Siobhain McDonagh
Encyclopedia
Siobhain Ann McDonagh is a British
Labour Party
politician who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Mitcham and Morden since 1997
. She previously served as an Assistant Whip in the Labour Government, but was fired following comments regarding a leadership contest to replace PM Gordon Brown
.
She is a vocal critic of Sri Lanka
. Issues pertaining to Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
are the most visible in her public image.
descent and was educated at the Holy Cross Catholic Girls' School on Sandal Road in New Malden
and later studied Politics at the University of Essex
. Her sister is Baroness McDonagh
who was General Secretary of the Labour Party
between 1998 and 2001 and was instrumental in the modernisation of the Labour Party in both its campaigning and policy.
She was a clerical officer for the DHSS between 1981–83, then a Housing benefit from 1983–84, then a receptionist at the Wandsworth Homeless Persons Unit from 1984–86, and a housing adviser from 1986–88.
Prior to being elected to Parliament she worked as a Development Manager for Battersea Churches Housing Trust from 1988-97. She also served as a councillor on London Borough of Merton
for Colliers Wood
ward between 1982 and 1998, chairing the Housing Committee between 1990 and 1995 where she was instrumental in the rebuilding of Phipps Bridge Estate.
.
She was first elected in 1997 on her third attempt, defeating the Conservative
incumbent, Dame Angela Rumbold
, who was her opponent in both 1987 and 1992 General Elections.
McDonagh had a record of loyalty to the Labour Party
. Locally, she generally has a reputation for being an assiduous local Member of Parliament holding a weekly surgery along with regular coffee mornings.
After the 2001 election, Tony Blair
offered McDonagh the job of being Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Communities, however she declined the offer and remained a backbencher.
She has been extremely pro-active and instrumental in securing two Academy schools for East Mitcham, an area that suffers from considerable educational underachievement with GCSE results far below the national average. Recently she was also successful along with Merton Council in getting the Secretary of State for Health
, Patricia Hewitt
, to locate the new critical care hospital at St Helier
near the southern edge of her constituency. This overturned a decision by local health chiefs to locate the hospital at the Sutton Hospital site a number of miles away from her Mitcham and Morden constituency.
After the May 2005 General Election
she served as PPS
to Dr. John Reid in his position as Secretary of State for Defence
and from May 2006 to June 2007 Secretary of State for the Home Department. She was appointed to the position of Assistant Whip on 28 June 2007 in the re-shuffle brought about by Gordon Brown
becoming Prime Minister
.
On 12 September 2008, McDonagh became the first member of the government to call for a leadership contest. McDonagh said "It's about time we let party members and people involved in the Labour Party and the wider community in on that debate" in a BBC interview.
In 2007, her expenditure on stationery and postage attracted criticism, being more than any other MP for postage from 2003 to 2006. In total her office spent £126,833 on postage alone in the four year period, an average of almost £32,000 per year. When adding in stationery costs, the expenditure was close to £50,000 in both 2004-05 and 2006-07. McDonagh sent 120,000 letters in one year alone - 800 for every sitting day of Parliament
Subsequently, a £7,000 limit was introduced for postage costs in 2007.
She is Patron of Leap Forward Employment - a community interest company that finds work for adults with mental health issues.
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 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 Mitcham and Morden since 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. She previously served as an Assistant Whip in the Labour Government, but was fired following comments regarding a leadership contest to replace PM Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
.
She is a vocal critic of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Issues pertaining to Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
The Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora refers to the global diaspora of the people of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. It can be said to be a subset of the larger Sri Lankan as well as Tamil diaspora....
are the most visible in her public image.
Early life
McDonagh is a Roman Catholic of IrishIreland
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...
descent and was educated at the Holy Cross Catholic Girls' School on Sandal Road in New Malden
New Malden
New Malden is a town and shopping centre in the south-western London suburbs, mostly within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and partly in the London Borough of Merton, and is situated from Charing Cross...
and later studied Politics at the University of Essex
University of Essex
The University of Essex is a British campus university whose original and largest campus is near the town of Colchester, England. Established in 1963 and receiving its Royal Charter in 1965...
