Helen Liddell

The Right Honourable Helen Lawrie Liddell (born December 6, 1950, in Coatbridge, Scotland, neé Reilly) is a British politician, and was member of Parliament for Monklands East, then Airdrie and Shotts from 1994 to 2005. She is a member of the Labour Party and was the first female general secretary of the Scottish Labour Party at the age of 26.

Related Topics:
Right Honourable - December 6 - 1950 - Coatbridge - Scotland - British - Member of Parliament - Monklands East - Airdrie and Shotts - 1994 - 2005 - Labour Party - General secretary

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A former BBC Scotland journalist and aide to the late Robert Maxwell, Liddell was first elected to Parliament in 1994, at the Monklands East by-election following John Smith's death. She was Secretary of State for Scotland from 2001 to 2003, a position whose powers had been transferred to the Scottish Executive after devolution in 1999. She was a controversial character, dubbed "Stalin's granny,", "Atilla the Hen" and the "Nat Basher in Chief" (because of her constant attacks on the SNP). In addition she angered the monks of Buckfast Abbey when she called on them to stop selling Buckfast Tonic Wine in Scotland. She was also dubbed "Minister for Monarch of the Glen" http://politics.guardian.co.uk/interviews/story/0,11660,883219,00.html after several visits to the set of the hit BBC series.

Related Topics:
Robert Maxwell - John Smith's - Secretary of State for Scotland - 2001 - 2003 - Buckfast Abbey - Buckfast Tonic Wine - Monarch of the Glen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The disclosure that she fitted French lessons in to her ministerial diary http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2002/02/06/dl0605.xml raised questions about the relevance of Scottish Secretary's job post-devolution and it was duly abolished as a full-time position in 2003. She took up appointment as http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,12070,1184698,00.html High Commissioner to Australia in summer 2005 - a rare political appointment to a post normally reserved for career diplomats. Like all former Cabinet ministers, she remains a member of the Privy Council.

Related Topics:
Australia - Privy Council

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~