John McFall
Encyclopedia
John Francis McFall, Baron McFall of Alcluith (born 4 October 1944) is a British
Labour Co-operative
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1987
to 2010, first for Dumbarton
and then from 2005 for West Dunbartonshire
. He was best known for being the chairman of the House of Commons Treasury Committee
during which he referred Prime Minister Gordon Brown
as Chancellor.
), on Hawthornhill Road in Castlehill, Dumbarton
, leaving without any qualifications at 15. His father was a school caretaker and his mother had a newsagents shop, which sparked his (later) interest in how to run businesses. He worked for the local Parks Department in Dumbarton and then in a factory. At the age of 24, he studied at Paisley College of Technology (now the University of the West of Scotland) receiving a BSc
in Chemistry. In 1977 he wanted to widen his knowledge away from science and obtained a BA
from the Open University
in Education and Philosophy. He was a chemistry and maths teacher from 1974-87 in Dumbarton, Kirkintilloch
and Glasgow
, becoming a deputy-head in Glasgow and Secretary of his Constituency Labour Party
before he entered Parliament. Whilst a teacher he completed a part-time course over three years at the University of Strathclyde
for an MBA
. In 1994, he became a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde University Business School
, and now is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board at the University of Glasgow Business School. He is a member of the GMB Union
.
, Scotland
, at the 1987 general election
, after the previous MP, Ian Campbell
retired. His original majority was a little over 2,000. Dumbarton constituency was replaced with the new West Dunbartonshire constituency
for the 2005 general election
, which McFall won with a majority over 12,500.
He was a whip
and junior minister (for Education, Training and Employment, Health and Community Relations, then in 1999 for Economy and Education) at the Northern Ireland Office
from 1998-9.
In 2001 he was appointed Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, and reappointed for a second term in this position in 2005. The committee conducted inquiries into the banking crisis, producing evidence of the bonus culture, the lack of banking qualifications among many top bankers and poor oversight of the industry by the Financial Services Authority
.
On 29 January 2010, McFall announced his intention to stand down as an MP at the 2010 general election.
On 17 June 2010, he was created a life peer
as Baron McFall of Alcluith, of Dumbarton in the County of Dunbartonshire, and was introduced
in the House of Peers
on 6 July 2010.
He is currently the Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Overseas Development (Apgood)
and of the Royal Navy APPG
.
He is Chairman of Strathleven Regeneration Company (which he helped to set up) and of Clydebank re-built, two development companies based in his constituency.
He gave his backing to Dumpster Kids, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at rescuing abandoned children, in January 2011.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Labour Co-operative
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) from 1987
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
to 2010, first for Dumbarton
Dumbarton (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumbarton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005. It was largely absorbed into the new constituency of Dunbartonshire West, with Helensburgh joining Argyll and Bute....
and then from 2005 for West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election and covers the same area as the county of West Dunbartonshire.The current constituency was first used in...
. He was best known for being the chairman of the House of Commons Treasury Committee
Treasury Committee
The House of Commons Treasury Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
during which he referred Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
as Chancellor.
Early life
McFall went to a boys' school, St Patrick's Secondary School (since merged with Notre Dame High School to form Our Lady & St Patrick's High SchoolOur Lady & St Patrick's High School
Our Lady & St Patrick's High School is a six-year co-educational comprehensive Roman Catholic faith school, situated in the Castlehill area of Dumbarton, Scotland. It is the only Catholic school in the region.-History:...
), on Hawthornhill Road in Castlehill, Dumbarton
Castlehill, Dumbarton
Castlehill is an area of the town of Dumbarton in the West Dunbartonshire area of Scotland. Located in the Western part of the town next to the Brucehill area, Castlehill was built as a council run housing scheme...
