Greg Mulholland
{{Short description|British Liberal Democrat politician (born 1970)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Greg Mulholland
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Greg Mulholland, September 2009 (cropped).jpg
| office = Liberal Democrat Campaigns and Communications Chair
| term_start = 29 July 2015
| term_end = 8 June 2017
| leader = Tim Farron
| predecessor = Paddy Ashdown (Election Committee Chair)
| successor = Ed Davey
| office1 = Member of Parliament
for Leeds North West
| term_start1 = 5 May 2005
| term_end1 = 3 May 2017
| predecessor1 = Harold Best
| successor1 = Alex Sobel
| majority1 =
| office2 = Leeds City Councillor
for Headingley Ward
| term_start2 = 2003
| term_end2 = 2005
| predecessor2 = David Pratt
| successor2 = James Monaghan
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|8|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Manchester, Lancashire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Liberal Democrats
| spouse = Raegan
| children = 3
| alma_mater = University of York
| website =
| caption = Mulholland in 2009
}}
Gregory Thomas Mulholland (born 31 August 1970) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who was the MP for Leeds North West.
He was first elected at the 2005 general election, winning the seat from Labour and was re-elected with an increased majority at the 2010 general election, and with a reduced majority at the 2015 general election. Before his parliamentary career, he served as a councillor for Headingley. He served as a Liberal Democrat spokesman for Health, Schools and International Development.
At the 2017 general election he lost his seat to Alex Sobel of the Labour Party.
Early life
Born in Manchester, Mulholland attended St. Ambrose College near Altrincham{{cite news|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/biography/0,,-9010,00.html |access-date=5 October 2007 |title=Guardian "Ask Aristotle" biography |location=London, UK |work=The Guardian |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319072737/http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/biography/0%2C%2C-9010%2C00.html |archive-date=19 March 2007 |df=dmy-all }} and studied politics at the University of York, going on to achieve an MA in Public Administration and Public Policy. While at York University, he played at centre for the university rugby league team in matches against Bradford, Leeds, Manchester and Hull. He then worked in marketing for five years, including two years spent in Edinburgh, working on several national promotional campaigns.{{cn|date=April 2022}}
His first experience in politics was canvassing in the Knowsley North by-election in 1986, while studying politics for A-level.{{cite web|url=http://www.libdems.org.uk/party/people/mr-greg-mulholland.html|access-date=5 October 2007|title=Profile on Lib Dem website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930032418/http://www.libdems.org.uk/party/people/mr-greg-mulholland.html|archive-date=30 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}
He had a long-standing interest and involvement in international development, trade justice and debt campaigns. He was an active member of the campaigning groups Trade Injustice and Debt Action Leeds (TIDAL) and Catholic Aid For Overseas Development (CAFOD).{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
Councillor
In 2003, he was elected as a Leeds City Councillor for Headingley ward. From 2004 to 2005 he was the lead member for corporate services, until his election to Parliament in 2005. He was also the Liberal Democrat group's spokesperson on the Leeds Supertram, approval for which was turned down in 2006.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
Member of Parliament
= Constituency and party =
File:Greg Mulholland MP, Leeds North West constituency surgery (30th December 2013).JPG District Centre in North Leeds in 2013]]
Mulholland was elected to Parliament at the 2005 general election for the constituency of Leeds North West. This West Yorkshire constituency extends from inner-city Leeds through suburban and rural areas to the towns of Otley and Yeadon.
