Tony McNulty

The Right Honourable
Tony McNulty
Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform
In office
3 October 2008 – 5 June 2009
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by Stephen Timms
Succeeded by Jim Knight
Minister of State for London
In office
3 October 2008 – 5 June 2009
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by Tessa Jowell
Succeeded by Tessa Jowell
Minister of State for Security, Counterterrorism, Crime and Policing
In office
5 May 2006 – 3 October 2008
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Gordon Brown
Preceded by Hazel Blears (Crime Reduction, Policing, Community Safety and Counter-Terrorism)
Succeeded by Vernon Coaker
Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality
In office
6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Des Browne (Immigration, Citizenship and Counterterrorism)
Succeeded by Liam Byrne (Borders and Immigration)
Member of Parliament
for Harrow East
In office
1 May 1997 – 12 April 2010
Preceded by Hugh Dykes
Succeeded by Bob Blackman
Personal details
Born (1958-11-03) 3 November 1958
Kensington, London, England, UK
Political party Labour
Spouse(s) Gillian Travers (1994–????; divorced)
Christine Gilbert (2002–present)
Alma mater University of Liverpool
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Anthony James McNulty (born 3 November 1958) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Harrow East from 1997 to 2010 and was a government minister from 2002–09. He was Minister for London and Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform at the Department for Work and Pensions. He resigned his position on 5 June 2009 after allegations in the press regarding his expenses.

Background, education and early political career

His father migrated to England from County Donegal, Ireland.[1]

McNulty was educated at the Salvatorian College, Wealdstone and at Stanmore Sixth Form College. He earned a BA in Political Theory and Institutions from the University of Liverpool and an MA in Political Science from Virginia Tech in the United States. Before becoming an MP he was leader of the Labour group on Harrow council and a senior lecturer in Organisational Behaviour, at the University of North London from 1983–97. In 1986 he was elected to Harrow Council for Stanmore South ward.[2] He ran in the 1992 General Election in Harrow East.

Parliamentary career

McNulty was elected in the May 1997 General Election. He served as a Whip from 1999 to 2002, following a period as Parliamentary Private Secretary to David Blunkett. McNulty was then appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for neighbourhood renewal, housing and planning. He was moved to the Department for Transport in June 2003 as Parliamentary Under Secretary with responsibility for aviation, local transport, and London, and was promoted to Minister of State with responsibility for Rail and London in September 2004.

McNulty moved to the Home Office on 9 May 2005 as Minister of State for Immigration, following the general election reshuffle. In May 2006 his Home Office portfolio changed to responsibility over the policing and crime, security and counter-terrorism. (BBC). In July 2007, he became a Privy Councillor. In Gordon Brown's reshuffle on 3 October 2008 McNulty moved to become Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform at the Department for Work and Pensions and Minister for London, and although not a full member of the cabinet, he was permitted to attend unlike most junior ministers until he resigned on 5 June 2009. During his period as Minister McNulty made constant attacks on benefit fraud suggesting that "we are absolutely determined to stop benefit thieves stealing from the British taxpayer. Our commitment extends beyond the borders of the UK. Even in sunny Spain, we're closing in on benefit fraud".[3]

MPs' expenses controversy

In 2009, McNulty was one of numerous MPs who were involved in a political scandal following the disclosure of expenses of Members of the United Kingdom Parliament. In March 2009, he admitted claiming expenses on a second home, occupied by his parents, which was 8 miles away from his primary residence, after details appeared in the Mail on Sunday.[4] McNulty asserted that the claim was appropriate, but he ceased claiming the allowances. Subsequently, the Parliament standards committee said that advice from the Fees Office was "mistaken". He was asked to apologise to the House of Commons and repay £13,837, which he did.

In an article headlined "Tony McNulty, Benefit Cheat", The Spectator contrasted the statements made by McNulty regarding benefit cheats with his own claims for expenses.[5] On 18 May 2007, McNulty was one of the 98 MPs who voted against applying the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to themselves.[6]

Resignation

On 5 June 2009, in light of the expenses scandal, McNulty resigned from the government.[7]

2010 General Election

At the 2010 general election McNulty lost his seat as Member of Parliament to Bob Blackman of the Conservatives. He attempted to become the Labour PPC for Brent Central for the next election but he was not shortlisted and the selection was won by Dawn Butler.

Personal

In September 2002 McNulty married Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools for Ofsted, in Hammersmith and Fulham. Gilbert was headmistress of Whitmore High School for eight years, starting when she was 32. It was the second marriage for both. McNulty had first married in 1994 to Gillian Travers, who later stood as a Labour candidate for Ruislip-Northwood in 2001.

References

  1. ↑ "Publications and Records".
  2. ↑ "Tony McNulty". YourDemocracy.
  3. ↑ McNulty comments on benefit fraud
  4. ↑ "McNulty defends expenses claims". BBC News. 22 March 2009.
  5. ↑ "Tony McNulty, Benefit Cheat", The Spectator, 26 March 2009
  6. ↑ "how your MP voted on the FOI Bill". London: times online. 20 May 2007.
  7. ↑ Rayner, Gordon. "Tony McNulty quits Government in wake of expenses row". London: Telegraph.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Hugh Dykes		 Member of Parliament for Harrow East
1997–2010 		Succeeded by
Bob Blackman
Political offices
Preceded by
Des Browne
as Minister of State for Immigrstion, Citizenship and Counterterrorism		 Minister of State for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality Succeeded by
Liam Byrne
as Minister of State for Borders and Immigration
New creation Minister of State for Security, Counterterrorism, Crime and Policing
2006–2008 		Succeeded by
Vernon Coaker
Preceded by
Stephen Timms		 Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform
2008–2009 		Succeeded by
Jim Knight
Preceded by
Tessa Jowell		 Minister for London
2008–2009 		Succeeded by
Tessa Jowell
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