Anne McIntosh
Encyclopedia
Anne Caroline Ballingall McIntosh (born 20 September 1954) is a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. She is the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Thirsk and Malton
constituency, having previously been MP for Vale of York
from 1997 to 2010, and a Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) from 1989 to 1999.
, the daughter of a Scottish
doctor father and Danish
mother, Anne McIntosh was educated at the Harrogate Ladies College in North Yorkshire
and at the University of Edinburgh
where she was a law graduate in 1977, gaining an LLB
. She also studied at the University of Aarhus
in the Jutland
region of Denmark.
In 1978, she became a trainee at the European Community (EEC) Competition Directorate, before joining Didier and Associates in Brussels
in 1979 as a legal advisor. She trained for the Scottish Bar in Edinburgh from 1980, being admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
in June 1982. She worked as an advocate with the Community Law Office in Brussels, before becoming a political advisor to the European Democrats
group in the European Parliament
in 1983 until 1989.
at Workington
where she was defeated by the sitting Labour
MP Dale Campbell-Savours
. She was elected for Essex North East
at the 1989 European Parliament election and for its successor seat of Essex North and Suffolk South
at the 1994 election. She remained a Member of the European Parliament until she stood down at the 1999 contest.
She was elected to the House of Commons in the 1997 general election
for the Vale of York which she won by a comfortable 9,721 majority and has held the seat easily since. She was promoted to the Opposition frontbench in 2001 as a spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport
and has held a number of front bench positions since (Transport
(2003–2005), Foreign Affairs
(2005), Work and Pensions
(2005–2007), and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(2007–2010), though never at shadow cabinet level.
In boundary changes agreed in 2006, the Vale of York constituency was divided up leaving no obvious successor; the seat with the closest identity to it was Thirsk and Malton
which was the successor to Ryedale
, held since 1987 by John Greenway
. McIntosh was placed on the 'A-list' of Conservative parliamentary candidates ahead of the next general election. On 18 November 2006, the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association chose McIntosh over Greenway as their candidate for the next general election.
Following an inquiry by Sir Thomas Legg into parliamentary expenses, Anne McIntosh was asked to repay £948. In her statement, she welcomed the lead in expenses reform from David Cameron, despite being one of only 21 Conservative MPs to vote against expenses reform on 4 July 2008. She had not provided "proof" to support her claims for £621 rent/mortgage from 2000 to 2006. Her expenses claim for May 2009 included a telephone bill in the name of her husband, the same file showing receipts for claims on 8th and 12th April 2008 for cleaning fluid close to properties which are shown under her entry in the Register of Members' Interests, and 90 minutes from her "second" home for expenses purposes. Previous claims included car repairs, claimed for July 2007 and hire cars, use of which was specifically prohibited by the Green Book which might be expected to be covered by her mileage allowance of £3,677 claimed in that year whilst enjoying free RAC breakdown cover. During the previous financial year she also claimed for car insurance and MOT.
Following the death of UKIP candidate John Boakes, the 2010 election in Thirsk and Malton
was delayed until 27 May, some three weeks after the rest of the country. McIntosh won, returning to Parliament, with a majority of 11,281.
After the 2010 election, McIntosh was elected Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. She was also elected Chair of the all-party parliamentary groups
on Denmark
, South Africa
, Water, Floods and Environmental Quality.
As Chairman of the EFRA Committee, Anne has worked on; the EU Council Directive on the Welfare of Laying Hens, EU Common Fisheries Policy, the Farming in the Uplands Report and the CAP after 2013 report.
In 2010/11, Anne has been campaigning for the reopening of Ryedale Ward at Malton Hospital following its temporary closure as part of a pilot scheme. Anne secured an Adjournment debate in the House on 17th November 2010 on the decision-making processes for closing hospital wards, where she highlighted the case of Ryedale Ward. In the run up to the budget, Anne campaigned for both a fair fuel stabilizer and a remote rural fuel duty rebate for North Yorkshire. Anne secured a debate, which took place on Tuesday 15th February, on introducing a potential fuel duty stabilizer and rebate for remote rural areas.
Anne is extremely concerned about the safety of residents living along the A64 and she has been campaigning for better road safety and road speed calming measures in villages like Rillington, East Heslerton and West Heslerton.
. She speaks six foreign languages: Danish
, French
, German
, Spanish
, Chinese and Italian
.
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...
politician in the United Kingdom
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...
. She is 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 the Thirsk and Malton
Thirsk and Malton (UK Parliament constituency)
Thirsk and Malton 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....
constituency, having previously been MP for Vale of York
Vale of York (UK Parliament constituency)
Vale of York was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
from 1997 to 2010, and a 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,...
(MEP) from 1989 to 1999.
Early life
Born in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the daughter of a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
doctor father and Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
mother, Anne McIntosh was educated at the Harrogate Ladies College in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
and at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
where she was a law graduate in 1977, gaining an LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
. She also studied at the University of Aarhus
University of Aarhus
Aarhus University , located in the city of Aarhus, Denmark, is Denmark's second oldest and second largest university...
in the Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
region of Denmark.
