Fiona Jones
Encyclopedia
Fiona Jones was a Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. She was elected as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Newark
in Labour's landslide victory in the 1997 general election
.
Jones was accused of fraud
ulently failing to declare the full amount of her election costs
, and convicted of election fraud in March 1999 and had the Labour whip withdrawn. She was the first MP to be disqualified from membership of the House of Commons
for that offence since it was introduced by the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883
. However, the Court of Appeal overturned her conviction within weeks: the disqualification was revoked, and she resumed her place in the House of Commons. However, she lost her seat in the 2001 general election
. She later lost a civil case brought against the police for malicious prosecution
, and ultimately succumbed to alcoholism
.
and grew up in Fazakerley
. An only child, her father, Fred Hamilton, was a production manager for a pharmaceutical company, and was a friend of Labour MP Eric Heffer
. Heffer gave her a copy of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
when she was young, which inspired her to become an active socialist
. She attended Wirral College of Art
and Preston College
, and joined the Labour Party at the age of 17.
She became a freelance journalist
; her future husband, Chris Jones, was also a journalist, who worked for BBC radio
. The couple moved to Lincolnshire
. They were married in north Wales in 1982. They had two sons; Penri and Huw.
from 1990 to 1994. She was unsuccessful as the Labour Parliamentary candidate in the Conservative
stronghold of Gainsborough and Horncastle
in the 1992 general election
, finishing in third place, and then failed to secure the nomination to fight for the marginal seat for Lincoln
and the safe Labour seat at Liverpool Riverside
.
In September 1995, she was selected to fight at Newark
. A New Labour professional, she was selected ahead of the leader of the local council, Gill Dawn, who held more traditional Old Labour view, to the consternation of a number of local party activists.
She was elected as Member of Parliament for Newark-on-Trent
in the 1997 general election
, ousting Conservative
MP Richard Alexander, who had held the seat since the 1979 general election
. She was pictured alongside 96 other women Labour MPs in the "Blair babe
s" photograph; she was the last to make her maiden speech, in January 1998, calling herself "the last virgin in the House". A Roman Catholic, Jones campaigned against abortion
, and she appeared with Lord Longford
at a Labour conference fringe meeting.
After complaints by the Liberal Democrats
, the police launched an investigation into her spending at the 1997 election campaign. Although submitting election expenses
within the permitted maximum, she was charged with her agent Des Whicher with having fraudulently omitted to declare spending which would have taken her well over it. Although most of the charges collapsed and were withdrawn by the trial Judge, a dispute over whether the rent for a campaign office used also as party headquarters was left to the Jury. The two were convicted on 19 March 1999 of "corrupt practices
", under section 82(6) of the Representation of the People Act 1983
and she was sentenced to 100 hours' community service. Gill Dawn, a prominent local councillor, among a number of other local Labour Party members, gave evidence against her. Much was made at the time that Dawn had been her rival for the Labour Party candidacy. On the nomination from the Newark Branch Labour Party, Dawn came in a poor fourth, and withdrew from the contest at that stage. The runner up, Nick Palmer went on to win the Labour Party candidacy for the Broxtowe constituency. As a result of the conviction, Jones was disqualified from the House of Commons
.
However, the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions on 15 April 1999.
The Divisional Court
of the Queen's Bench Division held that the effect of the quashing of the conviction was that the disqualification was revoked with no need for a by-election
, and she resumed her seat on 29 April.
She contested her seat in the 2001 general election
, but lost to the Conservative candidate Patrick Mercer
. In the 12 months before the 2001 general election
, the local newspaper, The Newark Advertiser
restricted reporting of her routine activities after she unsuccessfully demanded that every report concerning her should be submitted for her approval before publication.
, Jones brought a civil case against Nottinghamshire Police
for malicious prosecution
. The case was dismissed in December 2005, leaving her to bear costs of £45,000. In an interview, she claimed that a government minister had asked her for sex in return for assisting her to secure promotion.
welcoming her back to the House of Commons after her conviction was quashed. Her husband said that she refused to attend Alcoholics Anonymous
meetings in case she was recognised.
She was found dead at her home in Saxilby
by her husband, reportedly surrounded by 15 empty vodka bottles. Her cause of death was reported as alcoholism
or alcoholic liver disease
.