The seat had been held by the Conservative party from 1950 to 1997 and by the Labour party from 1997 to 2005. In the general election of 2010 the seat was retained by the Liberal Democrats with an increased majority.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/c53.stm |title=Election 2010 | Constituency | Leeds North West |publisher=BBC News|access-date=29 November 2012}} In the 2015 general election the seat was again retained by the Liberal Democrats, leaving Mulholland as one of eight Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000780#election2015-logo|title=Leeds North West: Election 2015|work=bbc.co.uk | access-date=9 September 2018}}{{cite web| url=http://www.libdems.org.uk/mps| title=MPs| publisher=Liberal Democrats| access-date=23 October 2015}}
In the 2006 Liberal Democrat leadership election Mulholland backed Chris Huhne, who eventually finished second behind Menzies Campbell. In the 2007 Liberal Democrat leadership election he supported Nick Clegg.{{cite news|title=Nick Clegg: My leadership will be bold and give millions a voice|work=Yorkshire Post|date =19 October 2007|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/opinion/Nick-Clegg-My-leadership-will.3394787.jp|access-date=20 October 2007}} In the 2015 Liberal Democrat leadership election Mulholland backed Tim Farron.{{cite web|url=http://gregmulholland.org/en/article/2015/1081434/farron-launches-leadership-bid-in-otley-after-local-election-success|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111055101/http://gregmulholland.org/en/article/2015/1081434/farron-launches-leadership-bid-in-otley-after-local-election-success|url-status=usurped|archive-date=11 January 2016|title=Farron launches leadership bid in Otley after local election success|work=Greg Mulholland}}
In the 2017 general election Mulholland lost his seat to Labour's Alex Sobel, who gained a majority of 4,224.{{cite news|title=Leeds North West|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000780|website=Election 2017|publisher=BBC News|access-date=9 September 2018}}
= Positions held =
After his election to Parliament, he was appointed his party's junior International Development spokesperson from 2005 to 2006. In 2006 he was appointed Shadow Spokesperson on Schools, and in 2007 he became Shadow Spokesperson on Health. He was also a member of the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee.
Mulholland was a member of 27 all-party parliamentary groups including 4 as chair or co-chair and 7 as vice chair.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/register.pdf|title=REGISTER OF ALL-PARTY GROUPS|date=8 September 2011|access-date=6 October 2011}}
= Expenses =
{{Main|United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal}}
During and after the 2009 expenses scandal, Greg Mulholland's expense claims were generally without controversy and he was described as an angel by The Daily Telegraph after he called for stricter regulations.{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/6110740/MPs-expenses-Angels-who-support-curbs.html|location=London|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Patrick|last=Sawer|title=MP's expenses: 'Angels' who support curbs|date=30 August 2009|access-date = 28 November 2020}} He did, however, have two claims rejected: for a cot and playpen, then later to have photographs reframed.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5349464/MPs-expenses-Full-list-of-Liberal-Democrat-MPs-investigated-by-the-Telegraph.html|location=London|work=The Daily Telegraph|title=MPs' expenses: Full list of Liberal Democrat MPs investigated by The Telegraph|date=19 May 2009|access-date = 28 November 2020}}
Subjects of interest
= Land banking =
In November 2005, Mulholland proposed the Sale of Green Belt Land Bill to prevent 'land banking' (property speculation in Green Belt land).{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo051101/debtext/51101-06.htm|title=Hansard 1 Nov 2005 column 728|access-date=23 October 2007}} However, the bill did not receive a second reading and was dropped without becoming law.{{cn|date=April 2022}}
= Abortion =
As a Roman Catholic, Mulholland describes himself as holding 'pro-life' views{{cite web|url=http://www.headingley.org/files/Monthly%20report%20October.doc|title=Monthly Report – October 2008|access-date=6 October 2011|date=October 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608015610/http://www.headingley.org/files/Monthly%20report%20October.doc|archive-date=8 June 2012|df=dmy-all}} and has a strong voting record against abortion, embryology and euthanasia.{{cite web|url=http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpid=40356&dmp=813|work=The Public Whip|title=Greg Mulholland compared to 'Abortion, Embryology and Euthanasia- Against'|date=6 October 2011|access-date=6 October 2011}} Mulholland is one of three Liberal Democrat MPs to have supported MP Nadine Dorries's attempts to reduce the number of weeks at which a woman can legally have an abortion.{{cite web|url=http://www.markpack.org.uk/23833/four-lib-dem-mps-vote-against-nhs-bill-three-vote-for-dorries-on-abortion |title=Four Lib Dem MPs vote against reducing the number of weeks at which a woman can legally have an abortion|website=markpack.org.uk|date=7 September 2011 |access-date= 8 May 2015}}
= Voting record =
According to ThePublicWhip.org, as of February 2013, Greg Mulholland has supported the Coalition Government 91.6% of the time in the 2010 Parliament.{{cite web|url=http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip/member/40356&showall=yes#divisions |title=Profile|website= publicwhip.org.uk| access-date= 8 May 2015}}
