Martin O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of Clackmannan
The Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan | |
---|---|
![]() O'Neill in 2018 | |
Chair of the Trade and Industry Select Committee | |
In office 27 November 1995 – 11 April 2005 | |
Preceded by | Richard Caborn |
Succeeded by | Peter Luff |
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | |
In office 14 June 1988 – 18 July 1992 | |
Leader | Neil Kinnock |
Preceded by | Denzil Davies |
Succeeded by | David Clark |
Member of Parliament for Ochil Clackmannan (1983-1997) Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire (1979-1983) | |
In office 4 May 1979 – 11 April 2005 | |
Preceded by | George Reid |
Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | 6 January 1945 |
Nationality | Scottish |
Political party | Labour |
Spouse | Elaine Marjorie Samuel (m. 1973) |
Children | 2 |
Occupation | Politician |
Martin John O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of Clackmannan (born 6 January 1945) is a Scottish politician.
Early life and career
He was educated at Trinity Academy, Edinburgh, at the time a selective state school, and then Heriot Watt University, where he attained a BA in economics. After leaving university, he worked as an insurance clerk and then became active in the Scottish Union of Students, including serving as its president from 1970 until 1971.[1]
He married his wife Elaine Marjorie Samuel on 21 July 1973, with them going on to raise two sons together.[1]
Parliamentary career
After unsuccessfully contesting Edinburgh North in October 1974, he was a Labour Member of Parliament between 1979 and 2005, representing the Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire, Clackmannan and Ochil seats successively. He was a shadow defence secretary and later was Chairman of the Trade and Industry select committee.
House of Lords
On 13 May 2005 it was announced that he would be created a life peer,[2] and on 14 June 2005 was created Baron O'Neill of Clackmannan, of Clackmannan in Clackmannanshire.[3]
Outside politics
He is a former Chairman of the Strategic Forum for Construction and the Nuclear Industry Association.[4]
He is a lifelong supporter of Hibernian F.C. and was a director of the club for a few years.
He is a patron of Humanists UK.[5] He was one of the fifty signatories to a letter published in The Guardian in 2010, which called for Pope Benedict XVI not to be given a state visit to the UK, and accused the Catholic Church of increasing the spread of AIDS and promoting segregated education.[6]
He received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 2011.[7]
He is an honorary associate of the National Secular Society.[8]
References
- ^ a b "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2001 | CANDIDATES". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ Tempest, Matthew; agencies (13 May 2005). "Labour becomes biggest party in Lords". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
- ^ "No. 57677". The London Gazette. 17 June 2005. p. 7919.
- ^ "Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan". Humanists UK. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Patrons". Humanists UK. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ Staff, Guardian (14 September 2010). "Letters: Harsh judgments on the pope and religion". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Heriot-Watt University Honorary Graduates, November 2011". Heriot-Watt University. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ^ "National Secular Society Honorary Associates". National Secular Society. Retrieved 5 June 2019
External links
- Use dmy dates from November 2012
- 1945 births
- Living people
- Scottish Labour Party MPs
- Politics of Clackmannanshire
- Scottish humanists
- British humanists
- Graphical, Paper and Media Union-sponsored MPs
- National Graphical Association-sponsored MPs
- Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Engravers-sponsored MPs
- UK MPs 1979–1983
- UK MPs 1983–1987
- UK MPs 1987–1992
- UK MPs 1992–1997
- UK MPs 1997–2001
- UK MPs 2001–2005
- Hibernian F.C. directors and chairmen
- Labour Party (UK) life peers
- People educated at Trinity Academy, Edinburgh
- British secularists
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Stirling constituencies
- Directors of football clubs in Scotland