Anne McGuire
Encyclopedia
Anne Catherine McGuire is a British
Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Stirling
since 1997
.
as Anne Catherine Long, she was educated at the city's Our Lady and St Francis Secondary School (became part of St Mungo's Academy in 1988) on Charlotte Street and the University of Glasgow
where she was awarded a MA
in politics with history. She went on to study for teacher training at the Notre Dame College of Education (merged with Craiglockhart College in 1981 to become the St Andrew's College of Education, then became part of the Faculty of Education of the University of Glasgow in 1999) in Bearsden
, gaining a Diploma in Secondary Education
.
She worked in the University Court
of the University of Glasgow
as both a registrar and a secretary from 1971 to 1974. In 1983, she joined Community Service Volunteers
(CSV), initially as a teacher, then as a fieldworker. She left the organisation in 1993 as its national officer. Upon leaving CSV, she became the Deputy Director of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, where she remained until her election to the UK Parliament in 1997.
She was the parliamentary election agent for Norman Hogg
at the 1979 general election
at Dunbartonshire East, when he ousted the Scottish National Party
's MP Margaret Bain
(later Ewing). She remained as Hogg's election agent for the 1983
, 1987
and 1992
elections in his new Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
constituency. She was elected a councillor on Strathclyde
Regional Council in 1980 and served for two years. She was a member of the Scottish Labour Party Executive from 1984 until 1997 and Chair of the Scottish Labour Party from 1992 to 1993. From 1987 until 1991, she was a member of the national executive of the GMB Union
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling, she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election.
She was elected to the House of Commons at the 1997 general election
when she ousted the then Secretary of State for Scotland
Michael Forsyth
by 6,411 votes. In the same year as her first election, she was rewarded by becoming the Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Secretary of State for Scotland Donald Dewar
. A year later, she was appointed an Assistant Whip
's office, becoming a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury
in 2001. She became a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
in 2002, moving sideways to the Department for Constitutional Affairs
in 2003. She served in the Department for Work and Pensions
with responsibility for disabilities from 2005 to 2008. In October 2008, she stood down from the government and it was announced she would be appointed to the Privy Council
.
On 10 October 2010, McGuire was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Leader of the Opposition
Ed Miliband
along with Chuka Umunna
. She also currently serves as a member of the Public Accounts Committee and as co-chair of the All-party group on Disability
, having signed an early day motion in support of its continued funding on the National Health Service
.
. She is a keen linguist and speaks French
and Gaelic
. She enjoys Ceilidh
dancing and is honorary vice-president of Glasgow University Shinty Club.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
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 Stirling
Stirling (UK Parliament constituency)
Stirling is a county constituency of 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:...
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...
.
Early life
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
as Anne Catherine Long, she was educated at the city's Our Lady and St Francis Secondary School (became part of St Mungo's Academy in 1988) on Charlotte Street and the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
where she was awarded a MA
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
in politics with history. She went on to study for teacher training at the Notre Dame College of Education (merged with Craiglockhart College in 1981 to become the St Andrew's College of Education, then became part of the Faculty of Education of the University of Glasgow in 1999) in Bearsden
Bearsden
Bearsden ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately from the City Centre, and is effectively a suburb, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name...
, gaining a Diploma in Secondary Education
Professional Graduate Diploma in Education
The Professional Graduate Diploma in Education is a one-year course in Scotland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
.
She worked in the University Court
University Court
A University Court is an administrative body of a university in the United Kingdom. In England's Oxbridge such a Court carries out limited judicial functions; whereas in Scotland it is a University's supreme governing body, analogous to a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees.-England:In the...
of the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
as both a registrar and a secretary from 1971 to 1974. In 1983, she joined Community Service Volunteers
Community Service Volunteers
Community Service Volunteers is the UK's largest volunteering and training charity.CSV was founded in 1962 by Mora and Alec Dickson, who also founded Voluntary Service Overseas . In the 2004/2005 financial year, CSV had six operating companies with a total expenditure of £43 million, employing 944...
(CSV), initially as a teacher, then as a fieldworker. She left the organisation in 1993 as its national officer. Upon leaving CSV, she became the Deputy Director of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, where she remained until her election to the UK Parliament in 1997.
She was the parliamentary election agent for Norman Hogg
Norman Hogg, Baron Hogg of Cumbernauld
Norman Hogg, Baron Hogg of Cumbernauld CBE, DL, JP, LLD, FSA Scot. was a Scottish Labour politician.Educated at Ruthrieston Secondary School in Aberdeen, he worked for Aberdeen Town Council from 1953-67 and then as a District Officer for NALGO from 1967 to 1979...
at 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...
at Dunbartonshire East, when he ousted the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
's MP Margaret Bain
Margaret Ewing
Margaret Anne Ewing was a Scottish National Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament...
(later Ewing). She remained as Hogg's election agent for the 1983
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...
, 1987
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
and 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
elections in his new Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (UK Parliament constituency)
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005, when it was absorbed into the new constituency of Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East as part of a major reorganisation of Scottish...
constituency. She was elected a councillor on Strathclyde
Strathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
Regional Council in 1980 and served for two years. She was a member of the Scottish Labour Party Executive from 1984 until 1997 and Chair of the Scottish Labour Party from 1992 to 1993. From 1987 until 1991, she was a member of the national executive of the GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
Parliamentary career
McGuire was selected to stand for 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...
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling, she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election.
She was elected to the House of Commons at the 1997 general election
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...
when she ousted the then Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
Michael Forsyth
Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean
Michael Bruce Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean PC, Kt is a British financier and politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Stirling from 1983 to 1997 and served in the cabinet of John Major as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1995 to 1997...
by 6,411 votes. In the same year as her first election, she was rewarded by becoming 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 Secretary of State for Scotland Donald Dewar
Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
. A year later, she was appointed an Assistant 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...
's office, becoming a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
in 2001. She became a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
in 2002, moving sideways to 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...
in 2003. She served in the Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
with responsibility for disabilities from 2005 to 2008. In October 2008, she stood down from the government and it was announced she would be appointed to the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
.
On 10 October 2010, McGuire was appointed 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 Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in a Westminster System of parliamentary government...
Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
along with Chuka Umunna
Chuka Umunna
Chuka Harrison Umunna is a British Labour Party politician and employment lawyer. He has been the Member of Parliament for Streatham since 2010. After less than 18 months in Parliament, he was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Business Secretary by Labour Leader Ed Miliband on 7 October 2011...
. She also currently serves as a member of the Public Accounts Committee and as co-chair of the All-party group on Disability
Alternative medicine
She is a supporter of homeopathyHomeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
, having signed an early day motion in support of its continued funding on the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
.
Personal life
She has been married to her husband, Len, since 12 February 1972 and they have a son and a daughter and live in CumbernauldCumbernauld
Cumbernauld is a Scottish new town in North Lanarkshire. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire...
. She is a keen linguist and speaks 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 Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
. She enjoys Ceilidh
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
dancing and is honorary vice-president of Glasgow University Shinty Club.