. Her sister is Baroness McDonagh
Margaret McDonagh, Baroness McDonagh
Margaret Josephine McDonagh, Baroness McDonagh is a British Labour Party politician and was General Secretary of the Labour Party from 1998 to 2001.-References:...
who was General Secretary of the Labour Party
General Secretary of the Labour Party
The General Secretary is the most senior employee of the British Labour Party, and acts as the non-voting secretary to the National Executive Committee...
between 1998 and 2001 and was instrumental in the modernisation of the Labour Party in both its campaigning and policy.
She was a clerical officer for the DHSS between 1981–83, then a Housing benefit from 1983–84, then a receptionist at the Wandsworth Homeless Persons Unit from 1984–86, and a housing adviser from 1986–88.
Prior to being elected to Parliament she worked as a Development Manager for Battersea Churches Housing Trust from 1988-97. She also served as a councillor on London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
for Colliers Wood
Colliers Wood
Colliers Wood is an area in south London, England, in the London Borough of Merton. Colliers Wood station is served by the London Underground's Northern Line.It is a mostly residential area, split down the middle by a busy High Street...
ward between 1982 and 1998, chairing the Housing Committee between 1990 and 1995 where she was instrumental in the rebuilding of Phipps Bridge Estate.
Parliamentary career
McDonagh was selected to stand in the 1997 election for Labour through an all-women shortlistAll-women shortlists
The use of all-women shortlists is the political practice intended to increase the proportion of female Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom by allowing only women to stand in particular constituencies for a particular political party. Though the practice is available to all parties, only...
.
She was first elected in 1997 on her third attempt, defeating the 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...
incumbent, Dame Angela Rumbold
Angela Rumbold
Dame Angela Claire Rosemary Rumbold, DBE was a British Conservative Party Member of Parliament until 1997.- Education :...
, who was her opponent in both 1987 and 1992 General Elections.
McDonagh had a record of loyalty to the 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...
. Locally, she generally has a reputation for being an assiduous local Member of Parliament holding a weekly surgery along with regular coffee mornings.
After the 2001 election, Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
offered McDonagh the job of being Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Communities, however she declined the offer and remained a backbencher.
She has been extremely pro-active and instrumental in securing two Academy schools for East Mitcham, an area that suffers from considerable educational underachievement with GCSE results far below the national average. Recently she was also successful along with Merton Council in getting the Secretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health.The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in Council dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848 a General Board of Health was created with the First Commissioner of Woods and...
, Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hope Hewitt is an Australian-born British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Leicester West from 1997 until 2010. She served in the Cabinet until 2007, most recently as Health Secretary....
, to locate the new critical care hospital at St Helier
St. Helier, London
St. Helier is a residential estate in the London boroughs of Merton and Sutton. The portion of the estate north of Green Lane and Bishopsford Road is in Merton, the rest is in Sutton.-History:...
near the southern edge of her constituency. This overturned a decision by local health chiefs to locate the hospital at the Sutton Hospital site a number of miles away from her Mitcham and Morden constituency.
After the May 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....
she served as PPS
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...
to Dr. John Reid in his position as Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
and from May 2006 to June 2007 Secretary of State for the Home Department. She was appointed to the position of Assistant Whip on 28 June 2007 in the re-shuffle brought about by Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
becoming Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
.
On 12 September 2008, McDonagh became the first member of the government to call for a leadership contest. McDonagh said "It's about time we let party members and people involved in the Labour Party and the wider community in on that debate" in a BBC interview.
Expenses controversies
In April 2000, her office sent a party political questionnaire to 200 of her constituents using parliamentary resources; a spokesman for Ms McDonagh said it was a mistake. McDonagh promised to apologise and pay back the money.In 2007, her expenditure on stationery and postage attracted criticism, being more than any other MP for postage from 2003 to 2006. In total her office spent £126,833 on postage alone in the four year period, an average of almost £32,000 per year. When adding in stationery costs, the expenditure was close to £50,000 in both 2004-05 and 2006-07. McDonagh sent 120,000 letters in one year alone - 800 for every sitting day of Parliament
Subsequently, a £7,000 limit was introduced for postage costs in 2007.
Personal life
McDonagh lives in Colliers Wood with her sister Margaret.She is Patron of Leap Forward Employment - a community interest company that finds work for adults with mental health issues.