Phyllis Starkey
Encyclopedia
Phyllis Margaret Starkey (née Williams; born 4 January 1947) is a British
Labour party
politician, who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Milton Keynes South West from 1997
to 2010. She had previously served as Leader of Oxford City Council
.
in Cambridge
then did a BA
in Biochemistry
at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
in 1970. In 1974, she gained a PhD
from Clare Hall, Cambridge
.
was in the field of biochemistry
, and included formulating the trap hypothesis of peptidase inhibition. From 1974–81, she was at the Strangeways Laboratory in Cambridge. She later headed a group at the University of Oxford
researching problems of pregnancy
. She was at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology
in Oxford from 1981–84. She lectured in Obstetrics
at the University of Oxford and was a Fellow at Somerville College, Oxford
from 1984–93.
Subsequently she worked as an expert in science and technology policy and bioethics for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
from 1993–97. She was a Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford
from 1997–98.
Starkey joined the Labour Party
in 1974 and became a councillor
on Oxford City Council
in 1983. She held various positions on the council, including that of Leader of the Council (1990–93) and Chair of the Finance Committee (1988–90 and 1993–96).
. 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 election
. As a female entrant to Parliament in 1997, Starkey was part of the intake dubbed 'The Blair Babes'
by the UK media following a photoshoot by the Labour Party to show off how many women MPs were in the new government. Her Parliamentary voting record showed she was a staunch supporter of the legislation introduced by the Labour governments, including the occasional contentious issues within her party. Such were her Blairite
credentials that Ken Livingston, Labour's Mayor of London
, dubbed her "Phyllis Stasi
"
between 1997–1999, during which time significant changes to parliamentary procedures were introduced, including the establishment of the Westminster Hall debating chamber and the beginning of alterations to sitting hours of Parliament to make them more 'family friendly'.
In 1998 Starkey highlighted the need for a national register for door supervisors (bouncers
) to protect young people’s safety while clubbing, and introduced a Private Members Bill to Parliament to establish one. Whilst her Bill did not succeed, the Government was persuaded of the need for a register, and it was incorporated into the Private Security Industry Act 2001 which led to the formation of the Security Industry Authority
in 2003.
Between 1999 and 2001, Starkey was a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
Starkey was subsequently appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to junior Foreign Office
Ministers Denis MacShane
and Ben Bradshaw
and from May-October 2002 was PPS to Denis MacShane and Mike O'Brien. In November 2002 she transferred to become PPS to Denis MacShane in his new role as Minister of State for Europe
.
, Starkey was appointed Chair of the Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Following the reorganisation of Government Departments announced on 5 May 2006, the Committee was renamed the Communities and Local Government Select Committee
, though its role and the majority of its remit remained the same.
In 2006, there were some notable examples of Starkey becoming increasingly critical of the Prime Minister Tony Blair. In March she used a tough line of questioning during PMQs regarding the tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and in July during a Liaison Committee
session with the PM she raised concerns in relation to the Government's work on education and employment for the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities of Britain.
In 2007 Starkey along with Jeffrey Donaldson MP
called for an investigation into the private security and military services firm ArmorGroup
, who held contracts with the British Government for police training in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has also pressed the Government to regulate nail bars and for a ban on a potentially harmful chemical glue
used in some outlets to affix fake nails.
Starkey took a close interest in the political situation in the Middle East in her last Parliament, and travelled to both Palestine and Lebanon. Her outspoken opinion on the Israeli incursion into Lebanon in 2006 was firmly at odds with the Labour leadership. In a pop quiz
of MPs involved in Middle East issues run by The Sunday Times
newspaper in 2007, Starkey was commended along with Conservative
MP Andrew Rosindell
for getting the highest score, with all but one answer correct.
Starkey was comparatively untroubled by The Daily Telegraph
s investigation of the MPs' expenses scandal
in 2009, though she was one of the MPs to have travelled abroad as a guest of the British Council
, a taxpayer-funded organisation, which became the subject of controversy when the Speaker
Michael Martin withheld information relating to the declaration of the hospitality provided. Starkey said she could not remember if she had spoken to the Registrar about her trip, but was of the opinion she did not have to declare a trip that was effectively paid for by the Government and the taxpayer; a position endorsed by the Commons Registrar of Members' Interests.
, who she'd previously defeated in 2001 and 2005.
