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Eleanor Laing

Eleanor Fulton Laing, Baroness Laing of Elderslie, DBE, PC (née Pritchard; born 1 February 1958),[5] is a British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Epping Forest from 1997 to 2024. She served in the shadow cabinets of Michael Howard and David Cameron. From 2013 to 2024, Laing was a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and was the first female Chairman of Ways and Means from 2020 to 2024. She had one of the longest tenures in the speaker's chair. She became a member of the House of Lords in 2024.

The Right Honourable
The Baroness Laing of Elderslie
DBE PC
Official portrait, 2022
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
In office
16 October 2013 – 30 May 2024
SpeakerJohn Bercow
Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Chairman of Ways and Means
In office
8 January 2020[a] – 30 May 2024[3]
SpeakerSir Lindsay Hoyle
Preceded bySir Lindsay Hoyle
Succeeded byNus Ghani
First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
In office
16 October 2013 – 19 December 2019
SpeakerJohn Bercow
Lindsay Hoyle
Preceded byNigel Evans
Succeeded byRosie Winterton
Shadow Minister for Justice
In office
2 July 2007 – 11 May 2010[4]
LeaderDavid Cameron
Preceded byHenry Bellingham
Succeeded byMaria Eagle
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
In office
19 May 2005 – 7 December 2005
LeaderMichael Howard
Preceded byJames Gray
Succeeded byDavid Mundell
Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
In office
15 March 2004 – 2 July 2007
LeaderMichael Howard
David Cameron
Preceded byCaroline Spelman
Succeeded byTheresa May
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 August 2024
Life peerage
Member of Parliament
for Epping Forest
In office
1 May 1997 – 30 May 2024
Preceded bySteven Norris
Succeeded byNeil Hudson
Personal details
Born
Eleanor Fulton Pritchard

(1958-02-01) 1 February 1958 (age 66)
Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Political partyConservative
Spouse
Alan Laing
​
(div. 2002)​
Children1
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh

Laing stood down from the House of Commons at the 2024 general election and was appointed to the House of Lords. Having served as an MP for 27 years, she is one of the longest-serving female MPs in British history.[6]

Early life and career

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Eleanor Pritchard was born on 1 February 1958 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, and raised in the nearby village of Elderslie, where her father was a councillor. She was privately educated at St Columba's School, an independent school. Laing graduated from Edinburgh University with Master of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees.[7] She was the first female President of the Edinburgh University Students' Association. She worked as a solicitor in Edinburgh and the City of London.

At the 1987 general election, Laing stood as the Conservative candidate in Paisley North, coming second with 15.8% of the vote behind the Labour incumbent Allen Adams.[8]

In 1995, she sought selection for Southend West, but was narrowly defeated in the selection process by David Amess, the sitting MP for Basildon.[9]

Parliamentary career

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At the 1997 general election, Laing was elected to Parliament as MP for Epping Forest with 45.5% of the vote and a majority of 5,252.[10]

Following the election, she was selected for the Education Select Committee, chaired by Labour's Margaret Hodge. Once in Parliament, Laing signed up to the Eurosceptic wing of the party, first supporting Michael Howard then William Hague for the Conservative leadership.

Laing sponsored the motion for lowering the homosexual age of consent to 16 in June 1998, saying in Parliament that: "Nothing that is being proposed tonight is in any way encouraging physical sexual activity among young people before they are sufficiently mature. It is nonsense to say that there cannot be equality between 16-year-old boys and 16-year-old girls. Young people need protection, but young people are not protected by being made into criminals". Labour MPs paid tribute for Laing for speaking against the majority view of the then Parliamentary Conservative Party, of whom 110 of their 165 MPs voted against the measure.[11]

She has been an opponent of devolution, and criticised the Blair government on many of the details of the transfer of power. In December 2000, she was appointed as opposition Scottish spokeswoman.

At the 2001 general election, Laing was re-elected as MP for Epping Forest with an increased vote share of 49.1% and an increased majority of 8,426.[12]

Laing voted against the repeal of Section 28 in 2003.[13]

Laing first entered the shadow cabinet in 2004 as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities under the leadership of Michael Howard, after previously serving as Shadow Minister of Children from June to November 2003.[14] Whilst continuing in this role, Laing became Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, serving briefly from May 2005, shortly after the 2005 general election, to December 2005 when David Cameron came to power as Leader of the Opposition.

