Vera Baird
Encyclopedia
Vera Baird is a British
Labour Party
activist, barrister, author
and lecturer. She serves as visiting lecturer at London Southbank University and is co-director of Astraea: Gender Justice (research and education). Baird was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Redcar
from 2001
to 2010, when she lost her seat to the Liberal Democrats
, with the highest swing against any Labour candidate anywhere in the country prompted by local anger over the closure of Teesside Steelworks
near Oldham
, Lancashire
, the daughter of Jack Thomas, a maintenance painter in a cotton mill, who died when she was 10-years-old, and Alice Marsland, a print worker. Her paternal grandfather was a Welsh miner and her maternal grandparents were cotton mill workers. She went to Yew Tree County Primary School and the local authority-run Chadderton Grammar School for Girls (renamed The Radclyffe School
) and was then at Newcastle Polytechnic
where she studied Law, gaining an LLB. In 1983 she gained a BA
in Literature and Modern History at the Open University
. In 1983 she became a legal associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute
. She completed the first year of an MA in modern history at London Guildhall University
from 1999 before transferring to University of Teesside
on being selected for Redcar
. She is currently studying for an MPhil
(History) at the University of Teesside
.
She was the parish council clerk of Shadforth
parish council in County Durham
in the late 1970s when her married name was Vera Taylor-Gooby.
Baird joined the Labour Party and what was the TGWU now Unite
union in 1971 and was called to the Bar
at Gray's Inn
in 1975 and first practised in Newcastle Upon Tyne
. She specialised in criminal defence and worked on cases arising from the 1984 UK miners' strike (1984-1985). She met Anthony Gifford, 6th Baron Gifford while working on the Battle of Orgreave
trial and joined his chambers in 1986 before moving to the Chambers of Michael Mansfield
alongside Patrick Roche, the husband of her former parliamentary
colleague, Barbara Roche
. She took silk
in 2000, 25 years after becoming a barrister, and has said that the Queen's Counsel system was in need of reform to make it more transparent. High profile cases Baird has been involved in include representing murderer Jane Andrews
in an appeal.
, Baird unsuccessfully contested the constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed
, finishing in third place behind the victor Alan Beith
. but becoming the first Labour candidate in nearly two decades to retain her deposit. At the 2001 general election
she was selected to contest Labour's ultra-safe seat
of Redcar, following the retirement of the sitting MP and former Cabinet
minister, Mo Mowlam
. Baird won with only 7% smaller vote than Mowlam taking the seat with a large majority.
Spectator Backbencher of the Year in 2004 Baird served on a number of select committee
s between 2001 and 2005 including Joint Select Committee on Human Rights 2001–2003 and the Select Committee on Work and Pensions between 2003 and 2005.
Baird was re-elected at the 2005 general election
with a slight reduction in her majority. She then became the Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Home Secretary
, Charles Clarke
.
On 8 May 2006, she was appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs
- which was renamed the Ministry of Justice
in May 2007, following the reorganisation of the Home Office. In June 2007, newly appointed Prime Minister
Gordon Brown
appointed Baird Solicitor General for England and Wales
.
In 2009 Baird helped establish the Stern Review on the way rape cases are handled, an independent report by Baroness Stern, it was published in March 2010 concluding there needed to be a greater focus on victims.
She lost her seat in the House of Commons on 7 May 2010 at the 2010 General Election, the first time in the history of the constituency the Labour Party had lost in Redcar. The huge swing of 21.8% to the Liberal Democrats was the largest against Labour in the election. It was put down to a number of reasons, in particular the view that the government failed to save local Teesside Steelworks
from closure as well as the expenses scandal
.
between 1998 and 2001 and has strong links to the organisation. She founded the government funded Gender and Criminal Justice Forum at the Fawcett Society and chaired it's Commission on Women and the Criminal Justice System.
She is a Member of the Fabian Society
, the Co-operative Party
and is a National Patron of the Rape Crisis Foundation and the Drug Rape Trust. She chairs the Society of Labour Lawyers, the Labour Criminal Justice Forum and is a Steering Committee Member of Labour Women's Network.
She remains very active in the Labour Party in Hornsey and Wood Green
where she lives. She is chair of the Haringey Campaign Committee, the Constituency Women's Forum and the Crouch End
branch party as well as secretary of the Haringey
branch of the Co-operative Party
. She was recently made an honorary member of the Durham Miners Association, the only woman to have that honour.
Baird has written several books concerning rape
and women's experiences in court and a book on women murderers. She is currently working on a further publication and is a frequent contributor to a range of websites and magazines. She is also an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford
and of Teesside University and an Honorary Professor of London South Bank University
.