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 Milton Keynes South West 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. She had previously served as Leader of Oxford City Council
Oxford City Council
The Oxford City Council provides local government for the city of Oxford in England.- Overview :Between the 2004 local elections, and 2010 the council was in minority administration, first by councillors from the Labour Party, with the Liberal Democrats being the official opposition...
.
Early life
She was the daughter of Dr John Williams, a food chemist, and Catherine Hooson Williams. She attended the independent Perse School for GirlsPerse School for Girls
The Stephen Perse Foundation is an independent, fee-paying day school situated near the centre of Cambridge, England. The Foundation is made up of four schools: The Stephen Perse Pre-Prep School, for boys and girls aged 3-7, Perse Girls Junior School,for girls aged 7-11, Perse Girls Senior School,...
in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
then did 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...
in Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Lady Margaret Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located at the end of Norham Gardens in north Oxford. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £34m....
in 1970. In 1974, she gained a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from Clare Hall, Cambridge
Clare Hall, Cambridge
Clare Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is a college for advanced study, admitting only postgraduate students.Informality is a defining value at Clare Hall and this contributes to its unique character...
.
Early career
Before she entered Parliament, Starkey's career was in biomedical research. Her early work with Alan Barrett at the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
was in the field of biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
, and included formulating the trap hypothesis of peptidase inhibition. From 1974–81, she was at the Strangeways Laboratory in Cambridge. She later headed a group at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
researching problems of pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
. She was at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology
The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology is a Department within the University of Oxford . Its research programme includes the cellular and molecular biology of pathogens, the immune response, cancer and cardiovascular disease...
in Oxford from 1981–84. She lectured in Obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
at the University of Oxford and was a Fellow at Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
from 1984–93.
Subsequently she worked as an expert in science and technology policy and bioethics for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is a UK Research Council and NDPB and is the largest UK public funder of non-medical bioscience...
from 1993–97. She was a Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.St Antony's is the most international of the seven all-graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics, and history of particular parts of the...
from 1997–98.
Starkey joined the 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...
in 1974 and became a councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
on Oxford City Council
Oxford City Council
The Oxford City Council provides local government for the city of Oxford in England.- Overview :Between the 2004 local elections, and 2010 the council was in minority administration, first by councillors from the Labour Party, with the Liberal Democrats being the official opposition...
in 1983. She held various positions on the council, including that of Leader of the Council (1990–93) and Chair of the Finance Committee (1988–90 and 1993–96).
Parliamentary career
Starkey 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 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...
. As a female entrant to Parliament in 1997, Starkey was part of the intake dubbed 'The Blair Babes'
Blair Babe
The terms Blair Babes and Blair's Babes refers to 101 female Members of Parliament from the Labour Party elected to the British House of Commons in Labour's landslide general election victory in 1997....
by the UK media following a photoshoot by the Labour Party to show off how many women MPs were in the new government. Her Parliamentary voting record showed she was a staunch supporter of the legislation introduced by the Labour governments, including the occasional contentious issues within her party. Such were her Blairite
Blairite
In British politics, the term Blairism refers to the political ideology of former leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister Tony Blair, who left both positions in 2007 to become Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East...
credentials that Ken Livingston, Labour's Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, dubbed her "Phyllis Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
"
On the backbenches (1997-2001)
Starkey was a Member of the Select Committee on the Modernisation of the House of CommonsSelect Committee on the Modernisation of the House of Commons
The Select Committee on the Modernisation of the House of Commons was a temporary select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was created early in the 1997, 2001, and 2005 Parliaments...
between 1997–1999, during which time significant changes to parliamentary procedures were introduced, including the establishment of the Westminster Hall debating chamber and the beginning of alterations to sitting hours of Parliament to make them more 'family friendly'.
In 1998 Starkey highlighted the need for a national register for door supervisors (bouncers
Bouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
) to protect young people’s safety while clubbing, and introduced a Private Members Bill to Parliament to establish one. Whilst her Bill did not succeed, the Government was persuaded of the need for a register, and it was incorporated into the Private Security Industry Act 2001 which led to the formation of the Security Industry Authority
Security Industry Authority
The Security Industry Authority is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK. It is a non-departmental public body reporting to the Home Secretary and was established in 2003 under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.The SIA has two main...
in 2003.
Between 1999 and 2001, Starkey was a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
Parliamentary Private Secretary (2001-2005)
After the 2001 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
Starkey was subsequently 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...
