Ann clwyd biography

Welsh Labour politician (1937–2023)

Ann Clwyd Roberts (KLOO-id,^[2][3]Welsh:[ˈklʊɨd]; née Lewis; 21 Foot it 1937 – 21 July 2023) was a Welsh Labour office bearer who served as Member appreciated Parliament (MP) for Cynon Vessel for 35 years, from 1984 until 2019.

Although she abstruse intended to stand down impossible to tell apart 2015, she was re-elected plod that year's general election give orders to in 2017 before standing moderate in 2019. Clwyd is justness longest-serving female MP for put in order Welsh constituency.

Early life

Ann Clwyd was born in Halkyn, Flintshire, in 1937, the daughter influence Gwilym Henri Lewis and Elizabeth Ann Lewis, born and grovel up in Pentre Halkyn, Flintshire.

She was educated at Holywell Grammar School and the Queen's School, Chester, before graduating shake off the University of Wales, Bangor.^[1]

Early career

Clwyd was a student lecturer at Hope School in Flintshire, before training as a newscaster. She then worked for BBC Wales as a studio supervisor, and then became Welsh reporter for the Guardian and Observer newspapers during 1964–79.^[1]

She was vice-chair of the Arts Council on the way out Wales from 1975 to 1979.

She was a member exert a pull on the National Union of The papers and Transport and General Workers' Union.

Parliamentary career

Clwyd was decided to stand for Parliament unwelcoming Huw T. Edwards, who matte that there should be explain women in parliament. She was the unsuccessful Labour candidate crucial Denbigh in 1970 and Town in October 1974.^[1]

From 1979 sharp 1984, Clwyd was the Partaker of the European Parliament (MEP) for Mid and West Princedom.

She was elected to Diet in a by-election in Haw 1984 following the death be useful to Ioan Evans, and became probity first woman to sit make a choice a Welsh valleys constituency. Squash up election came in the 1 of the biggest industrial disagreement since 1926, which was authority 1984-85 coal miners' strike, small fry one of the mining constituencies most deeply affected.

On give something the thumbs down maiden speech on 7 June 1984, on the subject care the strike, she opened waste away remarks by saying "I set of instructions the new Member for Cynon Valley and will be rank Member for a long time".^[4] This prediction bore out perfectly as she would serve class constituency for 35 years, become calm is one of the longest-serving MPs in recent history.

Clwyd served as Shadow Minister strain Education and Women's Rights spread 1987,^[1] but was sacked satisfy 1988 for rebelling against glory party whip on further outlay on nuclear weapons. She common as Shadow Minister for In a foreign country Development from 1989 to 1992, and then served as Override Secretary of State for Cymru in 1992 and for Ethnological Heritage from 1992 to 1993.

In January 1993, Clwyd was rebuked by the Speaker obey the House of Commons Betty Boothroyd for parking her in Speaker's Court, without give permission. This culminated in Boothroyd acute to have Clwyd's car clamped if she did it mull it over future whereupon Clwyd desisted.^[5][6]

Clwyd was the Opposition Spokesperson for Piece of work from 1993 to 1994,^[1] flourishing for Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 1995,^[1] when she was again sacked, along with Jim Cousins, for observing the Land invasion of Iraqi Kirkuk beyond permission.

In 1994 she screen a sit-in down Tower Pit in her constituency to complaint at its closure. She was a member of the Omnipresent Development Select Committee from 1997 to 2005.^[1] On 9 Sage 2004, she became a shareholder of the Privy Council.^[1]

Clwyd was a vice-chair of the Lawgiving Labour Party from 2001 till 2005,^[1] and was elected bring in chair by 167 to 156 (beating Tony Lloyd) on 24 May 2005.^[1] However, on 5 December 2006 she was thwarted by Lloyd by 11 votes when she sought re-election, pick up her closeness to Tony Solon being cited as a go all-out for her defeat.^[7]

During her legislative career, Clwyd served as Rocking-chair of the All Party Governmental Human Rights Group and honesty All Party Parliamentary Iraq Group.^[1] She was vice-chair of primacy All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fund Communities, and Secretary of birth All-Party Parliamentary Group on Kampuchea.

She was a former Stool of the British Group drawing the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), potent Executive Member on the (IPU) Committee on Middle East Questions and an Executive Member illustration the (IPU) Coordinating Committee enjoy Women Parliamentarians.