After her election defeat Baird founded the Astraea Institute for Gender Justice along with feminist criminologist Jill Radford
the judge
had been too lenient; she retracted the comments under pressure from her boss Lord Falconer who sided with the judge saying the fault lay not with the judiciary but with sentencing guidelines. Judge Keith Cutler later suggested that criticism from ministers including Baird and Home Secretary
John Reid
could force judges to break their tradition of silence when criticised.
reported that Baird had claimed £286 of Christmas decorations using her expense allowance. Baird submitted receipts under a "miscellaneous items" claim, and House of Commons officials denied payment. She later said she'd been grateful for the officials' guidance. Baird also benefited from the Additional Costs Allowance (more commonly known as the 'second homes' allowance) by designating her London
flat as her main home while claiming allowances for the four-bedroomed property in her constituency she has designated as her second home in accordance with rules. Baird successfully appealed a direction to repay expenses relating to her constituency home with Sir Paul Kennedy's inquiry finding she only claimed for payments she was entitled to receive.
Baird has insisted she has no need to apologise for her actions as she had always acted within the rules.
in relation to Baird's dog fouling
the platform which led to a PCSO
intervening. After a six week investigation into Baird's conduct during the incident, the British Transport Police
decided not to take any action against her. Baird said she received an apology from British Transport Police following her complaints about their attitude.
at Miskin
, South Wales
, whilst travelling to see an injured friend near Swansea
. Baird travelled to Wales to ask the court to vacate the conviction which had occurred in her absence. She then pled guilty. She said had not received her summons which magistrates allowed but they did not accept the ban would cause her exceptional hardship. Pontypridd
magistrates then re-imposed the six month ban. She was also fined £400.
in 1972. They divorced in 1978, and she married Robert Brian Baird (born July 1928) in the same year in County Durham, a year before he died in 1979. She has two stepsons from him. Her interests outside politics include her pet dog, tennis, travel, reading and running. Baird lives in Crouch End
, London.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
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...
activist, barrister, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and lecturer. She serves as visiting lecturer at London Southbank University and is co-director of Astraea: Gender Justice (research and education). Baird was 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 Redcar
Redcar (UK Parliament constituency)
Redcar 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:...
from 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
to 2010, when she lost her seat to the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, with the highest swing against any Labour candidate anywhere in the country prompted by local anger over the closure of Teesside Steelworks
Teesside Steelworks
Teesside Steelworks is a large steelworks located on the south Tees, Teesside, England. It stretches from Redcar, where the largest blast furnace in Europe is located, to east Middlesbrough area....
Early life
Baird was born in ChaddertonChadderton
Chadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire...
near Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, the daughter of Jack Thomas, a maintenance painter in a cotton mill, who died when she was 10-years-old, and Alice Marsland, a print worker. Her paternal grandfather was a Welsh miner and her maternal grandparents were cotton mill workers. She went to Yew Tree County Primary School and the local authority-run Chadderton Grammar School for Girls (renamed The Radclyffe School
The Radclyffe School
The Radclyffe School is a mixed comprehensive school for 11 – 16 year olds, located in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, England.-Grammar school:...
) and was then at Newcastle Polytechnic
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 :...
where she studied Law, gaining an LLB. In 1983 she gained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Literature and Modern History at the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
. In 1983 she became a legal associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute
Royal Town Planning Institute
The Royal Town Planning Institute is a body representing planning professionals in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1914.-Members:...
. She completed the first year of an MA in modern history at London Guildhall University
London Guildhall University
London Guildhall University was a university in the United Kingdom from 1992 to 2002. On 1 August 2002, it merged with the University of North London to form London Metropolitan University...
from 1999 before transferring to University of Teesside
University of Teesside
Teesside University is a university in Middlesbrough, England. It has a student body of 29,285 students as of the 2009/10 academic year. It recorded rises in applications of 25.1 per cent and 23.5 per cent for degree courses beginning in 2010, the highest such percentage increases of the five...
on being selected for Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
. She is currently studying for an MPhil
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
(History) at the University of Teesside
University of Teesside
Teesside University is a university in Middlesbrough, England. It has a student body of 29,285 students as of the 2009/10 academic year. It recorded rises in applications of 25.1 per cent and 23.5 per cent for degree courses beginning in 2010, the highest such percentage increases of the five...
.
She was the parish council clerk of Shadforth
Shadforth
Shadforth is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated a few miles to the east of Durham. The historic centre of the village is designated a conservation area.Shadforth is also a civil parish that also incorporates Ludworth and Sherburn Hill....
parish council in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in the late 1970s when her married name was Vera Taylor-Gooby.
Baird joined the Labour Party and what was the TGWU now Unite
Unite
- Labor unions :*Unite the Union, a British and Irish trade union, formed by the merger of Amicus and T&G*Unite Union, a trade union in New Zealand*Unite Union , a trade union in Australia...
union in 1971 and was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1975 and first practised in 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...