= Healthcare =
File:Greg Mulholland, September 2009 3.jpg
Mulholland took part in a community campaign in his constituency against further cuts at the [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928204705/http://www.leedsteachinghospitals.com/patients/aboutus/hospitals/wharfedale.php Wharfedale Hospital] in Otley. He called a public meeting at which he presented a 5,000-signature petition to Parliament{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070328/debtext/70328-0020.htm|title=Wharfedale Hospital, Otley|date=28 March 2007|work=Hansard|pages=Col 1603|access-date=23 May 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201223519/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070328/debtext/70328-0020.htm|archive-date=1 December 2008|df=dmy-all}} after one ward was closed. He campaigned alongside other Leeds MPs for a new children's hospital in the city, questioning the then Prime Minister Tony Blair over the issue at Prime Minister's Questions.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070502/debtext/70502-0003.htm|title=Debate: Prime Minister|work=Hansard|date=2 May 2007|pages=Col. 1508|access-date=23 May 2008}}
He faced criticism for aspects of this campaign. An article in a Liberal Democrat Focus leaflet featuring Mulholland and distributed in Leeds claimed that the government had axed plans to build a new £204 million Children's Hospital at St James's, which had been backed by all the city's MPs. The Government claimed that this was untrue and that the decision had been made by the Leeds Hospital Trust without the Government's prior knowledge. Caroline Flint, Minister of State for Public Health, described the statement as: "taking political grandstanding too far. The article is not true, it is a complete misrepresentation."{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2007-05-01b.441.0&s=mulholland+flint+hamilton+truswell+battle#g446.0|work=Hansard|title=Westminster Hall debates: Leeds Children's and Maternity Hospital|date=1 May 2007|access-date=21 May 2008}}
= Save the Pub =
Greg Mulholland is an active campaigner for Save the Pub, an all party parliamentary group which aims to preserve and protect the Great British pub. In 2012, the group celebrated three years of success with the introduction of a special "Save the Pub Ale".{{cite web|url=http://gregmulholland.org/en/article/2012/587064/save-the-pub-group-toast-three-years-of-success-with-save-the-pub-ale |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103090849/http://gregmulholland.org/en/article/2012/587064/save-the-pub-group-toast-three-years-of-success-with-save-the-pub-ale |url-status=usurped |archive-date=3 January 2013 |title=Save the Pub Group toast three years of success with 'Save the Pub Ale' (Greg Mulholland MP)|publisher=Gregmulholland.org|date=16 May 2012|access-date=28 November 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.camra.org.uk/article.php?group_id=6479|title=Parliamentary Save the Pub Group Celebrates Third Anniversary|publisher=Camra.org.uk|access-date=28 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119023027/http://www.camra.org.uk/article.php?group_id=6479|archive-date=19 November 2012|df=dmy-all}}
= Rugby league =
Mulholland set up a rugby league team called "Political Animals", based at Westminster, to bring greater prominence and attention to rugby league within Parliament. He plays left wing for the team. He is also a Vice President of the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160521000052/http://leedsrugbyfoundation.org/ Leeds Rugby Foundation] charity.
= Other =
Mulholland was criticised for calling a constituent a "disingenuous, manipulative, illiberal shit" over Twitter in response to the constituent's comments on his vote in favour of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013. The constituent's earlier message had said "After abstaining, voting for a wrecking amendment, then trying to abolish marriage, I'm glad @GregMulholland1 finally voted the right way". Mulholland said he supported same sex marriage but believed there were flaws in the legislation, and was frustrated at being misrepresented.{{cite news|title=Greg Mulholland MP 'wrong' to swear in gay marriage tweet|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-22624134|access-date=1 April 2015|publisher=BBC|date=22 May 2013}}
In 2007, he was nominated for best campaigning politician in the Channel 4 Political Awards for helping to secure the release of Mirza Tahir Hussain from prison in Pakistan. He has tabled Early Day Motions on a variety of subjects including support for small breweries, winter fuel payments for the severely disabled under 60, and against biometric data collection in schools.{{cite web|url=http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMByMember.aspx?MID=4826&SESSION=885|title=Parliamentary information service EDMs by member 2006–2007|access-date=23 October 2007}}
In 2008, Mulholland was recorded describing health minister Ivan Lewis as an "arsehole" after Lewis refused to let him intervene in a Westminster Hall debate on hospice funding. He later publicly defended his comment.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7221750.stm|title=MP defends himself over swearing|access-date=12 March 2008|work=BBC News|date=1 February 2008|first=Justin|last=Parkinson}}