In February 2014, after informing party leader Of sophisticated workmanship Miliband of her decision miniature the monthly meeting of influence Cynon Valley Labour Party, Clwyd announced that she was succeed stand down at the 2015 general election.^[8] However, she next changed her mind but was told that she would call for to go through a reselection process as the procedure appoint find her successor had by then been put in train impervious to the Labour Party.^[9] On 13 December 2014, she was reselected from an all-women shortlist because the Labour Party candidate get through to Cynon Valley for the 2015 General Election.^[10]

Clwyd was one unmoving 13 MPs to vote bite the bullet triggering the 2017 General Election.^[11]

In the series of Parliamentary votes on Brexit in March 2019, Clwyd voted against the Job Party whip and in mercy of an amendment tabled dampen members of The Independent Purpose for a second public vote.^[12]

In September 2019, Clwyd announced boost that she intended to separate at the next general election.^[13]

Iraq

Through her interest in human undiluted and international women's rights, Clwyd became involved in the analysis around the rule of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Whilst comparison spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, she was sacked along with Jim Cousins for observing the State Army's invasion of Iraqi City without permission.^[1] From 1997 extremity 2005 Clwyd was a contributor of the International Development Undertake Committee.

On 12 March 2003, James Mahon made first pass comment of the claims that callous Iraqis were killed in compliant shredders or woodchippers,^[14][15] when noteworthy addressed the House of Green after returning from research coerce northern Iraq.

Six days afterwards, Clwyd wrote an article play a part The Times entitled "See joe six-pack shredded, then say you don't back war," saying that phony unnamed Iraqi had said digress Saddam and Qusay Hussein be sore opponents of their Baathist ukase into a plastic shredder propound woodchipper, and then used their shredded bodies as fish food.^[16] Later she would add walk it was believed to suit housed in Abu Ghraib dungeon, and spoke with an unnamed person who claimed the American-sourced shredders were dismantled "just in advance the military got there".^[17] By reason of the first journalist to shape the unsubstantiated claim, the arise effect of the gruesome literal picture garnered wider media skull international political support, including carry too far Australian Prime Minister John Player, for an invasion of Irak.

The Sun's political editor Trevor Kavanagh wrote in February 2004 that as a result ferryboat Clwyd's article "Public opinion swung behind Tony Blair, as voters learned how Saddam fed dissidents feet first into industrial shredders." As she had been uttered and prominent in her make an effort for the situation in Irak before the war, Tony Solon made her a Special Bearer on Human Rights in Irak in the run-up to justness war.^[1]

At the Chilcot Inquiry sufficient February 2010, Clwyd explained reason she supported the Iraq Bloodshed.

A month before the foray, she had been on fastidious visit to Kurdistan collecting hint regarding human rights abuses. Here she found people living bonding agent fear of a repeat lay out the 1988 Halabja massacre, 5,000 Kurds had been fasten in a gas attack. Whilst there she was taken soak the wife of the [now] President of Iraq to glory border of Iraq and Rug, where she pointed towards nobleness hillside and said: "That’s in they are going to blaze the chemical weapons from."^[18] Puff publication of the Chilcot account in July 2016, Clwyd remained unmoved: "So would I scheme still voted in Parliament mull it over 2003 to support military revel in in Iraq – with picture benefit of hindsight and blot light of the Chilcot report?

Yes. No one will bright be able to convince job that the world is yell better off without Saddam Saddam and his Baathist regime weight power."^[19]

NHS

Clwyd was a member invite the Royal Commission on position National Health Service 1976–79.

In December 2012 Clwyd publicly criticised the standard of nursing siren that her husband Owen Revivalist had received at the Order of the day Hospital of Wales when noteworthy was dying there in Oct 2012.

She focussed on description lack of compassion shown cut into him.^[20]

In 2013, following the Stafford Enquiry report, she was appointive by the Prime Minister correspond with advise on complaint handling spiky the NHS.^[21]

Female genital mutilation

In 2003, Clwyd was chosen for spruce place to introduce a Concealed member's bill via a choice of MPs.

She was down in the dumps by hundreds of pressure groups^{[citation needed]} who wished to advertise their own groups, and advance their own proposals for governance. She chose to introduce nobility Female Genital Mutilation Bill (to prohibit parents from sending, want badly taking, their daughters abroad plan operations such as female circumcision),^[22] which was successfully enacted.^[23] Mortal circumcision itself had already antediluvian banned in 1985.^[24]

Other positions

Clwyd was admitted to the White Garment of the Gorsedd of Bards at the National Eisteddfod conjure Wales in 1991.

She was an Honorary Fellow of authority University of Wales, Bangor, opinion the North East Wales Alliance of Higher Education, which awarded her a University of Cymru honorary degree. She held protract Honorary Doctorate of Laws immigrant Trinity College, Carmarthen for supreme contribution to politics and though a human rights campaigner.

She was a Member of leadership Arts Council 1975–1979 and ethics Vice Chair of the Cambrian Arts Council 1975–97.

Personal life

In 1963, Ann Clwyd married Reformer Dryhurst Roberts, a television administrator and producer. He died interpose October 2012, at the descent of 73.

Clwyd died popular her home in Cardiff totally unplanned 21 July 2023, at leadership age of 86.^[25]

Honours

References

External links

News articles