Ruth Kelly

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The Rt Hon Ruth Kelly
Ruth Kelly
In office
May 5, 2006 – present
Preceded by John Prescott (part of Office of Deputy Prime Minister)
Succeeded by Incumbent
Constituency Bolton West
Majority 2,064 (5.1%)
Born 9 May 1968
Limavady, Northern Ireland
Political party Labour
Spouse Derek Gadd
Religion Roman Catholic

Ruth Maria Kelly (born 9 May 1968) is a British politician. She is the Member of Parliament for the Bolton West constituency representing the Labour Party. She was Secretary of State for Education and Skills from 2004-2006, and in the May 2006 reshuffle was made Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Minister for Women and Equality.

Contents

[edit] Background

Kelly was born in Limavady, Northern Ireland. She also lived briefly in the Republic of Ireland before moving to England where she attended Edgarley Hall - the prep school for Millfield School. She then went to Sutton High School. After jumping up a year and sitting O-levels at Sutton High School at the age of 15 she decided to move back to Ireland to look after her ill grandmother. Her grandmother died after six weeks, but Kelly stayed for a year anyway,[1] living with her aunt and taking A-level French. She returned to England where she won a scholarship to the sixth-form of Westminster School to take her A-levels. She went on to Queen's College, Oxford where she read Philosophy, Politics and Economics and then to the London School of Economics. She was an economics writer for The Guardian from 1990, before becoming deputy head of the Inflation Report Division of the Bank of England in 1994. She is married to Derek Gadd, and they have four children, Eamonn, Niamh, Roisin and Sinead.[2]

[edit] Family history

Kelly's grandfather Philip Murphy was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) officer interned in 1922 by the Government of Northern Ireland. Murphy's detention file refers to him as 'quartermaster of the West Fermanagh IRA Battalion'. He went on hunger strike to protest at his detention. He was released unconditionally in June 1924 when internment ended.[3]

[edit] Religion

Kelly is a practising Roman Catholic, a member of Opus Dei[4][5][6] and regular attendee at their meetings and events.[7][8] Her brother, Ronan Kelly, is a supernumerary in the Opus Dei organisation.[9] Previously, uncertainty has existed over Kelly's Opus Dei membership, partly because she herself has declined when asked to say whether or not she is a member, saying that the matter is a private one,[10] and saying only that she has received 'spiritual support' from them.[11]

The effect of her religious viewpoint on her opinions regarding controversial scientific questions has been of concern to some scientists who have speculated that her religious views could have an effect on government policy regarding stem cell research.[8] It is also suggested by the Liberal Democrats that her personal beliefs are incompatible with her equality brief as they make her unable to champion gay rights following reports of a cabinet split on proposals to prevent religious organisations from refusing services to people on grounds of their sexuality.[12]

[edit] Children's schooling

All four of Ruth Kelly's children started at English Martyrs Roman Catholic Primary School, Wapping, a voluntary aided school.[13] However on January 8, 2007, the Daily Mirror revealed that she had withdrawn her son from the school, and — following professional advice[14] — sent him to Bruern Abbey, a preparatory school which specialises in the education of boys aged 7-13 with dyslexia and/or dyspraxia.[15] Kelly said the state schools in her borough, Tower Hamlets, did not adequately cater for her child's needs[16] and that her intention was for him to attend the school for "a couple of years before he begins at a state secondary school". Though the additional cost for specialist support outside the state sector sometimes is paid for by the local authority, Kelly stated she has not and will not seek the help of the local authority in meeting these costs.[14]

According to Ofsted inspection in 2002[17] "those with special educational needs, make particularly good progress" at English Martyrs Roman Catholic school, and that pupils generally meet "standards that are much better than those gained by pupils in similar schools". The school achieved the best exam results in the borough of Tower Hamlets[18] and among the best in the UK, with 96% of children reaching the expected standard for English, and 100% for Maths and Science.[19] The area's education authority, Tower Hamlets, also runs six special needs schools within reach of Kelly's home and responded to the controversy saying, "We are proud of the quality of education we offer to all children. We have a strong record in helping children with a wide range of learning needs to succeed."[20]

