Jim Murphy

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This page is about the UK politician. For the American author, see Jim Murphy (author).
Jim Murphy MP
Incumbent
Assumed office 
28 June 2007
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by Geoff Hoon
Member of Parliament
for East Renfrewshire
Eastwood (1997-2005)
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1 May 1997
Preceded by Allan Stewart
Born 23 August 1967 (1967-08-23) (age 40)
Glasgow, Scotland
Nationality Scottish
Political party Labour
Children 2 sons and a daughter
Residence Clarkston, Scotland
Religion Roman Catholic[1]
Website www.jimmurphymp.com

James Murphy (born 23 August 1967 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of East Renfrewshire and is the Minister of State for Europe, appointed by Gordon Brown on 28 June 2007.

Contents

[edit] Life

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During his early years, Murphy was raised among three generations of his family in a two-bedroom flat in Glasgow. At least one member of his family was unemployed at any time. At age 12, Murphy and his family emigrated to Cape Town, South Africa to escape the economic hardships of Scotland.[2]

Murphy returned to Scotland at age 18. He worked as a joiner in order to fund his studies at Strathclyde University.

He is married to wife Claire who is a primary school teacher. Together they have three young children. Despite his busy schedule in London, Murphy always takes a late flight back to Glasgow on Thursday nights to spend weekends with his family. Murphy is a season ticket holder at Celtic Football Club and captains the Parliamentary Football Team.[3]

[edit] Career

From 1992 to 1994, Murphy was President of the National Union of Students in Scotland, having attended the University of Strathclyde. He was then elected in 1994 as President of the UK NUS, serving until 1996. Under his leadership in 1995, the NUS dropped its opposition to the abolition of the student grant in line with the Labour Party's policies. Subsequently Murphy was condemned by a House of Commons Early Day Motion signed by 17 Labour MPs for 'intolerant and dictatorial behaviour' shortly before being elected to Parliament.[4]

At the 1997 general election, he was elected as MP for the Eastwood constituency, winning the formerly Conservative-held seat with a majority: 3236.[5]

From 2000 to 2001, he was a member of the Public Accounts Committee, which oversees public expenditure. In March 2001, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Helen Liddell, the Secretary of State for Scotland.

At the 2001 general election he was re-elected as MP for Eastwood, with an increased majority of 9141.[6]

In June 2002, he was appointed as a government whip, with responsibility for the Scotland Office, Scottish Group of Labour MPs and the Northern Ireland Office. His responsibilities were changed in November 2002 to cover the Department of Trade and Industry instead of the Northern Ireland Office, and in June 2003 to cover the Scotland Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department for International Development.

For the 2005 general election, the Eastwood constituency was renamed East Renfrewshire, although the boundaries were unchanged. Murphy was re-elected with a majority of 6657[7] and promoted to ministerial rank as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Cabinet Office. His responsibilities included egovernment, better regulation and public service modernisation.

He was promoted in May 2006 to Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, with responsibilities including employment, welfare reform and child poverty.

In June 2007, the new Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed Murphy as Minister of State for Europe.

[edit] Labour Party Groups

As a Government Minister, Murphy's membership of these groups is suspended in line with the Ministerial Code.

  • Vice Chair Labour’s Departmental Treasury Committee (1997 - 2001)
  • Vice Chair Labour’s Departmental Culture, Media and Sport Committee (1997 - 2001)
  • Member of Labour’s Northern Ireland Committee
  • Chair Labour Friends of Israel (2000-2002)

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Guardian (2007-06-29): Profile: Jim Murphy
  2. ^ Jim Murphy Interview. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  3. ^ Jim Murphy Bio. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  4. ^ Early day motion 991, 1995 - 1996 Session
  5. ^ UK general election result, May 1997: Eastwood. Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
  6. ^ UK general election result, June 2001: Eastwood. Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
  7. ^ UK general election result, May 2005: Eastwood. Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.

[edit] External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Allan Stewart		 Member of Parliament
for Eastwood
1997–2005		 Succeeded by
(constituency renamed)
Preceded by
(newly named constituency)		 Member of Parliament
for East Renfrewshire
2005 – present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Lorna Fitzsimons		 President of the
National Union of Students
1994–1996		 Succeeded by
Douglas Trainer
Preceded by
John Hutton		 Acting Cabinet Office Minister
2005–2006		 Succeeded by
Hilary Armstrong
Preceded by
Geoff Hoon		 Minister of State for Europe
2007 – present		 Incumbent