Gregg McClymont

Gregg McClymont

McClymont at General Election count, 2010

Gregg McClymont at the General Election count in Cumbernauld, May 2010
Shadow Minister for Pensions
In office
8 October 2011 – 7 May 2015
Leader Ed Miliband
Preceded by Rachel Reeves
Member of Parliament
for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
In office
6 May 2010 – 30 March 2015
Preceded by Rosemary McKenna
Succeeded by Stuart McDonald
Majority 13,755 (34%)
Personal details
Born (1976-06-03) 3 June 1976[1]
Cumbernauld, Strathclyde, Scotland
Nationality Scottish
Political party Labour
Alma mater University of Glasgow
University of Pennsylvania
St. John's College, Oxford
Profession Historian
Website www.greggmcclymont.com

Gregg McClymont (born 3 June 1976) is a Scottish Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East from 2010 until 2015.

Background and personal life

Born and brought up in Cumbernauld, he attended Kildrum Primary School and Cumbernauld High School from 1981 until 1993. He read History at the University of Glasgow, graduating in 1997, the year when he was also chair of Scottish Labour Students, before winning the Thouron Scholarship to study at the University of Pennsylvania. Returning to Britain, he wrote a doctoral thesis in modern British history at St John's College, Oxford.[2] Subsequently, he became a tutorial fellow at St Hugh's College, Oxford, where he taught until May 2010.[3]

Political life

He was selected to replace outgoing Labour MP Rosemary McKenna to fight the seat of Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East at the 2010 general election. He won the seat with a 13,755 majority and over 57% of the votes cast.[4] In parliament, McClymont sat on the House of Commons select committees on science and technology, and business, innovation and skills; and held the post of Parliamentary Private Secretary to shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ann McKechin. In early 2011, he moved on to the Labour front bench as an assistant whip,[5] before becoming the Shadow Pensions Minister for the Department of Work and Pensions in October 2011.[6]

As Shadow Pensions Minister McClymont described proposals to reform annuities as a "good thing", but argued the coalition's plans "lacked clarity."[7] He also claimed that changes to pension credit schemes would see many pensioners getting a rise in pensions of just 87p.[8]

McClymont has been a strong critic of the British Government's economic policy.[9] He has argued repeatedly in parliament for stronger safeguards for post offices[10] following the privatisation of the Royal Mail. He has also sought to highlight the impact changes to housing benefit will have on his constituents in Cumbernauld,[11] as well as campaigning for compensation for victims of terror attacks overseas.[12]

Academic publications

'Socialism, Puritanism and Hedonism: The Parliamentary Labour Party's Attitude to Gambling, 1923-31' Twentieth Century British History, Vol 19, Issue 3 (2008) 288-313

'The Cultural Politics of Tory Socialism: The Clarion in the Labour Movement during the 1890s' in Griffiths, Nott and Whyte (eds) Classes, Cultures and Politics: Essays on British History for Ross McKibbin (Oxford, 2011)

References

  1. ↑ "Who's Who". Ukwhoswho.com. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  2. ↑ "Realise your potential - St John's College Oxford". Sjc.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  3. ↑ "St Hugh's College | Home". Sthughs.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  4. ↑ "Election 2010 | Constituency | Cumbernauld, Kilsyth & Kirkintilloch East". BBC News. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  5. ↑ "Ed promotes MP Gregg - News". Cumbernauld News. 2011-03-02. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  6. ↑ "Shadow pensions minister announced". IFAonline. 2011-10-10. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  7. ↑ Cumbo, Josephine (26 September 2014). "Shadow pension minister calls for details of reforms". Financial Times. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Watt, Holly (8 December 2014). "State pensions to rise by just 87p, Labour warn". Telegraph. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  9. ↑ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 06 July 2010 (pt 0004)". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  10. ↑ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster (2010-10-11). "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 11 Oct 2010 (pt 0004)". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  11. ↑ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 08 Feb 2011 (pt 0002)". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
  12. ↑ "MP wins debate on unpaid compensation for terror victims - News". Scotsman.com. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Rosemary McKenna		 Member of Parliament for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
2010 – 2015 		Succeeded by
Stuart McDonald
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