Kevin McNamara (politician)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Joseph Kevin McNamara, KSG (born 5 September 1934) is a British
Labour Party
politician who served as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for almost 40 years.
at the University of Hull
. He was head of department in History at St Mary's Grammar School (now called St Mary's College) on Cranbrook Avenue, Hull from 1958-64. He was a Law lecturer at Hull College of Commerce from 1964-6.
, in a by-election
in January 1966 following the death of sitting Labour MP Henry Solomons
. Labour's hold of a marginal seat in a mid-term by-election is widely considered to have helped convince the Prime Minister
Harold Wilson
to call the 1966 election
to seek a stronger majority.
McNamara retained his seat at the 1966 general election, and at subsequent elections until the constituency was abolished for the February 1974 general election
, when he transferred to the new Hull Central
constituency. When that constituency was abolished for the 1983 election
, McNamara was re-elected for the re-created Hull North constituency. He stepped down at the 2005 general election
, with the local Constituency Labour Party
choosing Diana Johnson
to stand in his place.
who favoured the reunification of Ireland
. After entering parliament, he soon became interested in allegations of discrimination against the Catholic minority in Northern Ireland
and supported the Campaign for Democracy in Ulster (CDU). He served as a frontbench spokesman for the Labour Party, including Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
under Neil Kinnock
, 1987–94, an appointment that was widely criticised by Unionists.
After Tony Blair became Labour leader, he replaced McNamara as Northern Ireland spokesman with Mo Mowlam
. In 1997 he helped persuade the newly elected Labour government to donate £5,000 (thereby matching the contribution of the Irish government) for the erection of a memorial in Liverpool to the victims of the Great Irish Famine.
campaign he claimed some of the policies regarding illegal travellers' sites of the Jewish leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard
had "whiff of the gas chambers" about them. He campaigned in his last years in parliament on many issues, protesting against the Act of Succession
which prohibits a Roman Catholic or the spouse of a Roman Catholic to be the British monarch.
In 2006, McNamara received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Hull University in recognition of his long service in politics. He graduated with a PhD from the University of Liverpool
in 2007 having completed a thesis on the MacBride Principles
at the Institute of Irish Studies, where he gave the 2008 John Kennedy Lecture in Irish Studies, Perhaps It will all go away – An examination of the British Response to the Civil Rights movement in Northern Ireland.
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...
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 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 almost 40 years.
Early life
He was educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at St Mary's College, Crosby. He studied for an LLBBachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
at the University of Hull
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
. He was head of department in History at St Mary's Grammar School (now called St Mary's College) on Cranbrook Avenue, Hull from 1958-64. He was a Law lecturer at Hull College of Commerce from 1964-6.
Political career
McNamara was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Hull NorthKingston upon Hull North (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull North 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 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....
in January 1966 following the death of sitting Labour MP Henry Solomons
Henry Solomons
Henry Solomons was a British businessman, trade unionist and Labour Party politician who briefly enjoyed a Parliamentary career.-Early career:...
. Labour's hold of a marginal seat in a mid-term by-election is widely considered to have helped convince the 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...
Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
to call the 1966 election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
to seek a stronger majority.
McNamara retained his seat at the 1966 general election, and at subsequent elections until the constituency was abolished for the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
, when he transferred to the new Hull Central
Kingston upon Hull Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Kingston upon Hull in East Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
constituency. When that constituency was abolished for the 1983 election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, McNamara was re-elected for the re-created Hull North constituency. He stepped down at the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, with the local Constituency Labour Party
Constituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
choosing Diana Johnson
Diana Johnson
Diana Ruth Johnson is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Hull North since 2005; she was the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State with responsibility for Schools in the Department for Children, Schools and Families until the resignation of Gordon Brown as...
to stand in his place.
In parliament
McNamara was known throughout his parliamentary career as a supporter of Irish republicanismIrish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
who favoured the reunification of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. After entering parliament, he soon became interested in allegations of discrimination against the Catholic minority in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and supported the Campaign for Democracy in Ulster (CDU). He served as a frontbench spokesman for the Labour Party, including Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
under Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
, 1987–94, an appointment that was widely criticised by Unionists.
After Tony Blair became Labour leader, he replaced McNamara as Northern Ireland spokesman with Mo Mowlam
Mo Mowlam
Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Mowlam's time as Northern...
. In 1997 he helped persuade the newly elected Labour government to donate £5,000 (thereby matching the contribution of the Irish government) for the erection of a memorial in Liverpool to the victims of the Great Irish Famine.
Personal life
McNamara is a Roman Catholic and is a Knight of the Pontifical Order of Saint Gregory the Great. During the 2005 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
campaign he claimed some of the policies regarding illegal travellers' sites of the Jewish leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
had "whiff of the gas chambers" about them. He campaigned in his last years in parliament on many issues, protesting against the Act of Succession
Succession to the Crown Act 1707
The Succession to the Crown Act 1707 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of Great Britain which is still in force in the United Kingdom, with amendments...
which prohibits a Roman Catholic or the spouse of a Roman Catholic to be the British monarch.
In 2006, McNamara received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Hull University in recognition of his long service in politics. He graduated with a PhD from the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
in 2007 having completed a thesis on the MacBride Principles
MacBride Principles
The MacBride Principles — consisting of nine fair employment principles — are a corporate code of conduct for United States companies doing business in Northern Ireland and have become the Congressional standard for all US aid to, or for economic dealings with, Northern Ireland...
at the Institute of Irish Studies, where he gave the 2008 John Kennedy Lecture in Irish Studies, Perhaps It will all go away – An examination of the British Response to the Civil Rights movement in Northern Ireland.