Barbara Maria O'Toole, known as Mo O'Toole (born 24 February 1960) is a former politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 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...

.

O'Toole attended Sacred Heart Convent School

Sacred Heart Catholic High School (Newcastle upon Tyne)

Sacred Heart High School is a comprehensive school on Fenham Hall Drive in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.-Admissions:The school educates around 1,300 girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen on the site which recently benefited from a near £10 million makeover.This school has a generally good...

 in Fenham

Fenham

Fenham is an area of the west end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It lies to the west of the city centre, and is bounded on the north and east by a large area of open land known as the Town Moor. To the south lies Benwell, whilst West Denton lies to the west, Blakelaw and Cowgate to the north, and...

, Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

, then studied at Northumbria University

Northumbria University

Northumbria University is an academic institution located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. It is a member of the University Alliance.- History :...

. Soon afterwards, she married future 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...

 MP Alan Milburn

Alan Milburn

Alan Milburn is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Darlington from 1992 until 2010...

, although the couple split in the late 1980s. During this period, O'Toole also served as a Labour Party councillor in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

O'Toole then completed a PhD at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne

University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle University is a major research-intensive university located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne by an Act of Parliament in August 1963. Newcastle University is...

, then became a lecturer in Government and Public Policy, first at the University of Bristol

University of Bristol

The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...

, then at Newcastle. At the European Parliament election, 1999, she was elected for the Labour Party in North East England

North East England (European Parliament constituency)

North East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 3 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...

 from third on the party list. She lost her seat in 2004, despite being moved up to second on the party list. O'Toole was on an all-woman shortlist to be the Labour candidate in the safe seat of Bishop Auckland

Bishop Auckland (UK Parliament constituency)

Bishop Auckland 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. Since 1935 it has elected Labour MPs.-Boundaries:...

 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....

, but was not selected.