Jim Dowd (politician)

{{Short description|Former British Labour Party politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Jim Dowd

| honorific-suffix =

| image = File:Jim Dowd solar.jpg

| office = Lord Commissioner of the Treasury

| primeminister = Tony Blair

| term_start = 8 May 1997

| term_end = 12 June 2001

| predecessor = Richard Ottaway

| successor = Anne McGuire

| office1 = Member of Parliament
for Lewisham West and Penge
Lewisham West (1992–2010)

| parliament1 =

| predecessor1 = John Maples

| successor1 = Ellie Reeves

| term_start1 = 9 April 1992

| term_end1 = 3 May 2017

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|03|5|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bad Eilsen, West Germany

| nationality = British

| spouse = {{marriage|Janet Anderson|2016|2023|end = died}}

| party = Labour

}}

James Patrick Dowd (born 5 March 1951) is a former British Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1992 to 2017, first for Lewisham West and following 2010 for Lewisham West and Penge. He stood down at the 2017 general election, following the announcement of Prime Minister Theresa May's snap election in June 2017.{{cite news|last=Edward|first=Peter|url=http://labourlist.org/2017/04/jim-dowd-becomes-eighth-labour-mp-to-call-time-on-commons-career/|title=Jim Dowd becomes eighth Labour MP to call time on Commons career|work=Labour List|date=20 April 2017|access-date=20 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420095812/http://labourlist.org/2017/04/jim-dowd-becomes-eighth-labour-mp-to-call-time-on-commons-career/|archive-date=20 April 2017|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2017/04/ellection-lewisham-mp-jim-dowd-will-not-defend-seat-at-general-election/|title=#ELLection: Lewisham MP Jim Dowd will not defend seat at general election|last=Leedham|first=Charlotte|date=2017-04-26|website=Eastlondonlines|language=en-GB|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014153627/https://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2017/04/ellection-lewisham-mp-jim-dowd-will-not-defend-seat-at-general-election/|archive-date=14 October 2019|access-date=2019-10-14}}

Early life

Jim Dowd grew up in Lewisham, London, with an Irish father and German mother. He was educated at the Dalmain Infant and Junior Schools in Forest Hill; the Sedgehill Comprehensive School, Catford, and the London Nautical School, Lambeth. He began his career in telephone engineering as an apprentice in 1967 with the General Post Office (GPO). Following his apprenticeship, he became a manager in 1972 at a Heron petrol station for a year before joining Plessey as a telecommunications engineer in 1973, where he remained until his election to the House of Commons.{{cite web|title=About Me|url=http://www.jimdowd.org.uk/about-jim.html|website=Jim Dowd.org|access-date=31 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905142202/http://www.jimdowd.org.uk/about-jim.html|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead}}

Dowd was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham in 1974, becoming deputy leader in 1984 for two years. He was twice deputy mayor in 1987 and 1990, and was the Mayor of Lewisham in 1992. He stepped down from the council in 1994.

Dowd first stood for parliament at the 1983 general election for the seat of Beckenham, finishing in third place behind the long-standing Conservative MP Philip Goodhart by 17,330 votes. At the 1987 general election he contested the marginal seat of Lewisham West, but was defeated by John Maples by 3,772 votes.

Parliamentary career

At the 1992 general election, Dowd again contested Lewisham West, and defeated Maples by 1,809 votes. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 10 June 1992.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199293/cmhansrd/1992-06-10/Debate-2.html|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 10 Jun 1992|first=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons|last=Westminster|website=www.publications.parliament.uk|access-date=1 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421092211/https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199293/cmhansrd/1992-06-10/Debate-2.html|archive-date=21 April 2017|url-status=live}}