Ian Gibson, Labour MP for Norwich North, called the decision "a slap in the face for the teachers and pupils in the school the child has been taken out of".[21] However, Conservative party leader David Cameron, whose own disabled son Ivan attends a state special needs school,[22] defended her decision, saying "People should recognise that politicians like everyone else are parents first and will act in the best interests of their children".[23]

Kelly made a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission about the Mirror's reporting of the story, but the complaint was rejected, with the PCC ruling that the story was "a matter of considerable public interest", given that she is "a Cabinet minister - who had previously been Secretary of State for Education and Skills", and "even if government policy included an acceptance of private schooling for those with special needs, the fact that the complainant did not feel that the current state system could meet her child's requirements raised questions about the nature of publicly-funded schooling and its ability to cater for children with special needs - including those whose families would not be able to pay for private schooling."[24]

[edit] Career as an MP

In the 1997 general election, Kelly gained the seat of Bolton West from the Conservatives while heavily pregnant, and gave birth to her first son eleven days later. She served on the Treasury Select Committee; she was also appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Agriculture Minister, Nick Brown from 1998. Kelly was a member of a commission set up by the Institute for Public Policy Research into the Private Finance Initiative, which expressed some scepticism about the operation of the policy.

After the 2001 general election Kelly was appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury. Her role focused on competition policy and small businesses. After a year she was promoted to be Financial Secretary to the Treasury, giving her responsibility for regulation of the financial services industry. In both positions her principal task was in the thorough revision of the Financial Services regulation system which was introduced by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Kelly brought in new regulations to tackle the funding of terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Kelly was assigned the task of dealing with Equitable Life after the Penrose Report into the life insurance company was published. She rejected calls for government compensation to Equitable policyholders, on the grounds that the losses arose from actions of the company rather than from any defect of regulation, and that it was still trading. Equitable policyholders continued to demand redress.

As a mother of four young children she refused to work the long hours normally associated with such positions and refused to take a red box in the evening whilst at the Treasury.[25]

In a minor reshuffle, she was promoted to be Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 September 2004, replacing Douglas Alexander. Kelly guided the Civil Contingencies Bill through its final stages in Parliament, which faced serious objections from some civil liberties campaigns.[26]

[edit] Secretary of State for Education and Skills

In the reshuffle following the resignation of David Blunkett on 15 December 2004, Kelly entered the Cabinet (also becoming a member of the Privy Council) with the position of Secretary of State for Education and Skills. She became the youngest woman ever to sit in the Cabinet.

Reaction to Ruth Kelly's time as Secretary of State has been mixed. The Government's Extended Schools policy, which plans to open some schools from 8am to 6pm and provide child-care services for working parents, has been dubbed by some as "Kelly hours" after Kelly.[27] The plans lead to the suggestion that Kelly championed the role of parents in the education system, though there were mixed feelings within the sector as to whether this is was a helpful stance. This perception changed with her proposals in the 2005 white paper to reduce the number and influence of parent governors in Trust Schools,[28] as many then considered her interest to lie solely in the problems and issues of working parents.

Kelly attracted considerable criticism by rejecting the proposals of the Tomlinson report on education reform for the 14–19 age group, which suggested replacing A level exams with a four-tier diploma.[29] After the 2005 election, it was rumoured that she was to be demoted back into her old post at the Treasury and although she kept her position at the DfES, she was said to have been "less than thrilled" by the appointment of Tony Blair's adviser Andrew Adonis as a Minister within her Department.[30]

[edit] Sex offenders in schools controversy

On 9 January 2006, it came to light that Kelly’s department had granted permission for a man, Paul Reeve, who had been cautioned by police for viewing child pornography images and who was on a sex offenders register, to be employed at a school in Norwich on the basis that he had not been convicted of an offence. He and an unknown number of others on the sex offenders register, were not on the DfES prohibited list, "List 99".[31] On 13 January, Kim Howells, a Minister of State at the DfES, admitted that it was he who had actually made the decision, in accordance with advice given to him by civil servants that the "person did not represent an ongoing threat to children but that he should be given a grave warning". In response to the critical media coverage surrounding the issue, Downing Street issued a statement confirming their confidence in Kelly and denying rumours that she was to be replaced.[32]

