Meg Munn
Encyclopedia
Margaret Patricia Munn is a British
Labour Co-operative politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
for Sheffield Heeley since 2001
.
then the comprehensive Rowlinson School on Dyche Lane in Jordanthorpe
, Sheffield
from 1970 to 1977, (the site became Norton College Campus of Sheffield College, but the old school transferred to Meadowhead School across the road in 1988).
She studied languages at the University of York
receiving a BA
(Hons) in 1981, later gaining an MA in Social Work at the University of Nottingham
in 1986 followed by a Certificate and Diploma in Management Studies from the Open University
.
She worked as a Social Work
Assistant for Berkshire
County Council from 1981–84; as a Social Worker for Nottinghamshire County Council
from 1986–90, becoming a Senior Social Worker from 1990–92; as a District Manager for Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Social Services from 1992–96, as Child Services Manager for Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council
from 1996–99; and Assistant Director of City of York Council
Children's Services from 1999–2000.
She joined the Labour Party at fifteen, and was a Councillor on Nottingham City Council
from 1987–91. Munn was on the Barnsley Regional Board of the Co-operative Group, the UK's largest co-operative society, and the management committee of Wortley Hall
, a national co-operative conference centre. She was elected President of the 2006 Co-operative Congress
She is a member of USDAW and the Co-operative Party
.
and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Voice group.
Munn served as Team Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) at the Department for Education and Skills July 2003 to February 2004, then as PPS to Margaret Hodge
, the Minister for Children, from February 2004 to May 2005. Munn was Minister for Women and Equality
, based at the Department for Communities and Local Government
(DCLG) from May 2005 until June 2007. Munn introduced Civil Partnerships in the UK in December 2005. She was responsible for the Equality Act 2006
, and involved in the Work and Families Act 2006. She established the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
On 29 June 2007, Munn was appointed as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
. She had responsibility for Overseas Territories, South East Asia, Australia
, New Zealand
and the Caribbean
and Central America
among other things. She stood down from the government in October 2008.
From October 2008 to July 2010 Munn was Chair of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy
, and subsequently elected Vice-Chair July 2010 onwards. The Foundation was established in 1992 to promote democracy mainly in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It is a cross-party political organisation that provides funds, supports projects and arranges training in the nuts and bolts of establishing and keeping democratic forms of government.
Munn is Chair of the Child Protection All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), Chair of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq APPG, Chair of the Methodist APPG, Vice-Chair of the Women in Enterprise APPG, Vice-Chair of the Engineering and Information Technology APPG, and Vice-Chair of the Mexican APPG. On Thursday 12 March 2009 Munn met with Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region in the Houses of Parliament. In an interview with Raz Jabary for SOMA Digest
Munn expressed her support of Article 140 to be carried out regarding the normalisation of Kirkuk
and other Arabised areas, in accordance with the Iraqi constitution. Munn has been a Vice-Chair of the group Progress
.
that her husband, who is also employed part-time as her parliamentary aid, received more than £5,000 over four years of public money claimed for by Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party, including Government Ministers, for assistance completing their personal tax forms. Munn charged the taxpayer for the tax advice she received herself from her own husband. It was alleged that when she published the receipt on her website, she blacked out the portion indicating that her husband was the beneficiary of her expenses.
However the blacking out had been done by the House of Commons authorities, presumably in error as they only blacked out his name for one year but left the other three years alone. Munn stated none of the information available on her website had information blacked out by her or any of her staff.
Labour MPs have argued that tax advice relating to their work is a legitimate expense, and the Labour Party issued a statement suggesting that "Many MPs rightly seek professional assistance and advice where this relates specifically to their role as Members of Parliament and the expense is therefore legitimate and justifiable. "The purpose of this is to ensure all tax liabilities connected with parliamentary duties are properly dealt with." Business groups expressed concerns said MPs might be being "treated differently" to other taxpayers. Saying, "If entrepreneurs sought professional tax advice, they had to pay the fee themselves and offset it against any profits on which they paid tax". Munn was one of 98 MPs who voted in favour of legislation which would have kept MPs expense details secret.
for 30 years. She is married to Dennis Bates, who is also her researcher, and employs her sister-in-law as an assistant in her constituency.
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 Co-operative politician
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
, who has been 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 Sheffield Heeley since 2001
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...
.