. She specialised in criminal defence and worked on cases arising from the 1984 UK miners' strike (1984-1985). She met Anthony Gifford, 6th Baron Gifford while working on the Battle of Orgreave
Battle of Orgreave
The Battle of Orgreave is the name given to a confrontation between police and picketing miners at a British Steel coking plant in Orgreave, South Yorkshire, in 1984, during the UK miners' strike...
trial and joined his chambers in 1986 before moving to the Chambers of Michael Mansfield
Michael Mansfield
Michael Mansfield QC is an English barrister. A republican, vegetarian, socialist, and self-described "radical lawyer", he has participated in prominent and controversial court cases and inquests involving accused IRA bombers, the Bloody Sunday incident, and the deaths of Jean Charles de Menezes...
alongside Patrick Roche, the husband of her former parliamentary
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...
colleague, Barbara Roche
Barbara Roche
Barbara Maureen Roche is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green from 1992 until 2005, when she lost the seat, despite having previously enjoyed a majority of over 10,500.During her time in Government, she held several ministerial offices;...
. She took silk
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 2000, 25 years after becoming a barrister, and has said that the Queen's Counsel system was in need of reform to make it more transparent. High profile cases Baird has been involved in include representing murderer Jane Andrews
Jane Andrews
Jane Andrews is a one-time Royal dresser, convicted of murder during a sensational trial in 2001 that attracted much public interest, both due to the dramatic circumstances of the killing and the story of the working-class girl who mixed intimately with the rich and glamorous, though officially...
in an appeal.
Parliamentary career
At the 1983 general electionUnited 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...
, Baird unsuccessfully contested the constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)
Berwick-upon-Tweed is a 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:...
, finishing in third place behind the victor Alan Beith
Alan Beith
Sir Alan James Beith is a British Liberal Democrat politician and Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed.-Early life:Alan Beith was born in 1943 in Poynton, in Cheshire...
. but becoming the first Labour candidate in nearly two decades to retain her deposit. At the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
she was selected to contest Labour's ultra-safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
of Redcar, following the retirement of the sitting MP and former Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
minister, Mo Mowlam
Mo Mowlam
Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Mowlam's time as Northern...
. Baird won with only 7% smaller vote than Mowlam taking the seat with a large majority.
Spectator Backbencher of the Year in 2004 Baird served on a number of select committee
Select committee
A select committee is a special subcommittee of a legislature or assembly governed under a committee system, like Robert's Rules of Order. They are often investigative in nature, collecting data or evidence for a law or problem, and will dissolve immediately after they report their findings to...
s between 2001 and 2005 including Joint Select Committee on Human Rights 2001–2003 and the Select Committee on Work and Pensions between 2003 and 2005.
Baird was re-elected 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....
with a slight reduction in her majority. She then became the Parliamentary Private Secretary
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 the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
.
On 8 May 2006, she was appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs
Department for Constitutional Affairs
The Department for Constitutional Affairs was a United Kingdom government department. Its creation was announced on 12 June 2003 with the intention of replacing the Lord Chancellor's Department...
- which was renamed the Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...
in May 2007, following the reorganisation of the Home Office. In June 2007, newly appointed Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
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...
appointed Baird Solicitor General for England and Wales
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
.
In 2009 Baird helped establish the Stern Review on the way rape cases are handled, an independent report by Baroness Stern, it was published in March 2010 concluding there needed to be a greater focus on victims.
She lost her seat in the House of Commons on 7 May 2010 at the 2010 General Election, the first time in the history of the constituency the Labour Party had lost in Redcar. The huge swing of 21.8% to the Liberal Democrats was the largest against Labour in the election. It was put down to a number of reasons, in particular the view that the government failed to save local Teesside Steelworks
Teesside Steelworks
Teesside Steelworks is a large steelworks located on the south Tees, Teesside, England. It stretches from Redcar, where the largest blast furnace in Europe is located, to east Middlesbrough area....
from closure as well as the expenses scandal
United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
The United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal triggered by the leak and subsequent publication by the Telegraph Group in 2009 of expense claims made by members of the United Kingdom Parliament over several years...
.
Other activities
Baird was vice-chairwoman of the Fawcett SocietyFawcett Society
The Fawcett Society is an organisation in the United Kingdom which campaigns for women's rights. The organisation's roots date back to 1866 when Millicent Garrett Fawcett dedicated her life to the peaceful campaign for women's suffrage....
between 1998 and 2001 and has strong links to the organisation. She founded the government funded Gender and Criminal Justice Forum at the Fawcett Society and chaired it's Commission on Women and the Criminal Justice System.
She is a Member of the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
, the Co-operative Party
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
and is a National Patron of the Rape Crisis Foundation and the Drug Rape Trust. She chairs the Society of Labour Lawyers, the Labour Criminal Justice Forum and is a Steering Committee Member of Labour Women's Network.
