Jim McMahon (politician)
Jim McMahon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Shadow Minister for Local Government and Devolution | |
| Assumed office 10 October 2016 | |
| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Shadow Sec. | Teresa Pearce Andrew Gwynne |
| Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton | |
| Assumed office 4 December 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Meacher |
| Majority | 17,198 (37.6%) |
| Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council | |
| In office 5 May 2011 – 16 January 2016 | |
| Deputy | Jean Stretton |
| Preceded by | Howard Sykes |
| Succeeded by | Jean Stretton |
| Oldham Metropolitan Borough Councillor for Failsworth East | |
| In office 21 November 2003 – 3 January 2017 | |
| Leader | Jean Stretton |
| Preceded by | Graeme Currie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 July 1980 Manchester, United Kingdom |
| Political party | Labour and Co-operative Party |
| Spouse | Charlene Duerden |
| Children | 2 |
James Ignatius O'Rourke McMahon, OBE, FRSA (born 7 July 1980) is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician who is MP for Oldham West and Royton, having won the seat at a by-election in December 2015. He has been a councillor since 2003 and served as leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council.[1]
Early life and education
McMahon was born in Miles Platting, Manchester, to William McMahon, a lorry driver and Alicia O'Rourke (Breffni). [2] The family moved from Cheetham Hill when he was a child to Middleton, where he attended secondary school.[3] He left school at the age of sixteen.[2]
Professional career
McMahon started work in 1997 as an apprentice technician at Manchester University rising to become a senior technician before leaving the profession in 2004. He then joined local government service as a regeneration officer and latterly as a town centre manager.[4][5]
Political career
Local Government
McMahon was first elected to Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council in November 2003 as a Labour councillor for Failsworth East ward. He held various posts on Oldham Council before becoming the council's Labour group leader in 2008 after the Liberal Democrats won control of the authority. At the 2011 local elections, Labour re-gained control of the council and McMahon became its leader.[6] As council leader McMahon sat as one of the 11 members of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority with responsibility for transport.[7]
McMahon was the inaugural chairman of the Co-operative Council Innovation Network and served as the Labour leader of the Local Government Association.[8] McMahon was named the 6th most influential person in local government by The Local Government Chronicle ahead of senior government ministers.[9]
In August 2014, McMahon was elected to represent Labour councillors on the party's National Executive Committee (NEC).[7][10]
In the 2015 Labour leadership election, McMahon was reported to have supported Liz Kendall's leadership bid. Kendall finished in last place out of the four candidates (Corbyn, Burnham, Cooper & Kendall) receiving less than 5% of the vote.[11]
In 2016, McMahon stood down as council leader and was replaced by his Deputy, Jean Stretton.[12]
Parliament
McMahon won the selection to be Labour Party candidate at the Oldham West and Royton by-election following the death of incumbent Michael Meacher.
At the by-election held on 3 December 2015, McMahon was elected Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton, with 62% of the vote – an increase of seven percentage points since the 2015 general election.[13] At the by-election McMahon represented just the Labour Party rather than his later Labour and Co-operative Party affiliation.[14]
He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party[15] until being appointed to serve as Shadow Minister for Local Government and Devolution.[16]
Honours and distinctions
In February 2014 McMahon was named "Council Leader of the Year" during the Councillor Achievement Awards hosted by the Local Government Information Unit.[7] He was credited with leading improvements in Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council having redesignated it as a Co-operative Council.[17] Also in 2014, University Centre Oldham conferred upon him Honorary Fellowship,[18] as well as being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.[19]
McMahon was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours for "services to the community in Oldham",[20] and was invested by Charles, Prince of Wales on 18 December 2015.[21]
Family
McMahon lives with Charlene Duerden in Failsworth and they have two children.[22]
References
- ^ Mowat, Tom Parfitt and Laura (5 December 2015). "'Democracy is dead' say UKIP as Labour take 100% of postal votes surge in one area".
- ^ a b Eaton, George (6 November 2015). "Why Labour's Oldham by-election candidate Jim McMahon is one to watch". New Statesman. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "Cllr Jim McMahon, Biography", jimmcmahon.co.uk; accessed 30 November 2015.
- ^ Official website, JimMcMahon.co.uk; retrieved 15 June 2014.
- ^ "Jim set to steer town to prosperity", Manchester Evening News; retrieved 15 June 2014.
- ^ "Jim'll fix it", Oldham Evening Chronicle, 6 May 2011; retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ a b c "Leader Jim McMahon OBE". Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ "What the locals really think of Oldham – Places". Lancashire Life. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "McMahon one of most influential in local politics", Oldham Chronicle, 3 December 2014; retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ "Labour Party NEC", The Labour Party, 6 May 2011; retrieved 27 January 2015.
- ^ Eaton, George (6 November 2015). "Why Labour's Oldham by-election candidate Jim McMahon is one to watch". Newstatesman.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "First woman leader for Oldham Council". 9 August 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Labour wins Oldham West by-election". BBC News. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ "Oldham West and Royton: Parliamentary By-Election Results". Oldham Council. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ "National Executive Committee Report – 26th January 2016". Labourlist. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ^ "The Greater Manchester MPs who quit Jeremy Corbyn's top team - but are now back". Manchester Evening News. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ^ "Jim is nations top council leader", Oldham Evening Chronicle, 26 February 2014; retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Graduation at University Campus Oldham", University Centre Oldham, 16 July 2014; retrieved 25 July 2014.
- ^ "Cllr Jim McMahon | Biography". Jimmcmahon.co.uk. 7 July 1980. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "Cllr Jim McMahon | Biography". Jimmcmahon.co.uk. 7 July 1980. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ^ "MP Jim McMahon says picking up OBE is 'amazing end to a busy year'". Manchester Evening News. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
- ^ "Oldham Council boss Jim McMahon quits day job". Manchester Evening News. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
