Patricia Morris, Baroness Morris of Bolton
Encyclopedia
Patricia Morris, Baroness Morris of Bolton OBE
DL
(born January 1, 1954) is a British
peer
and former Shadow Minister for Women and an Opposition Whip
for the Conservative Party
.
Morris was made a life peer
in 2004, and has previously been Vice-Chairman of the Conservatives with responsibility for candidates.
, Trish Morris was Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party with responsibility for candidates. She was responsible for several changes in the selection procedure designed to increase the quality and diversity of Parliamentary candidates.
She was nominated for a peerage by the then Conservative Leader Iain Duncan Smith
and entered the House of Lords in June 2004. She joined the Conservative front bench
as a Whip in September of that year. In June 2005 she was appointed Shadow Minister for Children, Young People, Families and Women and in October 2006 became principal opposition spokesman for Education & Skills. Morris relinquished her role as Shadow Minister for Children, Schools & Families at the end of 2008, but remained Shadow Minister for Women and an Opposition Whip.
In November 2009 she featured in the controversy over the selection of Liz Truss as prospective parliamentary candidate
for South West Norfolk. Truss had faced criticism for allegedly not disclosing to the selection committee a past affair with a married MP. Morris was quoted
supporting her, saying "Liz is a first class candidate", and saying of the affair that "In this day and age that shouldn't matter".
in 1953 and now lives in Bolton
. Her husband William is a judge. In her maiden speech
in the House of Lords she revealed that she broke her back in a riding accident when she was a teenager.
She is President of the National Benevolent Institution and a trustee of The Disability Partnership and The Transformation Trust. She is a school governor and trustee of Bolton School
(which she attended as a child), a patron of the Oxford Parent Infant Project and vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group
for Breast Cancer and Children. She is co-chair of Women in Public Policy and on the executive committee of the Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools
.
Morris was a member of the Advisory Committee to the Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey
from 1998 to 2004, served as deputy chairman of the Salford Royal hospital NHS foundation trust
, and as a director of Bolton Lads & Girls Club and was a member of the Conservative Party’s Social Work Commission. She joined the Board of Trustees of UNICEF UK in 2007.
On 27 November 2009 Morris was appointed as the first Chancellor
of the University of Bolton
, with a three year term of office beginning on 1 January 2010.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born January 1, 1954) is a British
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...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and former Shadow Minister for Women and 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...
for the Conservative Party
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...
.
Morris was made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 2004, and has previously been Vice-Chairman of the Conservatives with responsibility for candidates.
Political career
Prior to entering the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, Trish Morris was Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party with responsibility for candidates. She was responsible for several changes in the selection procedure designed to increase the quality and diversity of Parliamentary candidates.
She was nominated for a peerage by the then Conservative Leader Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
and entered the House of Lords in June 2004. She joined the Conservative front bench
Frontbencher
In many parliaments and other similar assemblies, seating is typically arranged in banks or rows, with each political party or caucus grouped together. The spokespeople for each group will often sit at the front of their group, and are then known as being on the frontbench and are described as...
as a Whip in September of that year. In June 2005 she was appointed Shadow Minister for Children, Young People, Families and Women and in October 2006 became principal opposition spokesman for Education & Skills. Morris relinquished her role as Shadow Minister for Children, Schools & Families at the end of 2008, but remained Shadow Minister for Women and an Opposition Whip.
In November 2009 she featured in the controversy over the selection of Liz Truss as prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate is a term used in British politics to refer to candidates selected by political parties to fight individual constituencies in advance of a general election. This terminology was motivated by the strict limits on the amount of expenses incurred by an actual...
for South West Norfolk. Truss had faced criticism for allegedly not disclosing to the selection committee a past affair with a married MP. Morris was quoted
supporting her, saying "Liz is a first class candidate", and saying of the affair that "In this day and age that shouldn't matter".
Personal life and voluntary work
Morris was born in FarnworthFarnworth
Farnworth is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is located southeast of Bolton, 6 miles south-west of Bury , and northwest of Manchester....
in 1953 and now lives in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
. Her husband William is a judge. In 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...
in the House of Lords she revealed that she broke her back in a riding accident when she was a teenager.
She is President of the National Benevolent Institution and a trustee of The Disability Partnership and The Transformation Trust. She is a school governor and trustee of Bolton School
Bolton School
Bolton School is an independent day school in Bolton, in the North-West of England. It comprises a co-educational Nursery and Infant School and single sex Junior and Senior Schools . With almost 2,400 pupils it is one of the largest independent day schools in the country.-History:Bolton School...
(which she attended as a child), a patron of the Oxford Parent Infant Project and vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group
All-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
for Breast Cancer and Children. She is co-chair of Women in Public Policy and on the executive committee of the Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools
Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools
The Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools - AGBIS is the supporting and advisory organisation for governing bodies of independent schools, under the sponsorship of the Independent Schools Council.-History:...
.
Morris was a member of the Advisory Committee to the Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey
Ampleforth Abbey
Ampleforth Abbey is a monastery of Benedictine Monks in North Yorkshire, England, part of the English Benedictine Congregation. It claims descent from the pre-Reformation community at Westminster Abbey through the last surviving monk from Westminster Sigebert Buckley.The current Abbot is Fr...
from 1998 to 2004, served as deputy chairman of the Salford Royal hospital NHS foundation trust
NHS Foundation Trust
An NHS foundation trust is part of the National Health Service in England and has gained a degree of independence from the Department of Health and local NHS strategic health authority.Foundation Trusts are represented by the , .-Function:...
, and as a director of Bolton Lads & Girls Club and was a member of the Conservative Party’s Social Work Commission. She joined the Board of Trustees of UNICEF UK in 2007.
On 27 November 2009 Morris was appointed as the first Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of Bolton
University of Bolton
The University of Bolton is a university in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It has around 14,000 students across all sites and courses, with 700 academic and professional staff. Around 70% of its students come from Bolton and the North West region...
, with a three year term of office beginning on 1 January 2010.
External links
- Search page for speeches by Baroness Morris in HansardHansardHansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...