, leaving without any qualifications at 15. His father was a school caretaker and his mother had a newsagents shop, which sparked his (later) interest in how to run businesses. He worked for the local Parks Department in Dumbarton and then in a factory. At the age of 24, he studied at Paisley College of Technology (now the University of the West of Scotland) receiving a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Chemistry. In 1977 he wanted to widen his knowledge away from science and obtained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
in Education and Philosophy. He was a chemistry and maths teacher from 1974-87 in Dumbarton, Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch is a town and former burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal, about eight miles northeast of central Glasgow...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, becoming a deputy-head in Glasgow and Secretary of his Constituency Labour Party
Constituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
before he entered Parliament. Whilst a teacher he completed a part-time course over three years at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
for an MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
. In 1994, he became a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde University Business School
Strathclyde Business School
The Strathclyde Business School is one of the five schools which constitute the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It includes a number of departments which offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and the Department of Management which specialises in postgraduate business...
, and now is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board at the University of Glasgow Business School. He is a member of the GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
.
Political career
He was first elected for the Dumbarton constituencyDumbarton (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumbarton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005. It was largely absorbed into the new constituency of Dunbartonshire West, with Helensburgh joining Argyll and Bute....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, at the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
, after the previous MP, Ian Campbell
Ian Campbell (Scottish politician)
Ian Campbell was a Scottish politician who served as a backbench Labour Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1987.-Early life:...
retired. His original majority was a little over 2,000. Dumbarton constituency was replaced with the new West Dunbartonshire constituency
West Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election and covers the same area as the county of West Dunbartonshire.The current constituency was first used in...
for the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, which McFall won with a majority over 12,500.
He was a whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
and junior minister (for Education, Training and Employment, Health and Community Relations, then in 1999 for Economy and Education) at the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
from 1998-9.
In 2001 he was appointed Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, and reappointed for a second term in this position in 2005. The committee conducted inquiries into the banking crisis, producing evidence of the bonus culture, the lack of banking qualifications among many top bankers and poor oversight of the industry by the Financial Services Authority
Financial Services Authority
The Financial Services Authority is a quasi-judicial body responsible for the regulation of the financial services industry in the United Kingdom. Its board is appointed by the Treasury and the organisation is structured as a company limited by guarantee and owned by the UK government. Its main...
.
On 29 January 2010, McFall announced his intention to stand down as an MP at the 2010 general election.
On 17 June 2010, he was created 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 Baron McFall of Alcluith, of Dumbarton in the County of Dunbartonshire, and was introduced
Introduction (House of Lords)
Introduction is a ceremony in the House of Lords whereby new members are "introduced" to the existing membership. Introductions in the Lords are more elaborate than those in the House of Commons.-Origins:...
in the House of Peers
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....
on 6 July 2010.
He is currently the Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Overseas Development (Apgood)
Other
He is Chair of the Scotch Whisky and Spirits APPGAll-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
and of the Royal Navy APPG
All-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
.
He is Chairman of Strathleven Regeneration Company (which he helped to set up) and of Clydebank re-built, two development companies based in his constituency.
He gave his backing to Dumpster Kids, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at rescuing abandoned children, in January 2011.
Personal life
He is married to Joan, a teacher from Dumbarton, with four children. He has run marathons, although not in the last ten years.Publications
- Workplace Retirement Income Commission, Building a Strong, Stable and Transparent Pension System: Final Report (August 2011)
External links
- Official Website
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: John McFall MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - John McFall MP
- BBC Politics Profile
- Treasury Select Committee
News items
- 4 May 2008 - Treasury hard man is really a softy at heart
- 20 April 2008 - Norwich Union with-profits: Deadlocked
- 19 April 2008 - John McFall urges clarity on tax rates
- 15 April 2008 - John McFall speaks about abolition of 10p tax rate
- 7 April 2008 - Government must gauge effect of winter heating payments on fuel poverty
- 26 March 2008 - John McFall speaks about Northern Rock regulator's failure on BBC Breakfast
- 10 March 2008 - Added value
- 5 March 2008 - Helping people back into work
- 3 March 2008 - McFall cut up credit card over insurance letters
- 3 March 2008 - Banks "refused to believe the good times were about to end"
- Telegraph interview December 2007
- Criticising banks in 2006 for being unsympathetic
- Advising that bank ATMs should explicitly mention charges in 2005
- Little praise for the savings industry in 2004
- Talking about endowment mortgage shortfalls in 2004
- High credit card charges in 2003
- Confusing bank charges in 2002
- New Economy minister in Northern Ireland in 1999
- Wanting lifelong learning in Northern Ireland in 1998