Nia Griffith
Encyclopedia
Nia Rhiannon Griffith is a British
Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Llanelli
since 2005
.
on 4 December 1956. Her family comes from mining villages near Neath
, in South Wales
. Her father was Professor T. Gwynfor Griffith; her mother was Dr. Rhiannon Howell. She was educated at Newland High School for Girls (now called Newland School For Girls
) in Hull
and Somerville College, Oxford
where she graduated with a first class degree in modern language
s in 1979. After Oxford, she trained to be a teacher (PGCE
) at the University of Wales, Bangor.
Griffith became a teacher at Queen Elizabeth Cambria School
in Carmarthen then Gowerton Comprehensive School
in Swansea. She was a member of the NUT
. Prior to entering Parliament
, she was an education adviser and an Estyn Schools Inspector (the Welsh equivalent of Ofsted
) from 1992. Immediately before becoming an MP she was Head of Languages at Morriston
Comprehensive School
, Swansea
. She speaks five languages: English
, Welsh
, Italian
, French
and Spanish
and has written a book on language teaching.
Griffith was a founder member of a local Women's Aid
organisation and is a member of the National Union of Teachers
and Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
.
County Labour Party. She was elected as a councillor to the Carmarthen
Town Council in 1987, serving as the sheriff in 1997 and deputy mayor in 1998.
She was selected to contest the Welsh
seat of Llanelli for Labour at the 2005 General Election
following the imposition of a controversial all-women shortlist after the retirement of Denzil Davies
. She won the seat with a majority of 7,234 votes and remains the MP there. Griffith made her maiden speech
on 19 May 2005 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050519/debtext/50519-15.htm#50519-15_spnew1. She is a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights
, Welsh Affairs Select Committee
and European Scrutiny Committee
. She also chairs the All-Party Steel and Metals Group. Griffith was PPS to Harriet Harman
MP in her capacity as Minister for Women and Equality before the 2010 general election.
Griffith was re-elected in 2010 with her majority cut by 2,533 votes. Since October 2010, she has been a Shadow Minister for Business Innovation and Skills.
Her main political interests are tackling climate change and issues affecting industry.
In June 2010 Griffith had to repay the cost of sending 71 letters having been found to have breached Parliamentary rules on using House of Commons stationery for political purposes. The Department of Resources ruled that the letters, sent out just before the general election, "sought to communicate information about the Labour Party and that its intention was to persuade constituents to vote accordingly for the sitting party member.". Griffith also apologised for her actions.
. Her hobbies include music, European cinema, gardening, walking and cycling. She owns a small holding in Carmarthenshire
which receives Tir Gofal funding.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, 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,...
(MP) for Llanelli
Llanelli (UK Parliament constituency)
Llanelli is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1918 to 1970 the official spelling of the constituency name was Llanelly...
since 2005
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....
.
Background
Griffith was born in IrelandIreland
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...
on 4 December 1956. Her family comes from mining villages near Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
, in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. Her father was Professor T. Gwynfor Griffith; her mother was Dr. Rhiannon Howell. She was educated at Newland High School for Girls (now called Newland School For Girls
Newland School For Girls
Newland School For Girls, a "Mathematics and Computing College" is a single sex school situated in Kingston upon Hull. On 28 August 2007, the school celebrated its centenary. The School's unofficial song is "The City Of The Light", an old hymn which has been interpreted as an advanced metaphor for...
) in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
and Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
where she graduated with a first class degree in modern language
Modern language
A modern language is any human language that is currently in use. The term is used in language education to distinguish between languages which are used for day-to-day communication and dead classical languages such as Latin, Attic Greek, Sanskrit, and Classical Chinese, which are studied for...
s in 1979. After Oxford, she trained to be a teacher (PGCE
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
) at the University of Wales, Bangor.
