Joan Ryan is fighting one of the toughest marginal seats in London, Enfield North.

One of the "Blair Babes" generation of Labour MPs elected in 1997, she rose slowly through government ranks.

The former deputy leader of Barnet council, 52, was appointed a parliamentary private secretary to Treasury minister Andrew Smith in 1999.

She spent four years in the Whip's office from 2002 to 2006, witnessing the battles between the Blair and Brown camps over issues such as foundation hospitals and university tuition fees.

She was made a junior Home Office minister last year before being appointed a special representative to Cyprus.

She has a majority of 1,920.

Siobhain McDonagh is another of Blair's Babes and swiftly acquired a reputation as a robotic cheerleader for the Government.

She even defended her flattering Commons interventions, saying: "I make no apology for attempting to ask questions which allow the many achievements of the Government to be publicised."

An activist since her teens, Ms McDonagh made her first conference speech at 23.

She was born in her Mitcham and Morden constituency and made her name as housing committee chairman on the local council.

Her sister is Margaret McDonagh, Labour's former general secretary.

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