Rosie Cooper
Encyclopedia
Rosemary Elizabeth Cooper (born 5 September 1950) is a British
Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for West Lancashire
since 2005
.
, the daughter of deaf parents. She was educated locally, initially at St Oswald's
Roman Catholic Primary School and at Bellerive Convent Grammar School (now known as Bellerive FCJ High School on Ullet Road (A5089) in Dingle, Liverpool
. She then attended the University of Liverpool
.
initially as a buyer, when in 1994 she became the public relations
manager and then, in 1995, the group corporate communications manager. She became a project coordinator in 1999 before she left Littlewoods in 2001, when she was appointed director at the Merseyside
Centre for the Deaf.
as a Liberal
councillor in 1973, and in 1992 became the Lord Mayor of Liverpool; she stood down from the city council in 2000.
She fought her first Westminster
campaign at the 1983 General Election
when she was selected to contest the safe Labour seat of Liverpool Garston
where she finished in third place more than 14,000 votes behind the winner Eddie Loyden.
Next Cooper contested the 1986 Knowsley North by-election
caused by the resignation to become a television presenter of the Labour MP Robert Kilroy-Silk
. The by-election was won by Labour's George Howarth
, with a clear margin of 6,724 vote, and she did not do much better when she contested the seat again a few months later at the 1987 General Election
finishing 21,098 votes behind Howarth.
At the 1992 General Election
, now a Liberal Democrat, she was back in her native Liverpool, coming second at Liverpool Broadgreen
7,027 votes behind Labour's Jane Kennedy
, but ahead of the former deselected Labour MP Terry Fields.
. She became the party's candidate from an all female short list in the West Lancashire constituency at the 2005 general election
following the retirement of the sitting MP Colin Pickthall
. Cooper was elected to the House of Commons at her fifth attempt with a majority of 6,084, and remains the MP there. She made her maiden speech
on 24 May 2005.
Since her election she has been a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
, and was part of the successful campaign that stopped the merger of the Southport
and Ormskirk
hospitals. In June 2006 she became PPS (Rt Hon Lord Rooker, Minister of State), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
.
On 9 August 2006, the Daily Telegraph reported that Cooper had written to No 10 saying that some of her constituents were 'appalled' by the idea that such a divisive figure as Lady Thatcher
- who was Prime Minister
from 1979 to 1990 - could be given a state funeral
.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has been 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 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:...
since 2005
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....
.
Early years
Cooper was born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the daughter of deaf parents. She was educated locally, initially at St Oswald's
Oswald of Worcester
Oswald of Worcester was Archbishop of York from 972 to his death in 992. He was of Danish ancestry, but brought up by his uncle, Oda, who sent him to France to the abbey of Fleury to become a monk. After a number of years at Fleury, Oswald returned to England at the request of his uncle, who died...
Roman Catholic Primary School and at Bellerive Convent Grammar School (now known as Bellerive FCJ High School on Ullet Road (A5089) in Dingle, Liverpool
Dingle, Liverpool
Dingle is an inner-city area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located to the south of the city, bordered by the adjoining districts of Toxteth and Aigburth...
. She then attended the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
.
Working life
Cooper originally worked for a company called W. Cooper Ltd 1973-1980 before joining LittlewoodsLittlewoods
Littlewoods is the name of a former retail and gambling company founded in Liverpool, Merseyside, England by John Moores in 1923.It started as a shopping catalogue company, processing orders by post in the early 1970s. In 1981, it expanded to a call centre, processing orders via telephone. At its...
initially as a buyer, when in 1994 she became the public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
manager and then, in 1995, the group corporate communications manager. She became a project coordinator in 1999 before she left Littlewoods in 2001, when she was appointed director at the Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
Centre for the Deaf.
Liberal Democrat days
Cooper was elected, aged 22, to the Liverpool City CouncilLiverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
councillor in 1973, and in 1992 became the Lord Mayor of Liverpool; she stood down from the city council in 2000.
She fought her first Westminster
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...
campaign at the 1983 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
when she was selected to contest the safe Labour seat of Liverpool Garston
Liverpool Garston (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Garston was a borough 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.-Boundaries:...
where she finished in third place more than 14,000 votes behind the winner Eddie Loyden.
Next Cooper contested the 1986 Knowsley North by-election
Knowsley North by-election, 1986
The Knowsley North by-election, 1986 was a parliamentary by-election held on 13 November 1986 for the British House of Commons constituency of Knowsley North....
caused by the resignation to become a television presenter of the Labour MP Robert Kilroy-Silk
Robert Kilroy-Silk
Robert Michael Kilroy-Silk is an English former politician, former independent Member of the European Parliament, and former television presenter, best known for his daytime talk show Kilroy. He has been a university lecturer and Labour Party Member of Parliament...
. The by-election was won by Labour's George Howarth
George Howarth
George Edward Howarth is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Knowsley North from 1986 until 1997, and since then for its replacement Knowsley North and Sefton East....
, with a clear margin of 6,724 vote, and she did not do much better when she contested the seat again a few months later 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...
finishing 21,098 votes behind Howarth.
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...
, now a Liberal Democrat, she was back in her native Liverpool, coming second at Liverpool Broadgreen
Liverpool Broadgreen (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Broadgreen was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Broadgreen suburb of Liverpool. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
7,027 votes behind Labour's Jane Kennedy
Jane Kennedy (politician)
Jane Elizabeth Kennedy is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree from 1992 until she stood down in 2010...
, but ahead of the former deselected Labour MP Terry Fields.
Labour days
She joined the Labour Party and contested the European Parliament elections in 2004 in the North West regionNorth West England (European Parliament constituency)
North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For the 2009 elections it elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
. She became the party's candidate from an all female short list in the West Lancashire constituency at 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....
following the retirement of the sitting MP Colin Pickthall
Colin Pickthall
Colin Pickthall in Dalton-in-Furness is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was Labour Member of Parliament for West Lancashire. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 1992, and retired at the 2005 general election.Pickthall's father was a shipyard fitter...
. Cooper was elected to the House of Commons at her fifth attempt with a majority of 6,084, and remains the MP there. She made her 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 24 May 2005.
Since her election she has been a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
The Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, and was part of the successful campaign that stopped the merger of the Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
and Ormskirk
Ormskirk
Ormskirk is a market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool city centre, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston.-Geography and administration:...
hospitals. In June 2006 she became PPS (Rt Hon Lord Rooker, Minister of State), Department for 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...
.
On 9 August 2006, the Daily Telegraph reported that Cooper had written to No 10 saying that some of her constituents were 'appalled' by the idea that such a divisive figure as Lady Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
- who was Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
from 1979 to 1990 - could be given a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
.
External links
- Her webpage
- The Labour Party - Rosie Cooper
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Rosie Cooper
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Rosie Cooper
- BBC Politics page