Early life
Munn went to Mundella Primary School on Mundella Place in Norton WoodseatsGraves Park (ward)
Graves Park ward—which includes the districts of Norton, Norton Lees, Norton Woodseats, and Woodseats—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the southern part of the city and covers an area of 5.8 km2. The population of this ward in 2001...
then the comprehensive Rowlinson School on Dyche Lane in Jordanthorpe
Beauchief and Greenhill
Beauchief and Greenhill ward—which includes the districts of Batemoor, Beauchief, Chancet Wood, Greenhill, Jordanthorpe, and Lowedges—is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the southern part of the city and covers an area of...
, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
from 1970 to 1977, (the site became Norton College Campus of Sheffield College, but the old school transferred to Meadowhead School across the road in 1988).
She studied languages at the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
receiving 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...
(Hons) in 1981, later gaining an MA in Social Work at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
in 1986 followed by a Certificate and Diploma in Management Studies from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
.
She worked as a Social Work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
Assistant for Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
County Council from 1981–84; as a Social Worker for Nottinghamshire County Council
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
from 1986–90, becoming a Senior Social Worker from 1990–92; as a District Manager for Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, England. Its main town is Barnsley....
Social Services from 1992–96, as Child Services Manager for Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
from 1996–99; and Assistant Director of City of York Council
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
Children's Services from 1999–2000.
She joined the Labour Party at fifteen, and was a Councillor on Nottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council is the non-metropolitan district council for the unitary authority of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire. It consists of 55 councillors, representing a total of 20 wards, elected every four years. It is led by Jon Collins, of the majority Labour Party. The deputy leader of the...
from 1987–91. Munn was on the Barnsley Regional Board of the Co-operative Group, the UK's largest co-operative society, and the management committee of Wortley Hall
Wortley Hall
Wortley Hall is a stately home in the small South Yorkshire village of Wortley, located west of Barnsley. For more than five decades the hall has been chiefly associated with the British Labour movement...
, a national co-operative conference centre. She was elected President of the 2006 Co-operative Congress
Co-operative Congress
The Co-operative Congress is the national conference of the UK Co-operative Movement. The first of the modern congresses took place in 1869 following a series of meetings called the "Owenite Congress" in the 1830s...
She is a member of USDAW and the Co-operative Party
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
.
Parliamentary career
As a backbencher Munn served on the Education and Skills Select Committee 2001–03, and the Procedure Select Committee 2001–02. She was closely involved with the Adoption and Children Act 2002; changing national regulations to allow Local Authorities to register body piercing studios; supporting small business, including co-operative and mutual enterprises; encouraging women to go into business; and House of Lord's reform. She also served as Chair of the Women's Committee of the Parliamentary Labour Party (2003–05) and Chair of the Parliamentary Co-operative Group (2004–05). She has been vice-Chair of Labour Friends of IsraelLabour Friends of Israel
Labour Friends of Israel is a lobby group promoting support within the British Labour Party for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain and Israel. It also seeks to strengthen ties between the British and the Israeli Labour party...
and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Voice group.
Munn served as Team 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...
(PPS) at the Department for Education and Skills July 2003 to February 2004, then as PPS to Margaret Hodge
Margaret Hodge
Margaret Hodge MBE MP, also known as Lady Hodge by virtue of her husband's knighthood, is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Barking since 1994. She was the first Minister for Children in 2003 and was Minister of State for Culture and Tourism at the Department...
, the Minister for Children, from February 2004 to May 2005. Munn was Minister for Women and Equality
Minister for Women and Equality
The post of Minister for Women and Equalities is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom with responsibility for addressing all forms of discrimination, with particular emphasis on gender inequality.-History:...
, based at the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
(DCLG) from May 2005 until June 2007. Munn introduced Civil Partnerships in the UK in December 2005. She was responsible for the Equality Act 2006
Equality Act 2006
The Equality Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom covering the United Kingdom. The 2006 Act is a precursor to the Equality Act 2010, which combines all of the equality enactments within Great Britain and provide comparable protections across all equality strands...
, and involved in the Work and Families Act 2006. She established the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
On 29 June 2007, Munn was appointed as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
. She had responsibility for Overseas Territories, South East Asia, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
among other things. She stood down from the government in October 2008.
From October 2008 to July 2010 Munn was Chair of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy
Westminster Foundation for Democracy
The Westminster Foundation for Democracy is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body set up to promote democratic institutions overseas. It was established in March 1992 and registered as a company limited by guarantee. It receives funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the...
