Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton
Winifred Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, PC (born 2 July 1947) is a British Labour Party politician, who was Minister for International Defence and Security, based at both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from October 2008 until 11 May 2010. She served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1974 and 1983 and again from 1987 to 2005.
The Baroness Taylor of Bolton | |
---|---|
Official portrait of Baroness Taylor of Bolton, December 2019 | |
Minister of State for International Defence and Security | |
In office 5 October 2008 – 11 May 2010 | |
Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Gerald Howarth (International Security Strategy) |
Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support | |
In office 7 November 2007 – 5 October 2008 | |
Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
Preceded by | The Lord Drayson |
Succeeded by | Quentin Davies |
Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | |
In office 27 July 1998 – 8 June 2001 | |
Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
Deputy | Keith Bradley |
Preceded by | Nick Brown |
Succeeded by | Hilary Armstrong |
Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council | |
In office 2 May 1997 – 27 July 1998 | |
Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
Preceded by | Tony Newton |
Succeeded by | Margaret Beckett |
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | |
In office 20 October 1994 – 2 May 1997 | |
Leader | Tony Blair |
Shadowing | Tony Newton |
Preceded by | Margaret Beckett |
Succeeded by | Alastair Goodlad |
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter | |
In office 20 October 1994 – 19 October 1995 | |
Leader | Tony Blair |
Shadowing | David Hunt Roger Freeman |
Preceded by | Michael Meacher |
Succeeded by | Derek Foster |
Shadow Secretary of State for Education | |
In office 18 July 1992 – 20 October 1994 | |
Leader | John Smith Margaret Beckett (Acting) |
Shadowing | John Patten Gillian Shephard |
Preceded by | Jack Straw |
Succeeded by | David Blunkett |
Member of Parliament for Dewsbury | |
In office 11 June 1987 – 11 April 2005 | |
Preceded by | John Whitfield |
Succeeded by | Shahid Malik |
Member of Parliament for Bolton West | |
In office 10 October 1974 – 13 May 1983 | |
Preceded by | Robert Redmond |
Succeeded by | Tom Sackville |
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
Assumed office 13 June 2005 Life Peerage | |
Personal details | |
Born | London, United Kingdom | 2 July 1947
Political party | Labour |
Alma mater | University of Bradford |
She was also the first woman to serve as Leader of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, the first woman to serve as Lord President of the Privy Council and the first woman to serve as House of Commons Chief Whip (both in the First Blair Ministry).[1]
Early life
Taylor attended Bolton School and the University of Bradford, where she graduated with a BSc degree in Politics and History in 1969. [2]
House of Commons
Taylor fought Bolton West in February 1974 (failing to win by 603 votes), then was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the seat from October 1974 to 1983. She fought the new seat of Bolton North East in 1983, being defeated by the Conservative Peter Thurnham, before representing Dewsbury from 1987 until 2005.
Frontbench roles
Ann Taylor has held the following positions:
- 1977–1979: Assistant Government Whip in the Callaghan Government
- 1979–1981: Opposition Spokesman for Education & Science
- 1981–1983: Opposition Spokesman for the Environment
- 1988–1992: Opposition Spokesman for the Environment
- 1992–1994: Shadow Secretary of State for Education
- 1994–1995: Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- 1994–1997: Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
- 1997–1998: Leader of the House of Commons & Lord President of the Council
- 1998–2001: Government Chief Whip (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury)
- 2001–2005: Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (Her appointment to this post was criticised by opposition Liberal Democrats.)[3]
Backbenches and retirement
As a backbencher, Ann Taylor sponsored a Private Member's Bill, the 'Succession to the Crown (no 2)' Bill, which sought to eliminate gender and religious discrimination in the royal succession.[4]
Taylor stepped down from the House of Commons at the 2005 general election. The Constituency Labour Party selected Shahid Malik to be their candidate.
House of Lords
On 13 May 2005 it was announced that she was to be given a Life Peerage, and she was created Baroness Taylor of Bolton, of Bolton in the County of Greater Manchester, on 13 June 2005.[5]
She was made Minister for Defence Procurement on 7 November 2007, following Lord Drayson's decision to resign to compete in the American Le Mans Series; unlike her predecessor, she was paid.[6] Following the Brown reshuffle of October 2008, Lady Taylor was moved to a new post at the Ministry of Defence as Minister for International Defence and Security.[7]
Votes in Parliament
The Public Whip cites her as being "Very Strongly" for the Iraq War, equal gay rights, and NHS foundation trusts (despite being noted for voting against Conservative MP Edwina Currie's 1994 proposed amendment to the Public Order and Criminal Justice Bill to equalise the age of homosexual consent to 16).[8]
In popular culture
The 2012 play This House about the 1970s Labour Government prominently featured Ann Taylor as the first female whip.
References
- August Artwork of the Month: Ann Taylor by Nick Sinclair
- Ann Taylor at Bradford.ac Archived 9 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 27 July 2016
- Lib Dems criticise Taylor appointment | Politics | guardian.co.uk
- Succession to the Crown (No. 2) Bill
- "No. 57676". The London Gazette. 16 June 2005. p. 7843.
- BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Bolton appointed as Defence Minister
- Lady Taylor is appointed as new International Defence and Security Minister Archived 12 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- http://www.publicwhip.org.uk The Public Whip
External links
- Guardian Politics Ask Aristotle – Ann Taylor
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Ann Taylor
- They Work For You – Ann Taylor
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Robert Redmond |
Member of Parliament for Bolton West 1974–1983 |
Succeeded by Tom Sackville |
Preceded by John Whitfield |
Member of Parliament for Dewsbury 1987–2005 |
Succeeded by Shahid Malik |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Jack Straw |
Shadow Secretary of State for Education 1992–1994 |
Succeeded by David Blunkett |
Preceded by Michael Meacher |
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1994–1995 |
Succeeded by Derek Foster |
Shadow Minister for the Citizen's Charter 1994–1995 | ||
Preceded by Margaret Beckett |
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons 1994–1997 |
Succeeded by Alastair Goodlad |
Preceded by Tony Newton |
Leader of the House of Commons 1997–1998 |
Succeeded by Margaret Beckett |
Lord President of the Council 1997–1998 | ||
Preceded by Nick Brown |
Government Chief Whip in the Commons 1998–2001 |
Succeeded by Hilary Armstrong |
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury 1998–2001 | ||
Preceded by Tom King |
Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee 2001–2005 |
Succeeded by Paul Murphy |
Preceded by The Lord Drayson |
Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support 2007–2008 |
Succeeded by Quentin Davies |
New office | Minister of State for International Defence and Security 2008–2010 |
Succeeded by Gerald Howarth as Minister of State for International Security Strategy |
Party political offices | ||
Preceded by Nick Brown |
Chief Whip of the Labour Party in the Commons 1998–2001 |
Succeeded by Hilary Armstrong |