Eric Illsley
Encyclopedia
Eric Evlyn Illsley is a former British
politician who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Barnsley Central from 1987
until 2011. He was a Labour Party
representative until suspended from the party after being charged with false accounting as part of the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
, and then sat as an Independent
. When he pleaded guilty to three counts of false accounting on 11 January 2011, he became the first sitting Member of Parliament to be convicted of a criminal offence in the scandal.
Illsley resigned from the House of Commons on 8 February 2011, following his conviction, and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on 10 February 2011.
and the University of Leeds
, where he obtained an honours degree in Law in 1977. He was an official for the NUM for ten years, including during the miners' strike
of 1984–1985. In the NUM, he was a compensation officer from 1978 to 1981, assistant head of general department from 1981 to 1984, and head of general department and chief administration officer from 1984 to 1987.
announced his retirement in October 1986, Illsley was nominated by the NUM in the selection of a Labour candidate for Barnsley Central. He was viewed as being on the left of the Labour Party while his main opponent was Ronnie Fisher, a Barnsley Borough councillor identified as a moderate. The general secretary of the Yorkshire NUM, Sam Thompson, wrote to NUM members encouraging them to attend the selection meeting in January 1987, Illsley was selected and then easily elected to the House of Commons in the general election
in June 1987. He was on the frontbench while Labour were in opposition, but was a backbencher after they won power in 1997. He voted against the privatisation of the National Air Traffic Services
(NATS).
On 11 March 2003, Illsley claimed in a speech to the House, regarding possible military action in Iraq: "The report states that any military action must be on the basis of UN
resolutions. I fully agree: as a Committee member, I stand by that statement, and believe that there must be a second resolution before any military action is taken against Iraq". One week later he voted in favour of military action against Iraq, despite the failure of the US-led coalition to secure the second UN resolution. He voted in favour of the introduction of identity cards in the UK.
. Illsley claimed £149,700 in expenses including £90,000 staff costs.
On 19 June 2009 he was one of dozens of MPs identified by the Daily Telegraph as having made "phantom" claims for council tax
on their parliamentary expenses, receiving thousands of pounds more than they were entitled to. He was thought to have made the highest phantom claim—over £6,000. He has claimed over £10,000 for council tax in four years although he was charged £3,966 for his Band C property in Lambeth, south London, in this period. He regularly submitted claims for £200 a month, which meant that he did not have to submit receipts.
Shortly after re-election as a Labour MP in the 2010 general election, on 19 May 2010, Illsley was charged with three counts of false accounting. He was suspended from the Labour Party and had the Labour whip withdrawn in the House of Commons. On 11 January 2011, he pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court
to three charges. He was to be sentenced in February 2011 and if he received a prison sentence of more than 12 months, he would have been automatically disqualified as a Member of Parliament under the Representation of the People Act 1981
, causing a by-election at Barnsley Central. Illsley stated his intention to resign as an MP
before sentencing, and on 8 February he was formally appointed Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds
, vacating his seat. A by-election
followed on 3 March 2011. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on 10 February 2011, and was released on 13 May 2011 after serving three months. He will have to wear an electronic tag for the remainder of his term.
On 13 October 2011, he appeared on BBC
Newsnight
on which he described his inflated expenses claims as "an allowance for living in London". He also revealed that he receives a Parliamentary pension, although he refused to disclose the amount.
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...
politician who 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 Barnsley Central from 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...
until 2011. He was a 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...
representative until suspended from the party after being charged with false accounting as part of the United Kingdom Parliamentary 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...
, and then sat as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. When he pleaded guilty to three counts of false accounting on 11 January 2011, he became the first sitting Member of Parliament to be convicted of a criminal offence in the scandal.
Illsley resigned from the House of Commons on 8 February 2011, following his conviction, and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on 10 February 2011.
Early life
Illsley was educated at Hunningley Lane Junior School, Barnsley's Holgate Grammar School for BoysHolgate School (Barnsley)
-Admissions:It was recently awarded the status of Sports College in 2005 for its attention to sporting achievements.-History:Holgate School was originally founded in 1546 in Hemsworth by Robert Holgate, the Archbishop of York. In 1888 it was re-organised and moved to Barnsley, South Yorkshire...
and the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, where he obtained an honours degree in Law in 1977. He was an official for the NUM for ten years, including during the miners' strike
UK miners' strike (1984–1985)
The UK miners' strike was a major industrial action affecting the British coal industry. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the British trades union movement...
of 1984–1985. In the NUM, he was a compensation officer from 1978 to 1981, assistant head of general department from 1981 to 1984, and head of general department and chief administration officer from 1984 to 1987.