, and subsequently elected Vice-Chair July 2010 onwards. The Foundation was established in 1992 to promote democracy mainly in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It is a cross-party political organisation that provides funds, supports projects and arranges training in the nuts and bolts of establishing and keeping democratic forms of government.
Munn is Chair of the Child Protection All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), Chair of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq APPG, Chair of the Methodist APPG, Vice-Chair of the Women in Enterprise APPG, Vice-Chair of the Engineering and Information Technology APPG, and Vice-Chair of the Mexican APPG. On Thursday 12 March 2009 Munn met with Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region in the Houses of Parliament. In an interview with Raz Jabary for SOMA Digest
SOMA Digest
SOMA Digest is an English written newspaper in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Its printing offices are located in Baghdad and its press office in Sulaimaniya. The paper was launched on February 14th, 2006. It is issued on a fortnight basis and distributed across the whole of Iraq, reporting on Kurdish...
Munn expressed her support of Article 140 to be carried out regarding the normalisation of Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
and other Arabised areas, in accordance with the Iraqi constitution. Munn has been a Vice-Chair of the group Progress
Progress (organisation)
Progress is a political organisation linked to the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, founded in 1996. It is broadly viewed as supportive of the leadership of the party, being pro-former leader Tony Blair...
.
Expenses claims
On 26 May 2009, Meg Munn was criticised after it was alleged by The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
that her husband, who is also employed part-time as her parliamentary aid, received more than £5,000 over four years of public money claimed for by Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party, including Government Ministers, for assistance completing their personal tax forms. Munn charged the taxpayer for the tax advice she received herself from her own husband. It was alleged that when she published the receipt on her website, she blacked out the portion indicating that her husband was the beneficiary of her expenses.
However the blacking out had been done by the House of Commons authorities, presumably in error as they only blacked out his name for one year but left the other three years alone. Munn stated none of the information available on her website had information blacked out by her or any of her staff.
Labour MPs have argued that tax advice relating to their work is a legitimate expense, and the Labour Party issued a statement suggesting that "Many MPs rightly seek professional assistance and advice where this relates specifically to their role as Members of Parliament and the expense is therefore legitimate and justifiable. "The purpose of this is to ensure all tax liabilities connected with parliamentary duties are properly dealt with." Business groups expressed concerns said MPs might be being "treated differently" to other taxpayers. Saying, "If entrepreneurs sought professional tax advice, they had to pay the fee themselves and offset it against any profits on which they paid tax". Munn was one of 98 MPs who voted in favour of legislation which would have kept MPs expense details secret.
Personal life
She is fluent in German, French and conversational Italian and Spanish. Munn has been an active member of the Methodist ChurchMethodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
for 30 years. She is married to Dennis Bates, who is also her researcher, and employs her sister-in-law as an assistant in her constituency.
Publications
- Vetting and Disclosures: Getting it right in practice, Child Protection All-Party Parliamentary Group.NSPCCNSPCCThe National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a United Kingdom charity campaigning and working in child protection.-History:...
(2011). - Edited Unlocking Potential: perspectives on women in science, engineering & technology, Smith InstituteSmith InstituteThe Smith Institute is a left-wing think tank in the United Kingdom. It was founded in memory of the late John Smith QC MP, former Leader of the Labour Party....
(2011). - President's Address to the Co-operative Congress, Co-operatives UK (2006).
- Foreword to Diversity and the Economy, Tony Pilch, Smith InstituteSmith InstituteThe Smith Institute is a left-wing think tank in the United Kingdom. It was founded in memory of the late John Smith QC MP, former Leader of the Labour Party....
(2006). - A chapter in Labour Looks to Israel, ed P.Richards, Labour Friends of IsraelLabour Friends of IsraelLabour Friends of Israel is a lobby group promoting support within the British Labour Party for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain and Israel. It also seeks to strengthen ties between the British and the Israeli Labour party...
(2005). - Co-edited Family Fortunes: the New Politics of Childhood, eds Patrick DiamondPatrick DiamondPatrick Diamond worked as a policy advisor under the Labour Party government of the United Kingdom in a role covering policy and strategy. He was previously a Senior Research Fellow at the International Think Tank Policy Network, where he had been previously the Director. He has previously worked...
, Sunder KatwalaSunder KatwalaSunder Katwala is a British political activist and former general secretary of the Fabian Society. He was previously with The Observer newspaper, as a leader writer and internet editor, and was Research Director of The Foreign Policy Centre think-tank from 1999 to 2001...
& Meg Munn, Fabian SocietyFabian SocietyThe Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
(2004)