In 1978, she became a trainee at the European Community (EEC) Competition Directorate, before joining Didier and Associates in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1979 as a legal advisor. She trained for the Scottish Bar in Edinburgh from 1980, being admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in June 1982. She worked as an advocate with the Community Law Office in Brussels, before becoming a political advisor to the European Democrats
European Democrats
The European Democrats was a loose association of conservative political parties in Europe. It is a political group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe...
group in the 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...
in 1983 until 1989.
Parliamentary career
McIntosh unsuccessfully contested the 1987 general electionUnited 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...
at Workington
Workington (UK Parliament constituency)
Workington 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:...
where she was defeated by the sitting 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...
MP Dale Campbell-Savours
Dale Campbell-Savours, Baron Campbell-Savours
Dale Norman Campbell-Savours, Baron Campbell-Savours is a British Labour Party politician. A Member of Parliament from 1979 to 2001, he now sits in the House of Lords....
. She was elected for Essex North East
Essex North East (European Parliament constituency)
Essex North East was a constituency of the European Parliament located in the United Kingdom, electing one Member of the European Parliament by the first-past-the-post electoral system...
at the 1989 European Parliament election and for its successor seat of Essex North and Suffolk South
Essex North and Suffolk South (European Parliament constituency)
Essex North and Suffolk South was a constituency of the European Parliament located in the United Kingdom, electing one Member of the European Parliament by the first-past-the-post electoral system. Created in 1994 from parts of Essex North East and Suffolk, it was abolished in 1999 on the adoption...
at the 1994 election. She remained a Member of the European Parliament until she stood down at the 1999 contest.
She was elected to the House of Commons in 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...
for the Vale of York which she won by a comfortable 9,721 majority and has held the seat easily since. She was promoted to the Opposition frontbench in 2001 as a spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
and has held a number of front bench positions since (Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
(2003–2005), Foreign Affairs
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
(2005), 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...
(2005–2007), and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
(2007–2010), though never at shadow cabinet level.
In boundary changes agreed in 2006, the Vale of York constituency was divided up leaving no obvious successor; the seat with the closest identity to it was Thirsk and Malton
Thirsk and Malton (UK Parliament constituency)
Thirsk and Malton 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....
which was the successor to Ryedale
Ryedale (UK Parliament constituency)
Ryedale was a constituency in North Yorkshire 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...
, held since 1987 by John Greenway
John Greenway
John Robert Greenway is a former British politician who sat as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Ryedale from 1987 until the constituency's abolition in 2010.-Early life:...
. McIntosh was placed on the 'A-list' of Conservative parliamentary candidates ahead of the next general election. On 18 November 2006, the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association chose McIntosh over Greenway as their candidate for the next general election.
Following an inquiry by Sir Thomas Legg into parliamentary expenses, Anne McIntosh was asked to repay £948. In her statement, she welcomed the lead in expenses reform from David Cameron, despite being one of only 21 Conservative MPs to vote against expenses reform on 4 July 2008. She had not provided "proof" to support her claims for £621 rent/mortgage from 2000 to 2006. Her expenses claim for May 2009 included a telephone bill in the name of her husband, the same file showing receipts for claims on 8th and 12th April 2008 for cleaning fluid close to properties which are shown under her entry in the Register of Members' Interests, and 90 minutes from her "second" home for expenses purposes. Previous claims included car repairs, claimed for July 2007 and hire cars, use of which was specifically prohibited by the Green Book which might be expected to be covered by her mileage allowance of £3,677 claimed in that year whilst enjoying free RAC breakdown cover. During the previous financial year she also claimed for car insurance and MOT.
Following the death of UKIP candidate John Boakes, the 2010 election in Thirsk and Malton
Thirsk and Malton (UK Parliament constituency)
Thirsk and Malton 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....
was delayed until 27 May, some three weeks after the rest of the country. McIntosh won, returning to Parliament, with a majority of 11,281.
After the 2010 election, McIntosh was elected Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. She was also elected Chair of the all-party parliamentary groups
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:...
on Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Water, Floods and Environmental Quality.
As Chairman of the EFRA Committee, Anne has worked on; the EU Council Directive on the Welfare of Laying Hens, EU Common Fisheries Policy, the Farming in the Uplands Report and the CAP after 2013 report.
In 2010/11, Anne has been campaigning for the reopening of Ryedale Ward at Malton Hospital following its temporary closure as part of a pilot scheme. Anne secured an Adjournment debate in the House on 17th November 2010 on the decision-making processes for closing hospital wards, where she highlighted the case of Ryedale Ward. In the run up to the budget, Anne campaigned for both a fair fuel stabilizer and a remote rural fuel duty rebate for North Yorkshire. Anne secured a debate, which took place on Tuesday 15th February, on introducing a potential fuel duty stabilizer and rebate for remote rural areas.
Anne is extremely concerned about the safety of residents living along the A64 and she has been campaigning for better road safety and road speed calming measures in villages like Rillington, East Heslerton and West Heslerton.
Personal life
Anne McIntosh married John Harvey in September 1992 in County Durham, and they live in the constituency near to ThirskThirsk
Thirsk is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located a mile from the town centre to Thirsk railway station and to Durham Tees Valley Airport...
. She speaks six foreign languages: Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, 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...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Chinese and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
External links
- Website at ePolitix
- Anne McIntosh Conservative Party profile
- Thirsk & Malton Conservatives