(PPS) to junior Foreign Office
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...
Ministers Denis MacShane
Denis MacShane
Denis MacShane is a British politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rotherham since the 1994 by-election and served as the Minister for Europe from 2002 until 2005, as well as being a current Policy Council member for Labour Friends of Israel.On 14 October 2010, it was announced...
and Ben Bradshaw
Ben Bradshaw
Benjamin Peter James Bradshaw is a British Labour politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Exeter since 1997, and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport....
and from May-October 2002 was PPS to Denis MacShane and Mike O'Brien. In November 2002 she transferred to become PPS to Denis MacShane in his new role as Minister of State for Europe
Minister of State for Europe
The Minister for Europe is an executive position in the Government of the United Kingdom, in charge of affairs with the European Union. The office is usually a junior Minister of State position in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office...
.
Select committee chair (2005-2010)
After the general election in May 2005United 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....
, Starkey was appointed Chair of the Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Following the reorganisation of Government Departments announced on 5 May 2006, the Committee was renamed the Communities and Local Government Select Committee
Communities and Local Government Committee
The Communities and Local Government Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the Committee is to examine the work, the expenditure, administration and policies of the Department for Communities and Local Government and its...
, though its role and the majority of its remit remained the same.
In 2006, there were some notable examples of Starkey becoming increasingly critical of the Prime Minister Tony Blair. In March she used a tough line of questioning during PMQs regarding the tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and in July during a Liaison Committee
Liaison Committee
The Liaison Committee is a topical committee of the British House of Commons, the lower house of the United Kingdom Parliament. The committee consists of the Chairmen of the 32 Commons Select Committees and the chairman of the Joint Committee on Human Rights....
session with the PM she raised concerns in relation to the Government's work on education and employment for the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities of Britain.
In 2007 Starkey along with Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
called for an investigation into the private security and military services firm ArmorGroup
ArmorGroup
ArmorGroup International is a British company providing private security. It was founded in 1981 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 6 June 2008 ....
, who held contracts with the British Government for police training in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has also pressed the Government to regulate nail bars and for a ban on a potentially harmful chemical glue
Glue
This is a list of various types of glue. Historically, the term "glue" only referred to protein colloids prepared from animal flesh. The meaning has been extended to refer to any fluid adhesive....
used in some outlets to affix fake nails.
Starkey took a close interest in the political situation in the Middle East in her last Parliament, and travelled to both Palestine and Lebanon. Her outspoken opinion on the Israeli incursion into Lebanon in 2006 was firmly at odds with the Labour leadership. In a pop quiz
Pop quiz
Pop Quiz was a British television quiz programme that originally aired on BBC1 from 4 July 1981 to 28 December 1984 with a Top of the Pops special from 4 January 1994 hosted by Mike Read, It was then revived from 21 May to 9 July 1994 on the same channel but this time hosted by Chris Tarrant, it...
of MPs involved in Middle East issues run by The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
newspaper in 2007, Starkey was commended along with 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 Andrew Rosindell
Andrew Rosindell
Andrew Richard Rosindell is an English Conservative politician. He is the Member of Parliament for the Romford constituency in Greater London...
for getting the highest score, with all but one answer correct.
Starkey was comparatively untroubled by The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
s investigation of the MPs' 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...
in 2009, though she was one of the MPs to have travelled abroad as a guest of the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, a taxpayer-funded organisation, which became the subject of controversy when the Speaker
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...
Michael Martin withheld information relating to the declaration of the hospitality provided. Starkey said she could not remember if she had spoken to the Registrar about her trip, but was of the opinion she did not have to declare a trip that was effectively paid for by the Government and the taxpayer; a position endorsed by the Commons Registrar of Members' Interests.
Defeat
At the 2010 general election, Starkey ran in the redrawn seat of Milton Keynes South but lost to Conservative candidate Iain StewartIain Stewart (politician)
Iain Aitken Stewart is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes South.Stewart was born in Scotland and grew up in Hamilton. He went to Hutchesons' Grammar School...
, who she'd previously defeated in 2001 and 2005.
External links
- Dr Phyllis Starkey MP official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Phyllis Starkey MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Phyllis Starkey MP
- BBC Politics
News items
- BBC News - MPs take on the cistern 10 June 2008
- BBC News - Call for UK ban on fake-nail glue 30 December 2007
- BBC News - MP praises 'surf capital' Newquay 7 March 2007