Nigel Griffiths

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Nigel Griffiths MP (born May 20, 1955) is a British politician. He is the Labour Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Nigel Griffiths was born in Glasgow, Scotland and was educated at the Hawick High School in the Scottish Borders before attendeding the University of Edinburgh where he was awarded his master's degree in 1977, he finished his education at Moray House College, before working as a welfare-rights officer. He was president of the Edinburgh University Labour Group in 1976.

It was during his time as an undergraduate at Edinburgh University that he saw first hand the workings of Gordon Brown (then the student elected Rector of the University) and worked vigourously to support Brown.

In 1978 he worked as a secretary to the Lothian Development Council, before becoming a welfare rights worker with a pressure group working on behalf of people with learning disabilities in 1979, he remained in this position until his election to Parliament.

[edit] Political career

He joined the Labour Party in 1970 and was elected as a councillor on the City of Edinburgh Council in 1980, a position in which he remained until he became a member of the House of Commons. He also served as a member of the Edinburgh Health Council 1982-7. He was a member of the Edinburgh International Festival committee for three years from 1984 and was the chairman of the city council in 1986. He was elected to parliament at the 1987 General Election for Edinburgh South, when he ousted the sitting Conservative MP Michael Ancram by 1,859 votes and he has remained the MP there since.

He was made an Opposition Whip by Neil Kinnock in 1987, becoming a spokesman for eight years on trade and industry in 1989. He became a member of the first government of Tony Blair following the 1997 General Election as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Trade and Industry, but was sacked by Blair in his first reshuffle of 1998, he spent the rest of the parliament as a member of both the procedure and the public accounts select committees. He returned to government following the 2001 with the same rank at the Department of Trade and Industry. He then served as the Deputy to the Leader of the House of Commons Jack Straw from 2005 until he resigned over the renewal of the British Trident system in March 2007.[1]

He has been married to Sally McLaughlin since 1979. He worked with Anita Roddick to found The Big Issue in Scotland. He reached the headlines in 2002 when a complaint against him for not declaring all his expenses was upheld.[2]. His sister lives with autism.

[edit] Hijab controversy

Nigel Griffiths has commented on the debate over veils stating "The justification I have heard is that some Muslim women feel 'comfortable' wearing the full veil, but it doesn't make others comfortable." [3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Minister quits over Trident plans, BBC News, March 12, 2007
  2. ^ Complaints against MP upheld, BBC News, February 13, 2002
  3. ^ Griffiths backs Straw in row over veils, Edinburgh Evening News, October 9, 2006

[edit] Publications

  • Guide to Council Housing in Edinburgh by Nigel Griffiths, 1981
  • Welfare Rights Survey by Nigel Griffiths, 1981
  • Welfare Rights Guide by Nigel Griffiths, 1982
  • Council Housing on the Point of Collapse by Nigel Griffiths, 1982
  • Welfare Rights Guide by Nigel Griffiths, 1983
  • Welfare Rights Guide by Nigel Griffiths, 1984
  • Welfare Rights Guide by Nigel Griffiths, 1985
  • Welfare Rights Guide by Nigel Griffiths, 1986
  • Rights Guide for Mentally Handicapped People by Nigel Griffiths, 1988

[edit] External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Michael Ancram		 Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South
1987 – present		 Incumbent
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