Betty Helena Williams
Encyclopedia
Betty Helena Williams is a Welsh
Labour politician
, who was the Member of Parliament
for Conwy
from 1997 to 2010.
, Wales
. She attended Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle
in Penygroes, near Caernarfon
, and also attended Bangor Normal College.
Her political career began in 1967 when she was elected to become a member of the Llanllyfni Parish Council. She proceeded to serve as a district council, and more recently in 1990 as Mayor
of Arfon
.
Williams is a former chair of a community centre, as well as a former Christian Aid
and Meals on Wheels
organiser, and an Honorary Fellow
of the University of Wales, Bangor. She worked as a secretary and freelance journalist.
in 1983 and Conwy in 1987 and 1992. In 1995 Williams was again selected to stand for election for Labour in Conwy, though this time through an all-women shortlist
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election.
Williams is seen as a party loyalist and has been known to criticise those in the Labour Party that have called for the current Prime Minister
, Gordon Brown
, to stand down.
She is a member the Parliamentary Labour Party
committees on education and employment; health and social services, and culture, media and sport.
She is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group
s in the House of Commons
covering children in Wales, primary headache
disorders, maternity
, multiple sclerosis
and vaccine
-damaged children.
In September 2008, Williams announced that she would not be contesting her parliamentary seat at the 2010 general election. She stated that this is due to her wanting to 'change the balance' of her workload.
from the University of Wales
. Her interests include opera and sheepdog trial
s.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
Labour politician
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, who was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Conwy
Conwy (UK Parliament constituency)
Conwy was an electoral constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returned one Member of Parliament by the single-member district plurality system of voting....
from 1997 to 2010.
Early life
Williams was born in St David's Hospital, Bangor, GwyneddBangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. She attended Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle
Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle
Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle is a small bilingual secondary school in Penygroes for pupils aged 11–18. In 2009 there were approximately 530 children enrolled including about 50 pupils in the sixth form...
in Penygroes, near Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
, and also attended Bangor Normal College.
Her political career began in 1967 when she was elected to become a member of the Llanllyfni Parish Council. She proceeded to serve as a district council, and more recently in 1990 as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Arfon
Arfon
Arfon was one of five districts of Gwynedd, Wales, from 1974 to 1996.It was created by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974 from part of the administrative county of Caernarfonshire, namely the municipal boroughs of Bangor and Caernarfon, the Bethesda urban district, the rural districts...
.
Williams is a former chair of a community centre, as well as a former Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
and Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
organiser, and an Honorary Fellow
Honorary title (academic)
Honorary titles in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties...
of the University of Wales, Bangor. She worked as a secretary and freelance journalist.
Parliamentary career
She unsuccessfully contested CaernarfonCaernarfon (UK Parliament constituency)
Caernarfon was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Caernarfon in Wales. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system....
in 1983 and Conwy in 1987 and 1992. In 1995 Williams was again selected to stand for election for Labour in Conwy, though this time through an all-women shortlist
All-women shortlists
The use of all-women shortlists is the political practice intended to increase the proportion of female Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom by allowing only women to stand in particular constituencies for a particular political party. Though the practice is available to all parties, only...
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election.
Williams is seen as a party loyalist and has been known to criticise those in the Labour Party that have called for the current Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, to stand down.
She is a member the Parliamentary Labour Party
Parliamentary Labour Party
In UK politics, the Parliamentary Labour Party is the parliamentary party of the Labour Party in Parliament: Labour MPs as a collective body....
committees on education and employment; health and social services, and culture, media and sport.
She is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group
All-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
s in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
covering children in Wales, primary headache
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
disorders, maternity
Maternity
Maternity or motherhood is the social and legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a mother and her child.It is specially related with the protection of the baby and the mother within and after the childbirth.-See also:...
, multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
and vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
-damaged children.
In September 2008, Williams announced that she would not be contesting her parliamentary seat at the 2010 general election. She stated that this is due to her wanting to 'change the balance' of her workload.
Personal life
She is married to Evan with two sons who are now grown up. Williams is both her married and maiden name. She has a BABachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
. Her interests include opera and sheepdog trial
Sheepdog trial
A Sheepdog trial is a competitive dog sport in which herding dog breeds move sheep around a field, fences, gates, or enclosures as directed by their handlers. Such events are particularly associated with hill farming areas, where sheep range widely on largely unfenced land...
s.
External links
- ePolitix - Betty Williams official site
- Labour Party - Betty Williams MP official biography
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Betty Williams MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Betty Williams MP
- The Public Whip - Betty Williams MP voting record
- BBC Politics
- http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2008/09/12/mp-betty-williams-won-t-fight-next-election-55578-21805288/