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...
politician in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. She was elected as a 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,...
(MP) for Newark
Newark (UK Parliament constituency)
Newark is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885, it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in Labour's landslide victory in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
Jones was accused of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
ulently failing to declare the full amount of her election costs
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
, and convicted of election fraud in March 1999 and had the Labour whip withdrawn. She was the first MP to be disqualified from membership of 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...
for that offence since it was introduced by the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883
Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883
The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was a continuation of policy to make voters free from the intimidation of landowners and politicians...
. However, the Court of Appeal overturned her conviction within weeks: the disqualification was revoked, and she resumed her place in the House of Commons. However, she lost her seat in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
. She later lost a civil case brought against the police for malicious prosecution
Malicious prosecution
Malicious prosecution is a common law intentional tort, while like the tort of abuse of process, its elements include intentionally instituting and pursuing a legal action that is brought without probable cause and dismissed in favor of the victim of the malicious prosecution...
, and ultimately succumbed to alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
Early life
Jones was born Fiona Elizabeth Ann Hamilton in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and grew up in Fazakerley
Fazakerley
Fazakerley is a suburb of north Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and a Liverpool City Council Ward. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 15,062...
. An only child, her father, Fred Hamilton, was a production manager for a pharmaceutical company, and was a friend of Labour MP Eric Heffer
Eric Heffer
Eric Samuel Heffer was a British socialist politician. He was Labour Member of Parliament for Liverpool Walton from 1964 until his death. His working-class background and consciousness fed in to his left-wing politics, but to an extent disguised the depth of his knowledge: with 12,000 books in...
. Heffer gave her a copy of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists is a novel by Robert Tressell first published in 1914 after his death in 1911. An explicitly political work, it is widely regarded as a classic of working-class literature.-Background:...
when she was young, which inspired her to become an active socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. She attended Wirral College of Art
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
and Preston College
Preston College
Preston College is a further education college in the city of Preston, Lancashire, England. The college originally opened as W.R. Tuson College in September 1974 and was renamed on 1 September 1989.-Campus:...
, and joined the Labour Party at the age of 17.
She became a freelance journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
; her future husband, Chris Jones, was also a journalist, who worked for BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
. The couple moved to Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. They were married in north Wales in 1982. They had two sons; Penri and Huw.
Political career
Jones was a Labour member of West Lindsey District CouncilWest Lindsey
West Lindsey is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England.-History:The district was formed on 1 April 1974, from the urban districts of Gainsborough, Market Rasen, along with Caistor Rural District, Gainsborough Rural District and Welton Rural District...
from 1990 to 1994. She was unsuccessful as the Labour Parliamentary candidate in the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
stronghold of Gainsborough and Horncastle
Gainsborough and Horncastle (UK Parliament constituency)
Gainsborough and Horncastle is a former county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The constituency was called Gainsborough and Horncastle between 1983 and 1997...
in the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, finishing in third place, and then failed to secure the nomination to fight for the marginal seat for Lincoln
Lincoln (UK Parliament constituency)
Lincoln is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
and the safe Labour seat at Liverpool Riverside
Liverpool Riverside (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Riverside is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
.
In September 1995, she was selected to fight at Newark
Newark (UK Parliament constituency)
Newark is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885, it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. A New Labour professional, she was selected ahead of the leader of the local council, Gill Dawn, who held more traditional Old Labour view, to the consternation of a number of local party activists.
She was elected as Member of Parliament for Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, ousting Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP Richard Alexander, who had held the seat since the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
. She was pictured alongside 96 other women Labour MPs in the "Blair babe
Blair Babe
The terms Blair Babes and Blair's Babes refers to 101 female Members of Parliament from the Labour Party elected to the British House of Commons in Labour's landslide general election victory in 1997....
s" photograph; she was the last to make her maiden speech, in January 1998, calling herself "the last virgin in the House". A Roman Catholic, Jones campaigned against abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, and she appeared with Lord Longford
Frank Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford
Francis Aungier Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford KG, PC , known as the Lord Pakenham from 1945 to 1961, was a British politician, author, and social reformer...
at a Labour conference fringe meeting.