There was further controversy when it transpired that another teacher, William Gibson, 59, who had been cleared to work at Portchester School in Bournemouth despite the fact that he had been convicted in 1980 for indecent assault on a 15-year-old girl and had been previously removed from three schools. A letter from the Department for Education that suggested the Secretary of State had considered his case and found that although his past actions had been unwise and unacceptable, he had undertaken teaching work to good effect since.[33]

[edit] Trust schools

Main article: Education and Inspections Act 2006

A notable controversy in Ruth Kelly's time at the DfES was the proposed introduction of Trust schools. The Trusts were intended to be non-profit making and to have charitable status, although they could be formed by commercial enterprises. In fact one of the early DfES-hosted seminars on the establishment of Trusts included representatives from Microsoft and KPMG.[34] But it is their ability to set their own admission arrangements that generated the most criticism.

A large number of Labour backbenchers, as well as numerous Labour luminaries like Neil Kinnock and former Education Secretary Estelle Morris, made known their opposition to the proposals and published an alternative white paper.[35] Faced with such a rebellion, the government initially stressed that it would press on with the reforms. However new Tory leader David Cameron unexpectedly announced that these reforms were in line with Tory policies and that he would support the bill if presented in the proposed form. The government were faced with the prospect of pushing through their reforms only with opposition support and in the face of increased resistance from its own supporters.

When the Education and Inspections Bill 2006 was finally published on 28 February 2006, it contained much of what had been trailed, although most notable by its absence was any mention of "trust school". Foundation and Voluntary Aided schools were left to pick up the mantle of trust schools.

[edit] Fathers for Justice attacks

On two occasions Kelly has been targeted by members of fathers' rights group Fathers 4 Justice in egg-throwing incidents. In February 2006 she was to give evidence in the case of Father 4 Justice protester Simon Wilmot-Coverdale in connection with an incident in April 2005 when an egg was thrown at her. As she left the court, she was again attacked; the egg smashing on the back of her head. The thrower stated he was from Fathers for Justice, not Fathers 4 Justice.[36]

[edit] Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

After the English local elections in May 2006, Ruth Kelly was appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, a position created when these functions were split off from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The Department also took over the Home Office's responsibilities for active communities and civic renewal. She was also given the post of Minister for Women and Equality. Ruth Kelly's successor at the Department for Education and Skills is Alan Johnson.

On 16 October 2006, she announced that her new role would involve cutting down on extremists within communites.[37]

[edit] Gay equality issues

When she became Minister for Women and Equality, she was criticised on both BBC Radio 5 Live, and on the front page of The Independent of 10 May 2006, for having failed to support any measures in favour of homosexual rights since 1997 when the Labour government came to power. It was pointed out that she had absented herself from votes on such issues as equalisation of the age of consent, and gay adoption, and had voted for a motion that would prevent same-sex couples from adoption. Out of fourteen votes during the Blair government that have concerned equal gay rights, Ruth Kelly has only attended two.[38] Kelly was also criticised for refusing to comment on whether she considered that homosexuality is a sin. Gay-rights activist Peter Tatchell commented: "Tony Blair would never appoint someone to a race equality post who had a lukewarm record of opposing racism".[39][40]

In a letter published in The Times on May 11, 2006, the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Westminster voiced criticism to allegations that Ruth Kelly’s Catholicism might be considered incompatible with her role as Equality Minister. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor wrote "Ms Kelly may well be scrutinised for her fitness in office. That is a political judgement. But her Catholicism should not be a criterion in forming that judgement."[41] However, the criticism to which this responded was not that she was a Catholic, but that she allegedly holds views about homosexuality (and other issues) which some hold as contrary to the equality agenda which it is her ministerial duty to promote.