Griffith became a teacher at Queen Elizabeth Cambria School
Queen Elizabeth High School, Carmarthen
Queen Elizabeth High School is a comprehensive school for Carmarthen town and its surrounding areas.The school is a mixed, bilingual, inclusive community comprehensive school of around 1500 pupils, catering for all abilities between the ages of 11 and 19...
in Carmarthen then Gowerton Comprehensive School
Gowerton Comprehensive School
Gowerton School is a public secondary school located in the heart of Gowerton village, near Swansea, United Kingdom.-Intermediate School:The school opened in 5 Oct 1896 in Talbot Street as a co-educationasl Intermediate school under Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889...
in Swansea. She was a member of the NUT
National Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
. Prior to entering Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, she was an education adviser and an Estyn Schools Inspector (the Welsh equivalent of Ofsted
Office for Standards in Education
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
) from 1992. Immediately before becoming an MP she was Head of Languages at Morriston
Morriston
Morriston is a community in the City and County of Swansea, Wales and falls within the Morriston ward. Morriston is sometimes referred to as a distinct town , however Morriston never had a town charter, and is now part of the continuous urban area around Swansea, the centre of which lies three...
Comprehensive School
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. She speaks five languages: English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and has written a book on language teaching.
Griffith was a founder member of a local Women's Aid
Women's Aid
Women's Aid is a group of feminist charities across the United Kingdom. There are four main Women's Aid Federations, one for each country. Its aim is to end domestic violence against women and children...
organisation and is a member of the National Union of Teachers
National Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
and Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom. Consisting of over 405,000 members, USDAW is the UK's fourth largest and fastest growing trade union. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade...
.
Political career
Griffith joined the Labour Party in 1981 and has held many posts of responsibility within the Labour Party, including Secretary of the CarmarthenshireCarmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
County Labour Party. She was elected as a councillor to the Carmarthen
Carmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
Town Council in 1987, serving as the sheriff in 1997 and deputy mayor in 1998.
She was selected to contest the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
seat of Llanelli for Labour 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....
following the imposition of a controversial all-women shortlist after the retirement of Denzil Davies
Denzil Davies
David John Denzil Davies is a former British Treasury Minister . He served for 35 years as the Member of Parliament for Llanelli for the Labour Party from 1970 to 2005, and is a member of the Privy Council.-Early life:He attended Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys in Carmarthen, and then...
. She won the seat with a majority of 7,234 votes and remains the MP there. Griffith made her maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 19 May 2005 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050519/debtext/50519-15.htm#50519-15_spnew1. She is a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights
Joint Committee on Human Rights
The Joint Committee on Human Rights is a select committee of both the House of Commons and House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, Welsh Affairs Select Committee
Welsh Affairs Select Committee
The Welsh Affairs Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
and European Scrutiny Committee
European Scrutiny Committee
The European Scrutiny Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the Committee is to assess the legal and political importance of each EU document, and decide which EU documents are debated...
. She also chairs the All-Party Steel and Metals Group. Griffith was PPS to Harriet Harman
Harriet Harman
Harriet Ruth Harman QC is a British Labour Party politician, who is the Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham, and was MP for the predecessorPeckham constituency from 1982 to 1997...
MP in her capacity as Minister for Women and Equality before the 2010 general election.
Griffith was re-elected in 2010 with her majority cut by 2,533 votes. Since October 2010, she has been a Shadow Minister for Business Innovation and Skills.
Her main political interests are tackling climate change and issues affecting industry.
Expenses
In June 2009 Griffith was named as one of the MPs who had claimed the maximum allowable amount in expenses for food. Following a review of expenses Sir Thomas Legg ordered Griffith to repay £4,099.77 in mortgage interest claims. As a result of the controversy surrounding her clainms Griffith vowed never to eat at the taxpayer's expense again.In June 2010 Griffith had to repay the cost of sending 71 letters having been found to have breached Parliamentary rules on using House of Commons stationery for political purposes. The Department of Resources ruled that the letters, sent out just before the general election, "sought to communicate information about the Labour Party and that its intention was to persuade constituents to vote accordingly for the sitting party member.". Griffith also apologised for her actions.
Personal life
Griffith is divorced, her former husband was a social worker. She owns a house in Llanelli and a flat in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Her hobbies include music, European cinema, gardening, walking and cycling. She owns a small holding in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
which receives Tir Gofal funding.
Publication
- 100 Ideas for Teaching Languages by Nia Griffith, 2005, Continuum International Publishing Group ISBN 0-8264-8549-9
External links
- Nia Griffith MP official constituency website
- Nia Griffith MP Welsh Labour Party profile