She remains very active in the Labour Party in Hornsey and Wood Green
Hornsey and Wood Green
Hornsey and Wood Green is a borough constituency in the London Borough of Haringey 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 :...
where she lives. She is chair of the Haringey Campaign Committee, the Constituency Women's Forum and the Crouch End
Crouch End
Crouch End is an area of north London, in the London Borough of Haringey.- Location :Crouch End is in a valley between Harringay to the east, Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green to the north, Finsbury Park and Archway to the south and Highgate to the west...
branch party as well as secretary of the Haringey
Haringey
Haringey may refer to:*London Borough of Haringey - a local borough in north London, England*Harringay - a neighbourhood within the London Borough of Haringey...
branch of the Co-operative Party
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
. She was recently made an honorary member of the Durham Miners Association, the only woman to have that honour.
Baird has written several books concerning rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and women's experiences in court and a book on women murderers. She is currently working on a further publication and is a frequent contributor to a range of websites and magazines. She is also an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.The college was founded in 1893 as a hall for women, and remained an all-women's college until 2006....
and of Teesside University and an Honorary Professor of London South Bank University
London South Bank University
London South Bank University is a university in south London. With over 25,000 students and 1,700 staff, it is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name...
.
After her election defeat Baird founded the Astraea Institute for Gender Justice along with feminist criminologist Jill Radford
Criticism of judge
In 2006 Baird commented that in calculating the sentence of a sex offenderSex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
the judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
had been too lenient; she retracted the comments under pressure from her boss Lord Falconer who sided with the judge saying the fault lay not with the judiciary but with sentencing guidelines. Judge Keith Cutler later suggested that criticism from ministers including Baird and Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
John Reid
John Reid
-Politics:* John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan , Former British Home Secretary and former Chairman of Celtic F.C.* John William Reid , U.S. Representative from Missouri...
could force judges to break their tradition of silence when criticised.
Expenses
In May 2009 The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
reported that Baird had claimed £286 of Christmas decorations using her expense allowance. Baird submitted receipts under a "miscellaneous items" claim, and House of Commons officials denied payment. She later said she'd been grateful for the officials' guidance. Baird also benefited from the Additional Costs Allowance (more commonly known as the 'second homes' allowance) by designating her London
London
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...
flat as her main home while claiming allowances for the four-bedroomed property in her constituency she has designated as her second home in accordance with rules. Baird successfully appealed a direction to repay expenses relating to her constituency home with Sir Paul Kennedy's inquiry finding she only claimed for payments she was entitled to receive.
Baird has insisted she has no need to apologise for her actions as she had always acted within the rules.
Dog fouling incident
In 2009 Baird was involved in an altercation with a woman at King's Cross railway stationKing's Cross railway station
King's Cross railway station, also known as London King's Cross, is a central London railway terminus opened in 1852. The station is on the northern edge of central London, at the junction of the A501 Euston Road and York Way, in the Kings Cross district and within the London Borough of Camden on...
in relation to Baird's dog fouling
Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996
The Dogs Act 1996 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The purpose of the Act was to create a criminal offence if a dog defecates at any time on designated land and a person who is in charge of the dog at that time fails to remove the faeces from the land forthwith.It was repealed by...
the platform which led to a PCSO
PCSO
PCSO is an acronym that may refer to:In law enforcement:*Police Community Support Officer, a Police staff role in England and Wales*Police Custody and Security Officer, a Police staff role in ScotlandIn government:...
intervening. After a six week investigation into Baird's conduct during the incident, the British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
decided not to take any action against her. Baird said she received an apology from British Transport Police following her complaints about their attitude.
Speeding
In June 2010, Baird was banned from driving for six months, having accumulated 12 penalty points on her driving licence. In August 2009, she was caught on camera doing 98 mph on the M4 motorwayM4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
at Miskin
Miskin
Miskin is a village approximately 2 miles south of Llantrisant in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.The origin of the village was a small hamlet known as New Mill, which grew up around New Mill farm...
, 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...
, whilst travelling to see an injured friend near 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...
. Baird travelled to Wales to ask the court to vacate the conviction which had occurred in her absence. She then pled guilty. She said had not received her summons which magistrates allowed but they did not accept the ban would cause her exceptional hardship. Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
magistrates then re-imposed the six month ban. She was also fined £400.
Personal life
Baird married David Taylor-Gooby in Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle 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...
in 1972. They divorced in 1978, and she married Robert Brian Baird (born July 1928) in the same year in County Durham, a year before he died in 1979. She has two stepsons from him. Her interests outside politics include her pet dog, tennis, travel, reading and running. Baird lives in Crouch End
Crouch End
Crouch End is an area of north London, in the London Borough of Haringey.- Location :Crouch End is in a valley between Harringay to the east, Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green to the north, Finsbury Park and Archway to the south and Highgate to the west...
, London.