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. After standing down she was appointed a life peeress in the House of Lords.
The Baroness Taylor of Bolton | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Official portrait of Baroness Taylor of Bolton, December 2019
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| Chairperson of the Intelligence and Security Committee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 9 June 2001 – 11 April 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tom King | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Paul Murphy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 June 2005 Life Peerage – | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 July 1947 London, United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Bradford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taylor served as an Assistant Whip in the Government of James Callaghan from 1977 to 1979. Having been returned for her second parliamentary seat in 1987, she became a shadow minister under Labour leader Neil Kinnock. She then served in the Shadow Cabinets of John Smith and Tony Blair. She went on to become 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
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