The Observer newspaper reported on 15 October 2006 that Kelly had joined the Prime Minister in seeking to exempt churches from new laws prohibiting discrimination against homosexuals in the provisions of goods and services, and in employment.[42] In the light of these reports, the Liberal Democrat Equalities spokesperson, Lorely Burt, called for Kelly to give up her responsibility for equalities, claiming Kelly's personal beliefs were incompatible with defending gay rights.[43] It was reported in January 2007 that Kelly supported an exemption for Catholic adoption agencies from new laws barring discrimination in adoption for same-sex couples, suggesting instead that applicants should instead be referred to other agencies.[44][45]

[edit] Planning decisions

Ruth Kelly demonstrated some opposition to the development of skyscrapers from her first months as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. In November 2006, she stopped the Brunswick Quay proposal, which represented over £100 million worth of investment into Liverpool, from going ahead. The final report of the planners who carried out the public inquiry had recommended approval for the project.[46] In December 2006, she called a public inquiry into the 20 Fenchurch Street tower in London's financial district,[47] on the basis that a tall building would be "unsuitable for this site".

[edit] Political prospects

Ruth Kelly's numerous promotions over a relatively short space of time once led to the suggestion that she might be a future candidate for the office of Prime Minister.[48] Support for this was found in the fact that her voice, which is particularly deep for a woman,[49] may give her an oratorical advantage over her female colleagues.[50]