After complaints by the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, the police launched an investigation into her spending at the 1997 election campaign. Although submitting election expenses
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
within the permitted maximum, she was charged with her agent Des Whicher with having fraudulently omitted to declare spending which would have taken her well over it. Although most of the charges collapsed and were withdrawn by the trial Judge, a dispute over whether the rent for a campaign office used also as party headquarters was left to the Jury. The two were convicted on 19 March 1999 of "corrupt practices
Corrupt practices
Corrupt practices in English election law includes bribery, treating, undue influence, personation, and aiding, abetting, counselling and procuring personation.- English election law :...
", under section 82(6) of the Representation of the People Act 1983
Representation of the People Act 1983
The Representation of the People Act 1983 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It changed the British electoral process in the following ways:* Amended the Representation of the People Act 1969....
and she was sentenced to 100 hours' community service. Gill Dawn, a prominent local councillor, among a number of other local Labour Party members, gave evidence against her. Much was made at the time that Dawn had been her rival for the Labour Party candidacy. On the nomination from the Newark Branch Labour Party, Dawn came in a poor fourth, and withdrew from the contest at that stage. The runner up, Nick Palmer went on to win the Labour Party candidacy for the Broxtowe constituency. As a result of the conviction, Jones was disqualified from 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...
.
However, the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions on 15 April 1999.
The Divisional Court
Divisional Court
A Divisional Court, in relation to the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, means a court sitting with at least two judges. Matters heard by a Divisional Court include some criminal cases in the High Court as well as certain judicial review cases...
of the Queen's Bench Division held that the effect of the quashing of the conviction was that the disqualification was revoked with no need for a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, and she resumed her seat on 29 April.
She contested her seat in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, but lost to the Conservative candidate Patrick Mercer
Patrick Mercer
Patrick John Mercer OBE is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom, representing the constituency of Newark in Parliament. He is a frequent commentator on defence and security issues having served as infantry officer in the British Army and held the position of Shadow Minister for...
. In the 12 months before the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, the local newspaper, The Newark Advertiser
Newark Advertiser
The Newark Advertiser is a British regional newspaper, owned by Advertiser Group Newspapers, for the town of Newark-on-Trent and surrounding areas.- History :...
restricted reporting of her routine activities after she unsuccessfully demanded that every report concerning her should be submitted for her approval before publication.
Later life
After studying law at the University of LincolnUniversity of Lincoln
The University of Lincoln is an English university founded in 1992, with origins tracing back to the foundation and association with the Hull School of Art 1861....
, Jones brought a civil case against Nottinghamshire Police
Nottinghamshire Police
Nottinghamshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the shire county of Nottinghamshire and the unitary authority of Nottingham in the East Midlands of England. The area has a population of just over 1 million....
for malicious prosecution
Malicious prosecution
Malicious prosecution is a common law intentional tort, while like the tort of abuse of process, its elements include intentionally instituting and pursuing a legal action that is brought without probable cause and dismissed in favor of the victim of the malicious prosecution...
. The case was dismissed in December 2005, leaving her to bear costs of £45,000. In an interview, she claimed that a government minister had asked her for sex in return for assisting her to secure promotion.
Death
Jones reportedly became reliant on alcohol after she was shunned by her colleagues when she returned to the House of Commons in 1999 - only 34 signed an early day motionEarly day motion
An Early Day Motion , in the Westminster system, is a motion, expressed as a single sentence, tabled by Members of Parliament for debate "on an early day" . Controversial EDMs are not signed by Government Ministers, PPS or the Speaker of the House of Commons and very few are debated on the floor...
welcoming her back to the House of Commons after her conviction was quashed. Her husband said that she refused to attend Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
meetings in case she was recognised.
She was found dead at her home in Saxilby
Saxilby
Saxilby is a large village in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, about north-west of Lincoln, on the A57 road at the junction of the B1241. It is part of the civil parish of Saxilby and Ingleby, along with the nearby village of Ingleby. Population of the civil parish in 2001 was...
by her husband, reportedly surrounded by 15 empty vodka bottles. Her cause of death was reported as alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
or alcoholic liver disease
Alcoholic liver disease
Alcoholic liver disease is a term that encompasses the hepatic manifestations of alcohol overconsumption, including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and chronic hepatitis with hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis. It is the major cause of liver disease in Western countries...
.
External links
- The "Fiona Jones archive" in the Newark Advertiser.