Laing was again re-elected at the 2005 general election with an increased vote share of 53% and an increased majority of 14,358.[15]

Laing continued as Shadow Women and Equalities Minister until a July 2007 reshuffle, when she became Shadow Minister for Justice, a role she remained in until the 2010 general election.

At the 2010 general election, Laing was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 54% and an increased majority of 15,131.[16][17] After the election, and the formation of the Cameron–Clegg coalition, Laing did not receive a government post, thus returning to the backbenches.

In 2012, Laing voted against the third reading of the proposed House of Lords Reform Bill 2012,[18] and opposed a referendum on Scottish independence. She also spoke in favour of a referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, and paid tribute to Margaret Thatcher and her legacy during a Commons session dedicated to tributes to the late former Prime Minister, which took place shortly after her death.[19]

Laing criticised the manner in which the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 was introduced by arguing "social change should come about by evolution, not by diktat from the top of government" and subsequently abstained from voting on it.[20]

Deputy Speaker (2013–2024)

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Presiding over the budget in 2024

In May 2013, the First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means, Nigel Evans, was arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault. He was acquitted of those charges, but resigned from his position in the Chair on 10 September 2013. On 16 October, Laing was elected to succeed Evans as the First Deputy Chair, the holder of which post is one of the Deputy Speakers of the House.[21]

At the 2015 general election, Laing was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 54.8% and an increased majority of 17,978.[22][23]

In January 2016, Laing criticised Tulip Siddiq, who was seven months pregnant at the time, for breaking the customs of the House by leaving a debate shortly after speaking. Siddiq had already been in the debate for two hours and left at 14:30 to eat. According to witnesses, Laing told Siddiq not to use her pregnancy as an excuse for her behaviour.[24]

Laing voted leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum.[25]

At the snap 2017 general election, Laing was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 62% and an increased majority of 18,243.[26] Laing was again re-elected at the 2019 general election with an increased vote share of 64.4% and an increased majority of 22,173,[26] an election which she described as "very nasty".[27]

Laing stood in the 2019 Speaker election, to replace John Bercow, campaigning on restoring trust to the House of Commons.[28] Laing was critical of Bercow, and called his impartiality into question,[29] pledging to do things differently and bring kindness to the Speaker's chair.[30] Laing lost to Lindsay Hoyle, but declared her intention to stand to replace him as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.[28] She was elected by her fellow MPs, and became the first woman to be the Chairman of Ways and Means.

Laing took a leave of absence from December 2022 after undergoing surgery, and returned to the chair during the week of 6 March 2023.[1] Her leave of absence was extended to 31 March 2024, but Laing has continued in her duties in the Chair.[2] Roger Gale served as deputy speaker while she was absent.[1]

In June 2023, former prime minister Boris Johnson called for Bernard Jenkin to resign from his participation in the Commons Select Committee of Privileges, the Select Committee which investigated whether Johnson had misled parliament, when it was reported by the Guido Fawkes website that Jenkin had attended an event on 8 December 2020 in parliament. This was a "drinks party" held by Laing in her office, while such events were banned under the current guidelines.[31] In November 2023, the police investigation into the "drinks party" attended by Laing was closed, with the "threshold for fines not being met".[32]

Since November 2023, she has been under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, for "actions causing significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its Members generally".[33]

In May 2024, she announced she would stand down at the 2024 general election.[34]

Peerage

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After standing down as an MP, Laing was nominated for a life peerage in the 2024 Dissolution Honours.[35][36][37] She was created Baroness Laing of Elderslie, of Epping Forest in the County of Essex, on 22 August 2024.[38]

Expenses

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Main article: United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal

After details of MPs' expense claims were released by the press in 2009 it was shown that Laing had avoided paying £180,000 capital gains tax on the sale of her Westminster flat by declaring it as her primary residence. This was due to its having a higher value than her constituency home, making it her primary residence under capital gains tax rules. However she had registered the flat as her second home with the Parliamentary Fees Office, and by doing so had claimed through her Additional Costs Allowance some of the interest due on her mortgage. Laing's constituency is Epping Forest, which neighbours London and less than an hour's journey by tube. When questioned, she said that prior to the sale of the flat she had sought the advice of her solicitor.[39] Laing was cleared by the Legg Inquiry; nonetheless, she voluntarily repaid £25,000 as a "moral gesture".[40] As a result of the issue over her expenses, an unsuccessful attempt was made to deselect her by her constituency party, led by the Leader of Epping Forest District Council.[41]

