Mary Goudie, Baroness Goudie
Encyclopedia
Mary Teresa Goudie, Baroness Goudie (born 2 September 1946) is a Labour
member of House of Lords
. In 1998, she was made a Life Peer
as Baroness Goudie, of Roundwood in the London Borough of Brent
. She was the European director of public affairs for the World Wide Fund for Nature
(UK) from 1990 to 1995. She also worked as a public affairs consultant from 1995 to 1998.
, London
and Our Lady of St Anselm School, Hayes
.
Baroness Goudie was campaign manager to Rt Hon Lord Hattersley who became deputy leader of the Labour Party.
In 1998, Goudie was appointed a life peer in the House of Lords. She was the European director of public affairs for the World Wide Fund for Nature
(UK) from 1990 to 1995.
She continues to work in the House of Lords to promote the issues of women and children. In the last Parliament she was active in pushing through one of the government’s major reform: The Equality Bill. She is vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Equality Group.
Goudie is a member of the Executive and Board of Directors of Vital Voices Global Partnership. In this role she has been involved in training community and business leaders and parliamentarians on social and political issues around the world.
Goudie is also a member of La Pietra Coalition, an organisation dedicated to creating “equality in law; equality in business; equality in learning; equality in jobs” by 2020. In 2011, the Coalition promoted its goal of “empowering women is smart economics” to the G20 and have the member states put it on their agenda.
In recognition of her work, Baroness Goudie was awarded the 2010 GlobalPower Award by the Center for Women Policy Studies and in 2011, she received The Womensphere Global Leadership Award.
In 2011, Baroness Goudie contributed to the book What next for Labour? Ideas for a new generation. Her chapter, titled ‘Can We End Poverty Globally? Asking the Hard Questions’ and outlines how women are central to aid reform, considering where to invest aid, selecting the right partners and defining programmatic goals.
Goudie is Chair of the Women Leaders’ Council to Fight Human Trafficking at the United Nations. In December 2010, attended and presented at the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking — UN GIFT Conference "End Human Trafficking Now", dedicated to enforcing the UN protocol.
In October 2011, Goudie is a speaker for the Fortune Most Powerful Women’s Conference where she addresses the topic of Shaking up the Boardroom: Will Quotas Work.
In 2011, Goudie also gave presentations at the WomenSphere Pan European Summit in Oxford, UK; and the WomenSphere Global Summit in New York City.
In Scotland, Baroness Goudie has served on the governing Board of Napier University where she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 1999. She was also a member of the Board of the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow.
In the UK, Goudie is a founding member of the 30% Club and serves on the steering committee, an organisation promoting the inclusion of more women on UK corporate boards. After the publication of the Women on Boards report published in February 2011 and spearheaded by Lord Davies of Abersoch, CBE, Goudie commented on the report, discussing how chairmen and investors need to commit to achieving greater representation on boards and headhunters also need to put forth more female candidates.
Goudie also wrote an article for the Parliamentary Gazette about the under-representation of women in politics.
Goudie sponsors a blog BaronessGoudie.com dedicated to raisng the profile of issues related to human rights generally, human trafficking, gender equity and the rights of the child.
suggested that while the Baroness lived in London she listed her main residence as a flat in Glasgow when claiming House of Lords expenses. This had resulted in her claiming £230,000 of subsistence allowances intended as payments for those outside the capital, who need help to meet the cost of accommodation in London.
After an investigation ending in December 2010, the Clerk of the Parliaments said that he had doubts about the designation of the Glasgow flat as a main residence, when Goudie had a residence in Belgravia
. However no further action was to be taken; she had apologised in writing and repaid £5,130.50 relating to a period when she was sick and unable to travel. In total, Goudie had claimed about £168,000 in overnight expenses and £82,000 for travel to and from the Glasgow property over a 9 year period. Goudie sold the Glasgow flat in 2010.
. The live in a house in Belgravia, London and have two sons. She also has a holiday home in Cape Cod
, Massachusetts
.
She is a close friend of former Prime minister Gordon Brown
and a trustee of his wife Sarah Brown
's charity PiggyBankKids.
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...
member of House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. In 1998, she was made a Life Peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness Goudie, of Roundwood in the London Borough of Brent
London Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
. She was the European director of public affairs for the World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
(UK) from 1990 to 1995. She also worked as a public affairs consultant from 1995 to 1998.
Early life
She was born to Martin and Hannah Brick who came to London from Ireland. She grew up in London and was educated at Our Lady of the Visitation, GreenfordGreenford
Greenford is a large suburb in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, UK. It was historically an ancient parish in the former county of Middlesex. The most prominent landmarks in the suburb are the A40, a major dual-carriageway; Horsenden Hill, above sea level; the small Parish Church of...
, 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...
and Our Lady of St Anselm School, Hayes
Hayes
Hayes may refer to:* Hayes , including a list of people with the name* A.F.C. Hayes, an English football club based in Hayes, Hillingdon* Hayes Brake, an American company dedicated to the design and manufacture of non-automotive disc-brakes...
.
Career
In 1971, Goudie became the youngest woman elected to the London Borough of Brent Council. During her time on the Borough Council she worked to advance the Campaign for a Housing Aid Centre and a Law Centre and she helped found a Housing Association for the Borough. She later became a freelance public affairs consultant.Baroness Goudie was campaign manager to Rt Hon Lord Hattersley who became deputy leader of the Labour Party.
