Glenys Thornton, Baroness Thornton
Encyclopedia
Dorothea Glenys Thornton, Baroness Thornton (born 16 October 1952), known as Glenys Thornton, is a Labour
and Co-operative
member of the House of Lords
. She was previously Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health
.
A graduate of the London School of Economics
, Thornton was Political Secretary of the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society
from 1981, joining the public affairs team of the Co-operative Wholesale Society
upon their merger in 1985 and working there until 1992. She was General Secretary of the Fabian Society
from 1993 to 1996. In 1998 she was made a Life peer
as Baroness Thornton, of Manningham
in the County of West Yorkshire
. She chaired the Social Enterprise Coalition until January 2008, when she was appointed a junior minister of the House of Lords.
She lives in Belsize Park
, London, and is married to internet safety expert John Carr. They have two children, George and Ruby.
She was reported to be claiming £22,000 a year in expenses by saying that her mother's bungalow in Yorkshire is her main home, amounting to around £130,000 since 2002. She was later cleared of any wrongdoing by Michael Pownall
, the Clerk of Parliaments
, after it was determined that she spent much of her time there while caring for her mother.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and Co-operative
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. She was previously Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
.
A graduate of the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, Thornton was Political Secretary of the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society
Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society
The Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society was a consumer co-operative based in south east London; taking its name from the royal munitions works at Woolwich....
from 1981, joining the public affairs team of the Co-operative Wholesale Society
Co-operative wholesale society
A Co-operative Wholesale Society, or CWS, is a form of Co-operative Federation , in this case, the members are usually Consumers' Co-operatives...
upon their merger in 1985 and working there until 1992. She was General Secretary of the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
from 1993 to 1996. In 1998 she was made a Life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness Thornton, of Manningham
Manningham, Bradford
Manningham is an area of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, approximately a mile north of the city centre and is seen as the centre of the city's south Asian population.- Geography :...
in the County of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
. She chaired the Social Enterprise Coalition until January 2008, when she was appointed a junior minister of the House of Lords.
She lives in Belsize Park
Belsize Park
Belsize Park is an area of north-west London, England, in the London Borough of Camden.It is located north-west of Charing Cross and situated on the Northern Line. It borders Hampstead to the north and west, Kentish Town and Gospel Oak to the east, Camden Town to the south east and Primrose Hill...
, London, and is married to internet safety expert John Carr. They have two children, George and Ruby.
She was reported to be claiming £22,000 a year in expenses by saying that her mother's bungalow in Yorkshire is her main home, amounting to around £130,000 since 2002. She was later cleared of any wrongdoing by Michael Pownall
Michael Pownall
Sir Michael Graham Pownall KCB is a British public servant and from 2007 to 2011 was Clerk of the Parliaments in the House of Lords of the United Kingdom. He retired on 15 April 2011.-Career:...
, the Clerk of Parliaments
Clerk of the Parliaments
The Clerk of the Parliaments is the chief clerk of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The position has existed since at least 1315, and duties include preparing the minutes of Lords proceedings, advising on proper parliamentary procedure and pronouncing the Royal Assent...
, after it was determined that she spent much of her time there while caring for her mother.
External links
- Announcement of her introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 27 July 1998
- Social Enterprise Coalition