Mulholland has also been active in seeking to expose companies which wish to move out of the Leeds area to reduce costs. In 2011 he tabled an Early Day Motion in parliament calling for a boycott of brands owned by Carlsberg due to their brewery being moved from Leeds.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-13559207|title=Leeds MP Greg Mulholland calls for Carlsberg boycott|access-date=11 September 2011|work=BBC News| date=26 May 2011
}}
After Parliament
In September 2018 Mulholland announced that he would not be standing for election to Parliament in the next general election. He described the shock of losing his seat in the unexpected 2017 election, when "just eight weeks later I had lost my job, my career, our family income and actually to a great extent, my identity". He is establishing himself as a "specialist campaigning and public affairs consultant" and political campaigning would be incompatible with that role. He did not rule out the possibility of standing for Parliament again, but "only if we see real change in British politics". He would also devote more time to his band Summercross, whose album My Northern Heart was nearing completion.{{cite news |last1=Parsons |first1=Rob |title=Ex-MP Greg Mulholland reveals he won't stand for Leeds seat at next election as he focuses on new campaigning role |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/ex-mp-greg-mulholland-reveals-he-won-t-stand-for-leeds-seat-at-next-election-as-he-focuses-on-new-campaigning-role-1-9335613 |access-date=9 September 2018 |work=Yorkshire Post |date=5 September 2018}} It was subsequently announced that Kamran Hussain had been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Leeds North West. Hussain said "Greg Mulholland was a brilliant MP. He was hard working, focused on the constituency, and I would like to emulate his work".{{cite news |title=Lib Dems announce Parliamentary candidate for Leeds North West |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/ilkleynews/16831741.lib-dems-announce-parliamentary-candidate-for-leeds-north-west/ |access-date=12 September 2018 |work=Telegraph & Argus |date=10 September 2018}}
In August 2019 the album My Northern Heart, with 12 songs written by Mulholland and performed by his band Summercross, was reported to be "Set to be released in the next few weeks". The songs refer to topics including the construction of the Bramhope Tunnel, the suicide of Big Country singer Stuart Adamson, the campaign for the restoration of hire boats on the River Wharfe at Otley, and Mulholland's campaigning work for community pubs.{{cite news |last1=Jack |first1=Jim |title=Debut album by Otley's former MP Greg Mulholland |url=https://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/17817244.debut-album-otley-39-s-former-mp/ |access-date=6 August 2019 |work=Ilkley Gazette |date=5 August 2019}}
Personal life
He is married and has three daughters.{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Baby-joy-for-Leeds-MP.4540215.jp|title=Baby joy for Leeds MP|last=Mc Taggart|first=Suzanne|date=30 September 2008|work=Yorkshire Evening Post|access-date=1 October 2008}} The family lives in Otley.
In 2009, he completed the Belfast marathon in 3 hrs 18 mins 50 secs{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/other-sports/2009-belfast-marathon-results-14291111.html|title=2009 Belfast Marathon results|date=5 May 2009|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=23 June 2009}} and the "Wessex 100 mile" walk in 38 hrs 24 mins,{{cite web|url=http://www.wessex100.org.uk/cgi-bin/results.pl|title=Results|work=Wessex 100|access-date=23 June 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090603044930/http://www.wessex100.org.uk/cgi-bin/results.pl|archive-date=3 June 2009|df=dmy-all}} as a "126 mile challenge" to raise money for local charities, along with Otley & Yeadon councillor Ryk Downes and university lecturer Martin Rivett.{{cite web|url=http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/index_carnegie_challenge_270309.htm|title=Best foot forward for lecturer|date=23 March 2009|work=Leeds Metropolitan University: News & information|access-date=23 June 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927181606/http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/index_carnegie_challenge_270309.htm|archive-date=27 September 2011|df=dmy-all}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Greg Mulholland}}
- {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130112231355/http://www.gregmulholland.org/ Greg Mulholland MP]}} official constituency website
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081026082524/http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/greg-mulholland Profile] at the Liberal Democrats
- {{UK MP links | parliament = greg-mulholland/1540 | hansard = | hansardcurr = 4826 | guardian = 9010/greg-mulholland | publicwhip = Greg_Mulholland | theywork = greg_mulholland | record = Greg-Mulholland/Leeds-North-West/1112 | bbc = 35617.stm | journalisted = greg-mulholland }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Harold Best}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Leeds North West|years=2005–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=Alex Sobel}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulholland, Greg}}
Category:Alumni of the University of York
Category:English people of Irish descent
Category:English Roman Catholics
Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies