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Dari Jean Taylor (born 13 December 1944) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stockton South between the 1997 and 2010 general elections.

Biography

Taylor was born into a staunch Labour Party family in Rhondda, South Wales in December 1944. She originally attended Ynyshir Girls' School before moving to Burnley Municipal College when her father, Daniel Jones, was elected to Parliament as the Labour MP for Burnley in 1959. He remained the MP for Burnley until 1983. She attained a BA from the University of Nottingham and an MA from the University of Durham, then lectured at a number of colleges of Further Education.

She was active in the Trade Union movement from 1990 until her election. She initially worked as a researcher and later becoming the Regional Educational Officer for the GMB Union in the Northern Region in 1993. She was also an elected member of Sunderland Metropolitan Council between 1986 and the time of her election to Parliament in 1997.

She describes her interests as issues relating to women, health, the economy, industry, defence, international development, disabilities, drugs and crime and all aspects of child welfare, especially adoption.

Parliamentary career

Taylor was selected to stand for election for Labour through an all-women shortlist. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws, Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election. Taylor was elected as Member of Parliament for Stockton South in 1997, until losing the seat at the 2010 General Election.

Taylor served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lewis Moonie and Lord Bach (Ministry of Defence) from 2001-03 and then as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Hazel Blears, Home Office minister between 2003 and 2005. Her latest such position was again as a Parliamentary Private Secretary, to Phil Hope at the Department of Health 2008-09.

She is currently Chairman of the North East Regional Select Committee and a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee. Taylor is secretary of Labour Friends of India, Vice-chair of the Azerbaijan Group and the treasurer for the Opera Group.

In terms of her work with children she is Chair of the Adoption and Fostering Group, Secretary for the Cardiac Risk in the Young Group and Vice-chair of the Children Group.

Controversies

Misuses of stationery

In early November 2008 Taylor was found guilty of misusing House of Commons stationery for political purposes, with four complaints about her upheld. Of particular note was the fact that this was the second occasion Taylor had committed such offences, having been already been forced to repay for misused stationery and postage in April 2007.

A House of Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges stated:

"We strongly deprecate the continued misuse by Ms Taylor of House stationery for political purposes...we are surprised that an experienced Member has repeated previous breaches of the rules and has failed to act in accordance with advice given by the House authorities. We particularly regret the fact that Ms Taylor has continued to dispute parts of the Commissioner's findings and we are very disappointed that she has offered no apology. We conclude that Ms Taylor should pay the House authorities the sum of £500 and submit an unequivocal written apology. "

Taylor suggested that the rules were too "confusing" and that she had "tried her best" to stick to them. She complied with the orders of the committee.

Expenses

In May 2009, Taylor attracted some criticism for her expenses claims, in particular for claiming £18,100 over four years for food - the maximum possible claim. She also claimed £54,329 for mortgage interest payments over four years on her two-bedroomed London apartment, £40 per month for a cleaner to perform light housekeeping duties and £310 for tiling a bathroom She was one of the 98 MPs who voted to keep MPs' expenses secret.

Voting record

Taylor strongly supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. She supports a fully elected House of Lords and repeatedly voted against bills which favoured a partially elected alternative. She is in favour of nuclear power and the replacement of Trident. She is described as a "Labour loyalist"

Personal life

She married David Taylor in July 1970 and they have one daughter. She enjoys classical music, walking and travelling.

References

1. ^ "Politics". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
2. ^ "Taylor, Dari". Politics.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
3. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960109/ai_n9634358?tag=content;col1. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
4. "Labour blow as all-women lists outlawed". The Independent. Bnet.com. 9 January 1996.
5. ^ BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/25266.stm. Retrieved 1 May 2010. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
6. "Voting Record — Dari Taylor MP, Stockton South (10585) — The Public Whip". Publicwhip.org.uk. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
7. ^ "Labour MP fined by watchdog for misuse of expenses (From The Northern Echo)". Thenorthernecho.co.uk. 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
8. The Committee Office, House of Commons (2008-11-12). "House of Commons - Standards and Privileges - Eighteenth Report". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
9. "News - Local News - Mum speaks out over MP Dari Taylor's spending". Gazette Live. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
10. "How your MP voted on the FOI Bill". The Times. London. 20 May 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
11. "Dari Taylor, former MP, Stockton South". TheyWorkForYou.com. Retrieved 2010-12-29.

External links

• official site
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Dari Taylor MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Dari Taylor MP
• BBC Politics page
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Dari Taylor

Template:Persondata

• 1944 births
• Living people
• Alumni of the University of Nottingham
• Alumni of Durham University
• Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies
• Labour Party (UK) MPs
• People from Rhondda
• Councillors in North East England
• British female MPs
• UK MPs 1997–2001
• UK MPs 2001–2005
• UK MPs 2005–2010
• Welsh politicians