Martyn Jones
Encyclopedia
Martyn David Jones is a British
Labour Party
politician who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Clwyd South
from 1987
until his retirement at the 2010 general election.
, he attended Grove Park Grammar School (became the Groves High School then closed in 2003 although a part became Rhosnesni High School
) on Penymaes Avenue in Wrexham. He went to Liverpool College of Commerce, then completed a BSc
in Microbiology at Liverpool Polytechnic
, then an MSc
at Trent Polytechnic
.
He is a microbiologist
, and worked at the Wrexham Lager
Beer Company from 1969 until June 1987 before his election to the House of Commons.
, he was elected as member of Parliament
for Clwyd South West
, narrowly beating the Conservative
incumbent Robert Harvey
. He was re-elected at the 1992 general election
with an increased majority. His constituency was abolished for the 1997 election
, but he was returned to Parliament
for the new Clwyd South
constituency.
Jones was an opposition whip
from 1988 to 1992, and under John Smith
's leadership of the Labour Party, he was an opposition spokesperson for Food, Agricultural and Rural Affairs from 1994 to 1995.
He has been a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee since 1997, serving as the committee's chair until 2005. He was previously a member of the Agriculture Select Committee.
On 7 May 2009, Jones announced that he would retire at the next general election.
Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom
's decision to use images of a dead motorcyclist as part of the force's contentiously zealous campaign for road safety.
Jones denied the Mails allegations. He took the paper to the High Court to sue them for inaccuracies in the story. He called the article a "grotesque distortion" and was eventually awarded £5,000 in compensation. The paper also had to pay £300,000 in legal costs.
.
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 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,...
(MP) for Clwyd South
Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)
Clwyd South is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The constituency was created in 1997, and it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post method of election.The Clwyd South Welsh Assembly constituency was created with the same...
from 1987
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
until his retirement at the 2010 general election.
Early life
Born in WrexhamWrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, he attended Grove Park Grammar School (became the Groves High School then closed in 2003 although a part became Rhosnesni High School
Rhosnesni High School
Rhosnesni High School, also known as Ysgol Rhosnesni High School, is a high school created in 2003 by Wrexham County Borough council as a part of their controversial "super schools" plan.- History :...
) on Penymaes Avenue in Wrexham. He went to Liverpool College of Commerce, then completed a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Microbiology at Liverpool Polytechnic
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
, then an MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
at Trent Polytechnic
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
.
He is a microbiologist
Microbiologist
A microbiologist is a scientist who works in the field of microbiology. Microbiologists study organisms called microbes. Microbes can take the form of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists...
, and worked at the Wrexham Lager
Wrexham Lager
Wrexham Lager was a brewery in Wrexham, north-east Wales, that produced alcoholic drink for more than 120 years. It closed in 2000 and was mostly demolished between 2002 and 2003. Only the historic building in which brewing started still remains, however there are currently plans to resume brewing...
Beer Company from 1969 until June 1987 before his election to the House of Commons.
Parliamentary career
At the 1987 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
, he was elected as 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 Clwyd South West
Clwyd South West (UK Parliament constituency)
Clwyd South West was a county constituency in Clwyd, North Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system of election....
, narrowly beating 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...
incumbent Robert Harvey
Robert Harvey (UK politician)
Robert Lambart Harvey is a British Conservative Party politician, journalist and author.Robert Harvey has been foreign affairs leader writer for the Daily Telegraph, assistant editor of The Economist and a Member of Parliament...
. He was re-elected at 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...
with an increased majority. His constituency was abolished for the 1997 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...
, but he was returned to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
for the new Clwyd South
Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)
Clwyd South is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The constituency was created in 1997, and it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post method of election.The Clwyd South Welsh Assembly constituency was created with the same...
constituency.
Jones was an opposition whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
from 1988 to 1992, and under John Smith
John Smith (UK politician)
John Smith was a British Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden death from a heart attack in May 1994...
's leadership of the Labour Party, he was an opposition spokesperson for Food, Agricultural and Rural Affairs from 1994 to 1995.
He has been a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee since 1997, serving as the committee's chair until 2005. He was previously a member of the Agriculture Select Committee.
On 7 May 2009, Jones announced that he would retire at the next general election.
Richard Brunstrom
Jones has been vocal in his criticism of controversial North Wales PoliceNorth Wales Police
North Wales Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales. The headquarters are in Colwyn Bay, with divisional headquarters in St Asaph, Caernarfon and Wrexham....
Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom
Richard Brunstrom
Richard Brunstrom was the Chief Constable of North Wales Police, a position he held from January 2001 to July 2009.-Early life:...
's decision to use images of a dead motorcyclist as part of the force's contentiously zealous campaign for road safety.
High Court case
In 2006 the Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that Jones had repeatedly swore at a House of Commons Security Officer.Jones denied the Mails allegations. He took the paper to the High Court to sue them for inaccuracies in the story. He called the article a "grotesque distortion" and was eventually awarded £5,000 in compensation. The paper also had to pay £300,000 in legal costs.
Dormant Bank Accounts
Martyn Jones MP has been a vocal campaigner on the issue of dormant bank accounts in the UK. The MP has campaigned since 2001 for the issue to be brought to the forefront of British political life. His work on the subject was praised by senior ministers, such as the Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair DarlingAlistair Darling
Alistair Maclean Darling is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament since 1987, currently for Edinburgh South West. He served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010...
.
Personal life
In 1974 he married Rhona Bellis in Wrexham. They have a son and daughter and divorced in 1991.External links
- ePolitix - Martyn Jones
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Martyn Jones MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Martyn Jones MP
- Martyn Jones MP Website Official Site
- Wrexham Labour
- BBC politics
News items
- Mr Brunstrom in November 2007
- Claiming King Arthur in July 2002
- Buys Wrexham Lager for £1 in February 2002
- Rescuing brewery in April 2000