In 1998, Goudie was appointed a life peer in the House of Lords. She was the European director of public affairs for the World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
(UK) from 1990 to 1995.
House of Lords
Goudie is a senior member of the House of Lords. She has been a member of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Committee and was Vice Chair of the Tax Law Rewrite Committee. She also serves on the All-Party Identity Fraud Committee and since 2010 she has been a member of the Committee of Selection. She is also co-chair of number of All Party Groups. Previously, Goudie was a member of the Communications Committee, the Procedures Committee and the European Committee on Law and the Constitution.She continues to work in the House of Lords to promote the issues of women and children. In the last Parliament she was active in pushing through one of the government’s major reform: The Equality Bill. She is vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Equality Group.
Global Activism: Human Trafficking and Women’s Issues
Goudie is Chair of the Women Leaders’ Council to Fight Human Trafficking at UN Gift. Goudie has championed the ratification of the United Nations’ Treaty on Human Trafficking, as well as the Treaty of the Council of Europe on Human Trafficking. In March 2007, Goudie launched the global initiative to fight human trafficking and continues to lead this campaign. Additionally, she is involved with the G8 and G20 to promote the role of women and children in the global economy.Goudie is a member of the Executive and Board of Directors of Vital Voices Global Partnership. In this role she has been involved in training community and business leaders and parliamentarians on social and political issues around the world.
Goudie is also a member of La Pietra Coalition, an organisation dedicated to creating “equality in law; equality in business; equality in learning; equality in jobs” by 2020. In 2011, the Coalition promoted its goal of “empowering women is smart economics” to the G20 and have the member states put it on their agenda.
In recognition of her work, Baroness Goudie was awarded the 2010 GlobalPower Award by the Center for Women Policy Studies and in 2011, she received The Womensphere Global Leadership Award.
In 2011, Baroness Goudie contributed to the book What next for Labour? Ideas for a new generation. Her chapter, titled ‘Can We End Poverty Globally? Asking the Hard Questions’ and outlines how women are central to aid reform, considering where to invest aid, selecting the right partners and defining programmatic goals.
Goudie is Chair of the Women Leaders’ Council to Fight Human Trafficking at the United Nations. In December 2010, attended and presented at the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking — UN GIFT Conference "End Human Trafficking Now", dedicated to enforcing the UN protocol.
In October 2011, Goudie is a speaker for the Fortune Most Powerful Women’s Conference where she addresses the topic of Shaking up the Boardroom: Will Quotas Work.
In 2011, Goudie also gave presentations at the WomenSphere Pan European Summit in Oxford, UK; and the WomenSphere Global Summit in New York City.
Philanthropy and Community Activism
Goudie has been a patron of the Community Foundation of Northern Ireland since 2000, which benefits projects focussed on women and children. As such, she has worked to increase the foundation's endowment through a variety of sources, including the British government, foundations and individual donors. In 2007 she launched the Patrons fund to ensure sustainability and is leading this new campaign.In Scotland, Baroness Goudie has served on the governing Board of Napier University where she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 1999. She was also a member of the Board of the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow.
In the UK, Goudie is a founding member of the 30% Club and serves on the steering committee, an organisation promoting the inclusion of more women on UK corporate boards. After the publication of the Women on Boards report published in February 2011 and spearheaded by Lord Davies of Abersoch, CBE, Goudie commented on the report, discussing how chairmen and investors need to commit to achieving greater representation on boards and headhunters also need to put forth more female candidates.
Goudie also wrote an article for the Parliamentary Gazette about the under-representation of women in politics.
Goudie sponsors a blog BaronessGoudie.com dedicated to raisng the profile of issues related to human rights generally, human trafficking, gender equity and the rights of the child.
Parliamentary expenses inquiry
On 25 October 2009 Scotland on SundayScotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday is a Scottish Sunday newspaper, published in Edinburgh by The Scotsman Publications Ltd and consequently assuming the role of Sunday sister to its daily stablemate The Scotsman...
suggested that while the Baroness lived in London she listed her main residence as a flat in Glasgow when claiming House of Lords expenses. This had resulted in her claiming £230,000 of subsistence allowances intended as payments for those outside the capital, who need help to meet the cost of accommodation in London.
After an investigation ending in December 2010, the Clerk of the Parliaments said that he had doubts about the designation of the Glasgow flat as a main residence, when Goudie had a residence in Belgravia
Belgravia
Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Noted for its immensely expensive residential properties, it is one of the wealthiest districts in the world...
. However no further action was to be taken; she had apologised in writing and repaid £5,130.50 relating to a period when she was sick and unable to travel. In total, Goudie had claimed about £168,000 in overnight expenses and £82,000 for travel to and from the Glasgow property over a 9 year period. Goudie sold the Glasgow flat in 2010.
Personal life
Goudie is married to James, a barristerBarrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
. The live in a house in Belgravia, London and have two sons. She also has a holiday home in Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
She is a close friend of former Prime minister 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...
and a trustee of his wife Sarah Brown
Sarah Brown
Sarah Joy Brown is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Carly Corinthos, which she portrayed on the American daytime drama General Hospital from 1996 to 2001, and which earned her three Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2008, she returned to General Hospital in a...
's charity PiggyBankKids.
External links
- BaronessGoudie.com BaronessGoudie.com
- Announcement of her introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 27 July 1998