John Grogan
Encyclopedia
John Timothy Grogan is a former British
Labour Party
politician, who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Selby
from 1997
to 2010. The constituency of Selby was abolished for the 2010 election. Currently, John Grogan holds chair of the Mongolian – British Chamber of Commerce (MBCC).
, Grogan was educated at St Michael's RC College on St John's Road (near the University of Leeds
), a Jesuit school, and St John's College, Oxford
where he was awarded a BA
degree in Modern history
and Economics
in 1982, he also served as the president of the Oxford University Student Union
.
He worked as a communications coordinator with the City of Leeds
Council from 1987 to 1994 before setting up his own conference business from 1996-7. He worked for the Labour Party in various capacities in both Leeds and Wolverhampton
. He also acted as the Labour Party press officer in the European Parliament
at Brussels
in 1995.
seat of Selby at the 1987 general election
but was defeated by the Conservative
MP Michael Alison
by 13,779 votes. He again contested the seat based on Selby
at the 1992 General Election
but was again defeated by Alison, by a reduced 9,508 votes.
In between the two unsuccessful contests at Selby he also stood unsuccessfully for the York
seat to become a member of the European Parliament
in 1989. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1997 general election
for Selby. Alison retired at the election and Grogan faced the new challenge of a former Conservative MP Kenneth Hind who had been the MP for West Lancashire
(1983–1992). Grogan won the seat with a majority of 3,836, but his majority decreased subsequently; in 2005 he retained his seat with a majority of 467 votes.
He made his maiden speech
on 7 July 1997 (see http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970707/debtext/70707-28.htm#70707-28_spnew0).
In parliament
he served as a member of the Northern Ireland
select committee from 1997–2001 and after the 2005 General Election
. He is a member of the Fabian Society
and the Institute for Public Policy Research
.
He was also the chairman of the all party groups
on the BBC
, beer
and Mongolia
. He lives in the constituency at Fulford
, and is a supporter of both the Yorkshire County Cricket Club
and Bradford City A.F.C.
. He led the campaign to save the Selby Coalfield
in 2002 (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2055782.stm). In 1999 he called for a memorial to the heroism of women during World War II
to be remembered on the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square
. The campaign had the backing of the then Speaker of the House of Commons
Betty Boothroyd
and the Princess Royal
(see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/491804.stm). Although the campaign was unsuccessful a monument has since been erected in Whitehall
.
He is the honorary president of the University of York
Labour Club. http://yulc.org/site/page.php?2. The university, though on the outskirts of York, formed part of his Selby constituency.
He announced he would not contest the next general election, after the constituency of Selby was split in two. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/6039580.stm
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician, who 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 Selby
Selby (UK Parliament constituency)
Selby was a parliamentary constituency in North Yorkshire, 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....
from 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...
to 2010. The constituency of Selby was abolished for the 2010 election. Currently, John Grogan holds chair of the Mongolian – British Chamber of Commerce (MBCC).
Early life
Born in Halifax, West YorkshireHalifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, Grogan was educated at St Michael's RC College on St John's Road (near 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...
), a Jesuit school, and St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
where he was awarded 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...
degree in Modern history
Modern history
Modern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
and Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in 1982, he also served as the president of the Oxford University Student Union
Oxford University Student Union
The Oxford University Student Union is the official students' union of the University of Oxford. It is better known in Oxford by its acronym, OUSU . It exists to represent Oxford University students in the University's decision-making, to act as the voice for students in the national higher...
.
He worked as a communications coordinator with the City of Leeds
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
Council from 1987 to 1994 before setting up his own conference business from 1996-7. He worked for the Labour Party in various capacities in both Leeds and Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
. He also acted as the Labour Party press officer 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...
at 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 1995.
Parliamentary career
He unsuccessfully contested the North YorkshireNorth 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...
seat of Selby at the 1987 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...
but was defeated by the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP Michael Alison
Michael Alison
Michael James Hugh Alison was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.Born in Margate, Kent, Alison was educated at Eton College, Wadham College, Oxford and Ridley Hall, Cambridge...
by 13,779 votes. He again contested the seat based on Selby
Selby (UK Parliament constituency)
Selby was a parliamentary constituency in North Yorkshire, 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....
at the 1992 General Election
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...
but was again defeated by Alison, by a reduced 9,508 votes.
In between the two unsuccessful contests at Selby he also stood unsuccessfully for the York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
seat to become 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,...
in 1989. He 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...
for Selby. Alison retired at the election and Grogan faced the new challenge of a former Conservative MP Kenneth Hind who had been the MP for West Lancashire
West Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Lancashire is a County 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:...
(1983–1992). Grogan won the seat with a majority of 3,836, but his majority decreased subsequently; in 2005 he retained his seat with a majority of 467 votes.
He made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 7 July 1997 (see http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970707/debtext/70707-28.htm#70707-28_spnew0).
In parliament
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...
he served as a member of the Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
select committee from 1997–2001 and after 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....
. He 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...
and the Institute for Public Policy Research
Institute for Public Policy Research
The IPPR is the leading progressive think-tank in the UK. It produces research and policy ideas committed to upholding values of social justice, democratic reform and environmental sustainability. IPPR is based in London and IPPR North has branches in Newcastle and Manchester.It was founded in...
.
He was also the chairman of the all party 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 the 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...
, beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
and Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. He lives in the constituency at Fulford
Fulford
Fulford is a historic village and civil parish on the outskirts of York, England. Situated to the south of the city, on the east bank of the River Ouse, it was the site of the 11th century Battle of Fulford...
, and is a supporter of both the Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
and Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. He led the campaign to save the Selby Coalfield
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
in 2002 (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2055782.stm). In 1999 he called for a memorial to the heroism of women during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to be remembered on the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
. The campaign had the backing of the then Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd, OM, PC is a British politician, who served as Member of Parliament for West Bromwich and West Bromwich West from 1973 to 2000, initially for the Labour Party and, from 1992 to 2000, as Speaker of the House of Commons...
and the Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
(see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/491804.stm). Although the campaign was unsuccessful a monument has since been erected in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
.
He is the honorary president of the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
Labour Club. http://yulc.org/site/page.php?2. The university, though on the outskirts of York, formed part of his Selby constituency.
He announced he would not contest the next general election, after the constituency of Selby was split in two. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/6039580.stm
External links
- John Grogan MP official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics — Ask Aristotle: John Grogan MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com — John Grogan MP
- BBC Politics page