Dennis Skinner
Dennis Skinner | |
|---|---|
Skinner in 2011 | |
| Chairman of the Labour Party | |
| In office 13 June 1988 – 27 October 1989 | |
| Leader | Neil Kinnock |
| Preceded by | Neil Kinnock |
| Succeeded by | Jo Richardson |
| Member of Parliament for Bolsover | |
| In office 18 June 1970 – 6 November 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Harold Neal |
| Succeeded by | Mark Fletcher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dennis Edward Skinner 11 February 1932 Clay Cross, Derbyshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse(s) |
Mary Parker
(m. 1960; sep. 1989) |
| Domestic partner | Lois Blasenheim |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Ruskin College |
| Profession | Miner, politician |
Dennis Edward Skinner (born 11 February 1932) is a British Labour politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolsover between 1970 and 2019.[1]
Personal life
[change | change source]Skinner was born in Clay Cross, Derbyshire. He studied at Ruskin College. He married Mary Parker in 1960, however the two separated in 1989. They had three children.
Political career
[change | change source]Skinner was known for his left-wing views. He was a part of the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs.[2][3][4] He was a member of Labour's National Executive Committee for thirty years and was the chairman of the Committee in 1988–89.[5]
Because of his aggressive words used and behaviour, Skinner became known as the "Beast of Bolsover".[6][7][8] Skinner said that he earned the nickname for his behaviour in a tribute debate in the Commons following the death of former Conservative Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden in 1977:[9] "They were making speeches about the wonder of Anthony Eden, so I got up and talked about miners and people seriously injured and dead in the pits and the £200 given to the widow. There was booing and then all the Tories left, and the papers had a go, some serious ones".[10]
He was one of the longest serving members of the House of Commons and the longest continuously serving Labour MP.[11] He was a supporter of Brexit.[12]
In 2020, Skinner was named Honorary President of the Socialist Campaign Group.[13]
Suspensions
[change | change source]Skinner was suspended from parliament at least ten times for calling MPs inappropriate names.[14] Some of the times he was suspended was:
- In 1981, accusing speaker of the House of Commons George Thomas of attending an event to raise funds for the Conservative Party.[15]
- Twice in 1984, once for calling David Owen a "pompous sod",[16] and the second time for saying that Margaret Thatcher would "bribe judges".[17]
- In 1992, after calling Minister John Gummer as "a little squirt of a Minister" and "a slimy wart on Margaret Thatcher's nose".[16]
- In 1995, he accused the Major government of a "crooked deal" to sell off Britain's coal mines.[16]
- In 2005, he said of Conservatives in the 1980s "The only thing that was growing then were the lines of coke in front of 'Boy George' and the rest of the Tories".[18]
- In 2016, because he called Prime Minister David Cameron as "dodgy Dave" because of his taxes.[19]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "Mr Dennis Skinner MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
- ↑ Broomhead, Michael (24 November 2014). "Profile: Dennis Skinner, The Beast of Bolsover, 5 of his Best Quotes". The Star. London. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- ↑ "Dennis Skinner quotes: the Beast of Bolsover in full flow" Archived 13 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The Week, 25 February 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ↑ Chris Hastings (ed.). "Dennis Skinner: claimed for accountants' fees on MPs' expenses". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
- ↑ "Mr Dennis Skinner MP". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
- ↑ "'Beast of Bolsover' Dennis Skinner loses seat after 49 years". FT. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ↑ "Dennis Skinner quotes: the Beast of Bolsover in full flow". The Week. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ↑ "Veteran UK Labour lawmaker Dennis Skinner loses to Conservatives". Reuters. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ↑ Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 17 January 1977
- ↑ Boffey, Daniel (11 February 2012). "Dennis Skinner at 80: still awkward after all these years". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
- ↑ "Dennis Skinner". Ruskin College. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- ↑ Pidd, Helen (8 January 2019). "'The way the EU treated the UK opened my eyes': Bolsover's Brexit". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ↑ @socialistcam (6 May 2020). "Dennis Skinner elected Honorary President of Socialist Campaign Group" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ↑ "Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner Has Lost His Seat To The Conservatives". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ↑ "Engagements (Hansard, 7 July 1981)". Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Silvera, Ian (12 April 2016). "Dennis Skinner's record of rebellion: Veteran Labour MP kicked out of parliament yet again". International Business Times UK. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ↑ White, Michael (9 June 2010). "When is it a heckle too far for the House of Commons?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ↑ Tempest, Matthew (8 December 2005). "Skinner barred over cocaine slur". Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ↑ "Dennis Skinner kicked out of Commons for Cameron jibe". BBC News. 11 April 2016. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
Other websites
[change | change source]- This much I know, Skinner runs down some matters of importance to him, hosted by The Guardian
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Giving George Osborne a line of wit in December 2005
- Junction 29A in December 2004
- Heart bypass in March 2003