Denise Simpson is a Zardic politician, trade unionist and former employment lawyer who has served as leader of the centre-left Zardic Labour Party since October 18, 3341. She is the first person to lead the party since its foundation, having been chosen for the role by a margin of 675 - 324 at the ZLP's founding conference. Simpson led the party unsucessfully into its first federal election on December 9 of the same year, winning only a handful of seats on local councils and achieving no representation at a state or federal level. In June 3342, she became Shadow Minister for Education and Culture in the New Democratic-led coalition opposition cabinet, replacing the NDP's Donna White.