Personal life

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Laing is divorced with one son, born in 2001.[42]

Laing is a supporter of Rangers F.C., and is a vice-chairman of the Westminster Parliamentary Rangers Supporters' Club.[43]

She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

References

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  1. ^ On leave from 19 December 2022 to 6 March 2023,[1] and from 26 October 2023 to 31 March 2024, during which Roger Gale served in her absence.[2] Laing did make appearances in the Commons during this period and was presiding for the budget debates in 2024.
  1. ^ a b c D'Arcy, Mark (3 March 2023). "What's happening in Parliament this week?". BBC News. Retrieved 21 November 2023. senior deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing will be back in the chair this week, after several weeks recovering from surgery
  2. ^ a b "Votes and Proceedings Thursday 26 October 2023". House of Commons of the United Kingdom. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Parliamentary career for Dame Eleanor Laing – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament". Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Deputy Speaker / Chairman of Ways and Means – UK Parliament". Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Mrs Eleanor Laing (Hansard)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Epping Forest MP to stand down after 27 years". BBC News. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  7. ^ "The Columbian" (PDF). St-columbus.org. December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  8. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  9. ^ "David (Anthony Andrew)" (PDF). internetserver.bishopgate.org.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ^ "REDUCTION IN AGE AT WHICH CERTAIN SEXUAL ACTS ARE LAWFUL (Hansard, 22 June 1998)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ^ "The Public Whip — Voting Record – Eleanor Laing MP, Epping Forest (10348)".
  14. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20040823010427/http://www.conservatives.com/people/person.cfm?PersonID=4930
  15. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election 2010 | Constituency | Epping Forest". BBC News.
  18. ^ "House of Lords Reform Bill (Division 47: held on Tuesd – Hansard – UK Parliament". Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Tributes to Baroness Thatcher – Hansard – UK Parliament". Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  20. ^ Watt, Nicholas (1 March 2013). "Cameron's 'social change by diktat' hurting Conservatives, Tory warns". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  21. ^ "Deputy Speaker election: Eleanor Laing elected". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Epping Forest parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News.
  24. ^ Swinford, Steven; McCann, Kate (8 January 2016). "Heavily pregnant MP allegedly accused of 'bringing down womankind' by leaving debate to eat". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  25. ^ "Hard work needed after 'pleasing' EU result, says Eleanor Laing". East London and West Essex Guardian Series. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Epping Forest Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  27. ^ "Epping Forest parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Eleanor Laing: It's time to restore trust in the House of Commons". PoliticsHome.com. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  29. ^ "Deputy Speaker Eleanor Laing takes swipe at John Bercow's 'impartiality' in plea for Brexit calm". PoliticsHome.com. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  30. ^ ""It's time to do things a bit differently": could Eleanor Laing be the next speaker?". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  31. ^ Allegretti, Aubrey (14 June 2023). "Boris Johnson calls for Tory MP on privileges committee to resign". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  32. ^ "Police close investigation into MPs' Covid event". BBC News. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  33. ^ "Allegations currently under investigation by the Commissioner". UK Parliament. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  34. ^ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  35. ^ "No. 64480". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 August 2024. p. 15222.
  36. ^ "Dissolution Peerages 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  37. ^ Whannel, Kate (4 July 2024). "Theresa May and 'bionic' MP awarded peerages". BBC News. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  38. ^ "No. 64500". The London Gazette. 29 August 2024. p. 16662.
  39. ^ MPs expenses: Eleanor Laing didn't pay capital gains tax on second home, The Telegraph, 30 May 2009
  40. ^ Hamilton, Fiona. "MPs expenses repaid". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011.(subscription required)
  41. ^ Swaine, Jon (27 October 2009). "MPs expenses: Eleanor Laing reselected". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  42. ^ "Pregnant Women (Discrimination) (Hansard, 25 March 2004)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2021. Laing refers to her son being born 'exactly one week' after the 'last general election', in this context being the 2001 election.
  43. ^ "MPs form Rangers supporters' club at Westminster". The Herald. 5 March 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Epping Forest
1997–2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by First Deputy Chair of Ways and Means
2013–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of Ways and Means
2020–2024 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Shadow Minister for Women and Equality
2004–2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
2005 		Succeeded by
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