Kelly's prospects are hindered by the fact that her seat of Bolton West is a marginal constituency. The Conservative candidate at the 2005 general election received just 2,064 fewer votes than Kelly, giving her the smallest majority of any in the current cabinet. Due to concerns that she could lose her seat at the next general election, it was reported that she has been seeking to move to the Bolton South East constituency where the retiring MP, Brian Iddon, has a solid 11,000 vote majority. In February 2007, though, she announced that she would be staying in Bolton West, making her a top Tory target at the next election.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Interview with, and bioprofile of, Ruth Kelly (HTML). The Guardian (2005-09-24). Retrieved on 2006-06-27.
  2. ^ Ruth Kelly - a private woman who puts faith into her work (HTML). The Times (2004-12-17). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  3. ^ Ruth Kelly's grandfather was interned IRA quartermaster (HTML). The Times (2006-01-23). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
  4. ^ Opus Dei Catholic sect confirms Kelly is a member The Scotsman, January 21, 2005
  5. ^ [1] BBC News website, January 23, 2007
  6. ^ [2] "The Guardian online", January 23, 2007
  7. ^ Steve Bloomfield: Opus Dei: Jack Valero speaks for an evil sect, says 'The Da Vinci Code', The Independent, May 10, 2006
  8. ^ a b Scientists are alarmed by Ruth Kelly's strict beliefs (HTML). The Times (2004-12-22). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
  9. ^ Education: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid (HTML). Socialist Review (2005-02-01). Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
  10. ^ Kelly on her links with secretive society (HTML). The Daily Mirror (2005-01-20). Retrieved on 2007-01-10.
  11. ^ George Jones: Opus Dei will not limit me, says Kelly, Telegraph.co.uk, January 24, 2005
  12. ^ Lib Dems urge Kelly to drop equalities brief (HTML). The Guardian (2006-10-16). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
  13. ^ Kelly 'doing right thing' for son BBC News, January 8, 2007
  14. ^ a b Times online: Ruth Kelly: 'I want to do the right thing for my son', January 9, 2007
  15. ^ "Tennis courts, 18-hole golf course and 'expert one-to-one tuition'", Graeme Paton, The Daily Telegraph, January 9, 2007
  16. ^ Ruth Kelly's child sent to private school, Oonagh Blackman, The Daily Mirror, January 8, 2007
  17. ^ English Martyrs Roman Catholic School's 2002 Offsted Report (pdf)
  18. ^ Primary School Performace Tables
  19. ^ Primary School Performace Tables
  20. ^ "Kelly accused of hypocrisy over son's private education", Will Woodward and Hugh Muir, The Guardian, 9 January 2007
  21. ^ "Kelly defends private school choice", Andrew Alexander, ePolitix.com, January 8, 2007
  22. ^ Ruth Kelly named as Labour minister sending a child to private school, This is London, Monday 8 January 2007
  23. ^ Cameron defends Kelly in school row, The Guardian, January 8, 2007
  24. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6495191.stm
  25. ^ Marie Woolf: Ruth Kelly MP: 'I don't have the choice of taking red boxes home. I have four children, and they want their mum', The Independent, March 29, 2004
  26. ^ Emergency powers plan published (HTML). BBC News Online (2004-01-07). Retrieved on 2006-11-30.
  27. ^ Rebecca Smithers: Dawn to dusk care plan for schools, The Guardian, June 13, 2005
  28. ^ Trust Schools (HTML). The Guardian (2005-01-05). Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
  29. ^ A-levels are to stay say Kelly (HTML). BBC News (2005-02-21). Retrieved on 2006-12-04.
  30. ^ I won't quit, vows Blair as cabinet rift opens (HTML). The Observer (2005-05-08). Retrieved on 2006-12-04.
  31. ^ Review of sex offenders in school (HTML). BBC News (2006-01-11). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  32. ^ Sex case minister will keep job (HTML). BBC News (2006-01-13). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  33. ^ Letter reveals Kelly's approval (HTML). BBC News (2006-01-15). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  34. ^ PM talks of school reforms 'hell' (HTML). BBC News (2006-02-09). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  35. ^ Shaping the Education Bill - reaching for consensus (HTML). Compass. Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  36. ^ Egg thrown at Kelly outside court (HTML). BBC News (2006-02-06). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  37. ^ Kelly denies Muslims 'demonised' (HTML). BBC News (2006-10-16). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
  38. ^ Policy report — 'Homosexuality — Equal rights' compared to Ruth Kelly MP, Bolton West (HTML). The Public Whip. Retrieved on 2006-12-01.
  39. ^ Kelly's views on gays questioned (HTML). BBC News (2006-05-09). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  40. ^ Reshuffle error? Can Ruth Kelly really represent the gay community? (HTML). pinknews.co.uk (2006-05-06). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  41. ^ Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor. "Letters to the Editor: Ruth Kelly's faith", The Times, May 11, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  42. ^ Cabinet split over new rights for gays (HTML). The Observer (2006-10-15). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
  43. ^ Lib Dems urge Kelly to drop equalities brief (HTML). The Guardian (2006-10-16). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
  44. ^ Church gay rights opt-out opposed (HTML). The BBC (2007-01-21). Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
  45. ^ Cabinet row over adoptions by gay couples (HTML). The Guardian (2007-01-22). Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
  46. ^ Liverpool Brunswick Quay Loses Public Inquiry (HTML). SkyscraperNews (2006-11-17). Retrieved on 2006-12-14.
  47. ^ 20 Fenchurch Street (HTML). SkyscraperNews (2006-12-14). Retrieved on 2006-12-14.
  48. ^ 'Economics genius' gets education brief (HTML). Telegraph.co.uk (2004-12-16). Retrieved on 2006-07-26.
  49. ^ Recorded delivery (HTML). The Guardian (2005-01-05). Retrieved on 2006-06-03.
  50. ^ Why women who want to get ahead get a husky voice (HTML). Daily Mail (2006-06-05). Retrieved on 2006-07-26.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Thomas George Sackville		 Member of Parliament for Bolton West
1997 – present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Melanie Johnson		 Economic Secretary to the Treasury
2001–2002		 Succeeded by
John Healey
Preceded by
Paul Boateng		 Financial Secretary to the Treasury
2002—2004		 Succeeded by
Stephen Timms
Preceded by
Charles Clarke		 Secretary of State for Education and Skills
2004—2006		 Succeeded by
Alan Johnson
Preceded by
New office replacing

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
2006 – present		 Incumbent
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