Political career
When former Northern Ireland Secretary Roy MasonRoy Mason
Roy Mason, Baron Mason of Barnsley, PC is a British Labour politician and former Cabinet minister.He was born in Royston, and grew up in Carlton, Barnsley in South Yorkshire...
announced his retirement in October 1986, Illsley was nominated by the NUM in the selection of a Labour candidate for Barnsley Central. He was viewed as being on the left of the Labour Party while his main opponent was Ronnie Fisher, a Barnsley Borough councillor identified as a moderate. The general secretary of the Yorkshire NUM, Sam Thompson, wrote to NUM members encouraging them to attend the selection meeting in January 1987, Illsley was selected and then easily elected to the House of Commons in the general election
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...
in June 1987. He was on the frontbench while Labour were in opposition, but was a backbencher after they won power in 1997. He voted against the privatisation of the National Air Traffic Services
National Air Traffic Services
NATS Ltd. is the main air navigation service provider in the United Kingdom. It provides en-route air traffic control services to flights within the UK Flight Information Regions and the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area, and provides air traffic control services to fifteen UK airports and Gibraltar...
(NATS).
On 11 March 2003, Illsley claimed in a speech to the House, regarding possible military action in Iraq: "The report states that any military action must be on the basis of UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
resolutions. I fully agree: as a Committee member, I stand by that statement, and believe that there must be a second resolution before any military action is taken against Iraq". One week later he voted in favour of military action against Iraq, despite the failure of the US-led coalition to secure the second UN resolution. He voted in favour of the introduction of identity cards in the UK.
Expenses
Illsley voted against a bill proposing transparency in MPs' allowances and the publication of a list of allowed expenses, otherwise known as the John Lewis ListJohn Lewis List
The John Lewis List is the name given to the list of expenses that Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom can claim. The name of the list is so called because it is based on the prices of items from the John Lewis store — because it was highly rated by Which? magazine.The John Lewis list is...
. Illsley claimed £149,700 in expenses including £90,000 staff costs.
On 19 June 2009 he was one of dozens of MPs identified by the Daily Telegraph as having made "phantom" claims for council tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
on their parliamentary expenses, receiving thousands of pounds more than they were entitled to. He was thought to have made the highest phantom claim—over £6,000. He has claimed over £10,000 for council tax in four years although he was charged £3,966 for his Band C property in Lambeth, south London, in this period. He regularly submitted claims for £200 a month, which meant that he did not have to submit receipts.
Shortly after re-election as a Labour MP in the 2010 general election, on 19 May 2010, Illsley was charged with three counts of false accounting. He was suspended from the Labour Party and had the Labour whip withdrawn in the House of Commons. On 11 January 2011, he pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court
Southwark Crown Court
Southwark Crown Court is one of three Crown Court buildings in London SE1, along with Inner London Crown Court and Blackfriars Crown Court.Opened in 1983, the brick building is located close to the River Thames at the south of London Bridge, next to Hay's Galleria...
to three charges. He was to be sentenced in February 2011 and if he received a prison sentence of more than 12 months, he would have been automatically disqualified as a Member of Parliament under the Representation of the People Act 1981
Representation of the People Act 1981
The Representation of the People Act 1981 provides: for the disqualification from membership of the House of Commons of any person who is detained anywhere in the British Islands or the Republic of Ireland for more than a year for any offence, that the election or nomination of such persons shall be...
, causing a by-election at Barnsley Central. Illsley stated his intention to resign as an MP
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
before sentencing, and on 8 February he was formally appointed Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
, vacating his seat. A by-election
Barnsley Central by-election, 2011
The Barnsley Central by-election was a by-election for the Parliament of the United Kingdom's House of Commons constituency of Barnsley Central which took place on 3 March 2011...
followed on 3 March 2011. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on 10 February 2011, and was released on 13 May 2011 after serving three months. He will have to wear an electronic tag for the remainder of his term.
On 13 October 2011, he appeared on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
on which he described his inflated expenses claims as "an allowance for living in London". He also revealed that he receives a Parliamentary pension, although he refused to disclose the amount.
External links
- Official Website
- ePolitix - Eric Illsley official site
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Eric Illsley MP
- The Public Whip - Eric Illsley MP voting record