Linda Riordan

Linda June Riordan^[1] (née Haigh 31 May 1953) is an English Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Halifax since 2005 general election.

Early life

Riordan was born in Halifax and graduated from the University of Bradford.^[2][3]

Riordan, served as a Calderdale councillor for eleven years,^[2] representing the Ovenden ward from 1995 to 2006, when she stood down to devote herself full time to her role as an MP. She worked as private secretary for the previous Halifax MP Alice Mahon between 2001 and 2005,^[2] and was active in the local Co-operative Party as secretary and treasurer.^[3] She was selected as the Labour candidate from an all-women shortlist but her candidature was at first opposed by the Party's ruling National Executive Committee due to concerns about the way she had been chosen. She was later allowed to stand.^[4]

Parliamentary career

Riordan is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group and has often rebelled against the Party leadership. She serves on the Environmental Audit Select Committee and the all-Party Crossrail Committee.

On 13 August 2007, it was confirmed that Riordan had been overwhelmingly reselected to fight the next general election, winning the support of every branch and affiliated trades union.

Expenses

In December 2010 it was revealed that Riordan had secretly repaid £105.86 in wrongly claimed expenses. The repayment came about after Riordan had used House of Commons stationery for party political purposes. Riordan apologised, blaming volunteers for the incident.^[5][6]

In October 2012, the Commons Speaker blocked the release of data showing which MPs were renting their homes to other MPs for financial gain. However, a study of parliamentary records was published in the Daily Telegraph.^[7] This article listed problematic expense claims of Riordan and 26 other MPs,^[8] and said that she received rental income from a flat she owned in London which was rented out through an agency^[8] to fellow Labour MP Iain McKenzie and was, at the same time, able to claim expenses on another flat she rented in the city under an arrangement allowed by IPSA rules.^[9] Riordan, along with other MPs, claimed that under new rules she was banned from receiving mortgage interest expenses by IPSA and, as a result, had been forced to rent out the property.^[8] Days after the report Riordan put the flat on the market, having previously tried to sell the flat in 2010.^[9] She pledged to ensure that any profit she gained from the sale would be paid back to the taxpayer.^[9][10]

Personal life

She was married to Alan Riordan from 1979 until his death in April 2007, of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the age of 65.^[11]

References

1. ↑ Search Results
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 ‘RIORDAN, Linda’, Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2012; online edn, November 2012 Retrieved 10 February 2013
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Linda Riordan - Parliamentary candidates - Telegraph
4. ↑ Victory for councillor in Labour candidate battle - Yorkshire Post
5. ↑ http://www.parliament.uk/documents/pcfs/written-evidence/2008-09/rectified/riordan-baines-290708.pdf
6. ↑ MPs' expenses: the secret deals revealed - Telegraph
7. ↑ Expenses scandal: Labour MP made thousands letting flat to fellow member, Daily Telegraph, 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 MPs in expenses row defend renting arrangements, The Guardian, 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Linda Riordan promises to pay back profit on flat sale after renting to fellow Labour MP, Daily Telegraph, 2012-10-22. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
10. ↑ Update on Halifax MP Linda Riordan revelations - she says flat will be put up for sale, Halifax Courier, 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
11. ↑ MP's tribute to husband, Alan, 65 - Halifax Courier

External links

• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Linda Riordan MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Linda Riordan MP
• The Public Whip - Linda Riordan MP voting record