Kali Mountford
Encyclopedia
Kali Carol Jean Mountford (born 12 January 1954) is a British
Labour Party
politician who served as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Colne Valley
from 1997
until she retired from the House of Commons at the 2010 general election.
, the daughter of an engine driver, She attended Crewe Grammar School for Girls (became King's Grove High School
in the late 1970s) on Buchan Grove in Crewe
. At Crewe and Alsager College (now the Alsager Campus of Manchester Metropolitan University
), she gained a DipHE
and a BA
in Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology in 1988 as a mature student. Mountford served as a Sheffield City Council
lor for four years and worked as a civil servant benefits clerk for twenty years prior to entering Parliament. She was also active in the CPSA (became the PCS
in 1998) as a shop steward.
. 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. She was first elected at the 1997 general election
for Colne Valley
and served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Des Browne
MP.
She retired from the Commons at the 2010 general election. The Colne Valley seat was then won by the Conservative Party
candidate, Jason McCartney
.
report to the government. The House of Commons Standards and Privileges Committee
stated that although there were some mitigating circumstances for her behavior, she had in fact "aggravated her original offence by denying responsibility". In addition to the suspension Mountford was forced to apologise for her conduct.
As a result of the controversy Mountford also resigned from the Social Security Select Committee.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Labour Party
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 who served as 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,...
(MP) for Colne Valley
Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Colne Valley is a county 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. In the post-war period the seat had the distinction of being one of the few Labour/Liberal marginals,...
from 1997
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...
until she retired from the House of Commons at the 2010 general election.
Early life
Born as Carol Jean Newton in CreweCrewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, the daughter of an engine driver, She attended Crewe Grammar School for Girls (became King's Grove High School
King's Grove High School
King’s Grove High School is a state-run secondary school on Buchan Grove in Crewe, Cheshire, England. The school has been awarded specialist Business and Enterprise College status.-History:...
in the late 1970s) on Buchan Grove in Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
. At Crewe and Alsager College (now the Alsager Campus of Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
), she gained a DipHE
Diploma of Higher Education
A Diploma of Higher Education is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. It is awarded after two years to three years' full-time study at a university or other higher education institution...
and a BA
Bachelor 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...
in Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology in 1988 as a mature student. Mountford served as a Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council is the city council for the metropolitan borough of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors...
lor for four years and worked as a civil servant benefits clerk for twenty years prior to entering Parliament. She was also active in the CPSA (became the PCS
Public and Commercial Services Union
The Public and Commercial Services Union is the sixth largest trade union in the United Kingdom. Most of its members work in government departments and other public bodies although some work for private companies.- Membership and organisation :...
in 1998) as a shop steward.
Parliamentary career
Mountford was selected to stand for election for Labour through an all-women shortlistAll-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. She was first elected at 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...
for Colne Valley
Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Colne Valley is a county 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. In the post-war period the seat had the distinction of being one of the few Labour/Liberal marginals,...
and served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to Des Browne
Des Browne
Desmond Henry Browne, Baron Browne of Ladyton is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock and Loudoun from 1997 to 2010...
MP.
She retired from the Commons at the 2010 general election. The Colne Valley seat was then won by the Conservative Party
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...
candidate, Jason McCartney
Jason McCartney (politician)
Jason Alexander McCartney is a British Conservative Party politician who serves as the Member of Parliament for Colne Valley in West Yorkshire.-Early career:...
.
Controversies
Mountford was suspended from the House of Commons for five working days in 1998 for leaking a Social Security Select CommitteeWork and Pensions Committee
The Work and Pensions Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the Committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Work and Pensions and its associated public bodies.-Membership:As...
report to the government. The House of Commons Standards and Privileges Committee
Committee on Standards and Privileges
The Standards and Privileges Committee of the United Kingdom House of Commons was established in 1995 to replace the earlier Committee of Privileges...
stated that although there were some mitigating circumstances for her behavior, she had in fact "aggravated her original offence by denying responsibility". In addition to the suspension Mountford was forced to apologise for her conduct.
As a result of the controversy Mountford also resigned from the Social Security Select Committee.
Personal life
Mountford married her third husband Ian Leedham in July 1995 in Sheffield; she has a son and daughter.External links
- Kali Mountford MP's official website
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Kali Mountford MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Kali Mountford MP
- BBC Politics