▁Place ▁in ▁L yth am ▁St ▁An nes , ▁Lanc ash ire , ▁she ▁comes ▁from ▁a ▁political ▁family . ▁Her ▁father , ▁Allen ▁Place , ▁was ▁an ▁activ ist ▁in ▁the ▁Independent ▁Labour ▁Party , ▁as ▁was ▁his ▁mother , ▁Din ah ▁Place , ▁a ▁suff ra get te . ▁Ann ▁Cry er ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁St ▁John ' s ▁Primary ▁School ▁in ▁Dar wen ▁and ▁Spring ▁Bank ▁Second ary ▁Modern ▁School ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁town , ▁before ▁att ending ▁the ▁Bol ton ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology . ▁ ▁She ▁began ▁her ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁cl erk ▁for ▁Imperial ▁Chem ical ▁Indust ries ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁General ▁Post ▁Office ▁as ▁a ▁tele phon ist ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁Cry er ▁joined ▁the ▁Camp aign ▁for ▁N uc lear ▁Dis arm ament ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁ 1 8 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁became ▁the ▁young est ▁serving ▁coun c ill or ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁pros pective ▁Labour ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Ke igh ley ▁constitu ency , ▁the ▁seat ▁her ▁husband ▁had ▁held , ▁from ▁an ▁all - w omen ▁short list . ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election , ▁defe ating ▁the ▁sitting ▁Conserv ative ▁MP ▁Gary ▁W aller ▁by ▁ 7 , 1 3 2 ▁votes .