Sheila Faith
Encyclopedia
Sheila Faith (born Irene Sheila Book, 3 June 1928) is a British
politician and dental surgeon
. She served one term each in the House of Commons
and European Parliament
as a Conservative
. She is a native of Newcastle upon Tyne
and attended Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central High School and the University of Durham.
from a division in Newcastle, and served until the area was removed from the county in boundary changes in 1974. She then fought Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central
in the October 1974
general election. From 1975 to 1978 she was a member of Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council for the ward of Newburn No. 3.
, a constituency in Derbyshire
which was narrowly held by Labour
. She managed a reasonable swing
in the 1979 general election
in line with the national average, which was enough to win the seat by 882 votes. Sheila Faith was the only woman out of 77 newcomers when she entered the House of Commons in 1979. In Parliament she became known for her internationalism, sat on the committee on unopposed Private bill
s, and was Secretary of the Conservative backbench Health and Social Services Committee from 1979 - 83. She spoke on behalf of the pharmacists, nurses, and on medical affairs in general.
Boundary changes due to be implemented at the 1983 general election
abolished the Belper constituency, with the majority of the voters going to a new South Derbyshire
constituency which was estimated to be easier for Labour to win. Faith decided that she would not offer herself for reselection there, but attempted to get a more winnable seat elsewhere. She attended several selection committees but was not selected, and therefore went out of Parliament after one term. (Ironically, South Derbyshire selected another woman, the younger Birmingham
city councillor Edwina Currie
, who was elected with a majority of more than 8,000)
to stand down as Member of the European Parliament
for Cumbria
in favour of her seat in the British Parliament gave Faith the opportunity to resume a political career at the headquarters of the European Community
, of which she was a strong supporter of British membership. She was elected MEP for Cumbria and Lancashire North in the 1984 European election
, and served one term before retiring. She was a member of the Committee on Energy, Research, and Technology. Sellafield was located in the constituency. She was appointed as an unpaid member of the Parole Board of England and Wales from 1991 to 1994 by the Conservative government. Sheila Faith was president of the Cumbria and Lancashire North Constituency Council from 1989 - 95.
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...
politician and dental surgeon
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
. She served one term each in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
as a 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...
. She is a native of 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...
and attended Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central High School and the University of Durham.
Early career
Faith qualified as a Dental Surgeon in 1950, the same year she married Dennis Faith. She was a Justice of the Peace serving on the bench in Northumberland and later in Newcastle upon Tyne. She began her political career in 1970 when she was elected to Northumberland County CouncilNorthumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
from a division in Newcastle, and served until the area was removed from the county in boundary changes in 1974. She then fought Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central
Newcastle upon Tyne Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle upon Tyne Central is a borough 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.- Boundaries :...
in the October 1974
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
general election. From 1975 to 1978 she was a member of Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council for the ward of Newburn No. 3.
Parliament
In 1977 Faith was selected as candidate for BelperBelper (UK Parliament constituency)
Belper is a former constituency in the UK Parliament. It was created at the 1918 general election as a county division of Derbyshire, comprising the area in the centre of the county and surrounding Derby, and named after the market town of Belper although this was in the north of the constituency....
, a constituency in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
which was narrowly held by Labour
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...
. She managed a reasonable swing
Swing (politics)
An electoral swing analysis shows the extent of change in voter support from one election to another. It is an indicator of voter support for individual candidates or political parties, or voter preference between two or more candidates or parties...
in the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
in line with the national average, which was enough to win the seat by 882 votes. Sheila Faith was the only woman out of 77 newcomers when she entered the House of Commons in 1979. In Parliament she became known for her internationalism, sat on the committee on unopposed Private bill
Private bill
A private bill is a proposal for a law that would apply to a particular individual or group of individuals, or corporate entity. If enacted, it becomes a private Act . This is unlike public bills which apply to everyone within their jurisdiction...
s, and was Secretary of the Conservative backbench Health and Social Services Committee from 1979 - 83. She spoke on behalf of the pharmacists, nurses, and on medical affairs in general.
Boundary changes due to be implemented at the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
abolished the Belper constituency, with the majority of the voters going to a new South Derbyshire
South Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:"-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1940s:-References:...
constituency which was estimated to be easier for Labour to win. Faith decided that she would not offer herself for reselection there, but attempted to get a more winnable seat elsewhere. She attended several selection committees but was not selected, and therefore went out of Parliament after one term. (Ironically, South Derbyshire selected another woman, the younger Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
city councillor Edwina Currie
Edwina Currie
Edwina Jonesnée Cohen is a former British Member of Parliament. First elected as a Conservative Party MP in 1983, she was a Junior Health Minister for two years, before resigning in 1988 over the controversy over salmonella in eggs...
, who was elected with a majority of more than 8,000)
European Parliament and after
The decision of Elaine Kellett-BowmanElaine Kellett-Bowman
Dame Mary Elaine Kellett-Bowman, DBE is a British Conservative politician.Born Mary Elaine Kay, she was educated at The Mount School, York, St Anne's College, Oxford and Barnett House, Oxford, and became a barrister, called to the bar by Middle Temple in 1964...
to stand down as Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
in favour of her seat in the British Parliament gave Faith the opportunity to resume a political career at the headquarters of the European Community
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, of which she was a strong supporter of British membership. She was elected MEP for Cumbria and Lancashire North in the 1984 European election
European Parliament election, 1984 (UK)
The European Parliament Election, 1984 was the second European election to be held in the United Kingdom. It was held on 14 June. The electoral system was First Past the Post in England, Scotland and Wales and Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland. The turnout was again the lowest in Europe...
, and served one term before retiring. She was a member of the Committee on Energy, Research, and Technology. Sellafield was located in the constituency. She was appointed as an unpaid member of the Parole Board of England and Wales from 1991 to 1994 by the Conservative government. Sheila Faith was president of the Cumbria and Lancashire North Constituency Council from 1989 - 95.