Jim Dowd was appointed as an opposition whip in 1994, before becoming the spokesman on Northern Ireland in 1995. Following the election of the Labour government at the 1997 General Election he was given a place in the Blair government as a whip. He was unexpectedly sacked after the 2001 general election,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2118851.stm|title=UK – Politics – Jim Dowd|website=BBC News|date=22 October 2002|access-date=14 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040617004253/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2118851.stm|archive-date=17 June 2004|url-status=live}} since when he was a member of the Health Select Committee and maintained a voting record strongly in line with government policies.{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/jim_dowd/lewisham_west|title=Jim Dowd, former MP, Lewisham West and Penge – TheyWorkForYou|website=TheyWorkForYou|access-date=1 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424033627/http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/jim_dowd/lewisham_west|archive-date=24 April 2010|url-status=live}} In June 2012, Dowd joined the Science and Technology Select Committee.

In 2005, he was involved in a heated confrontation in Parliament with fellow Labour MP Bob Marshall-Andrews over the Terrorism Bill.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4423152.stm|title=UK – England – MP demands inquiry over colleague|website=BBC News|date=10 November 2005|access-date=9 December 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051125111254/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4423152.stm|archive-date=25 November 2005|url-status=live}} He was a vice-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Intellectual Property Group.

He supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election.{{Cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2016/07/which-mps-and-meps-have-nominated-owen-smith/|title=Full list of MPs and MEPs backing challenger Owen Smith|date=2016-07-21|website=LabourList|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715214543/https://labourlist.org/2016/07/which-mps-and-meps-have-nominated-owen-smith/|archive-date=15 July 2019|url-status=live}}

=Intellectual Property Bill=

On 20 January 2014, Dowd made a speech in the House of Commons during a debate on the Intellectual Property Bill, stating that he had asked for Worcester Sauce whilst eating a meal at the Hare and Billet pub in Blackheath and that he was provided with Henderson's Relish.{{cite journal|journal=Hansard|title=Daily Hansard – debate|date=20 January 2014|page=Column 56|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140120/debtext/140120-0002.htm|access-date=2 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220074704/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140120/debtext/140120-0002.htm|archive-date=20 February 2014|url-status=live}} Dowd used Henderson's as an example of "parasitic packaging", implying in the debate that it was attempting to pass itself off as Lea and Perrins.{{cite web|title=Parasitic copying|url=http://www.britishbrandsgroup.org.uk/pages/parasitic-copying|work=British Brands Group website|publisher=British Brands Group|access-date=2 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219192903/http://www.britishbrandsgroup.org.uk/pages/parasitic-copying|archive-date=19 February 2014|url-status=dead}}

{{multiple image

| width = 150

| image1 = Henderson's Relish bottle.jpg

| alt1 = Bottle of Henderson's Relish

| caption1 = Henderson's Relish

| image2 = Lea & Perrins worcestershire sauce 150ml.jpg

| alt2 = Bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

| caption2 = Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

}}

Henderson's Relish is well known within Sheffield and parts of Yorkshire and has been manufactured there for over 100 years. Dowd upset supporters of the sauce; the Sheffield Central member of parliament, Paul Blomfield, offered to bring a bottle to Parliament and invite Dowd for a meal with him using it – an invitation accepted by Dowd.{{cite news|last=Haddou|first=Leila|title=MP disses Henderson's Relish and incurs the wrath of Sheffield (and Nick Clegg gets a bit cross)|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/the-northerner/2014/jan/22/mp-disses-hendersons-relish-and-incurs-the-wrath-of-sheffield-and-nick-clegg-gets-a-bit-cross|access-date=3 February 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125142433/http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/the-northerner/2014/jan/22/mp-disses-hendersons-relish-and-incurs-the-wrath-of-sheffield-and-nick-clegg-gets-a-bit-cross|archive-date=25 January 2014|url-status=live}}

File:The Hare and Billet Public House, Blackheath Vale - geograph.org.uk - 1600346.jpg

Simon Freeman{{spaced ndash}}the managing director of Henderson's{{spaced ndash}}jokingly stated that he would order "an internal investigation to find out how it got out of Yorkshire";{{cite news|title=Should MP apologise over Henderson's attack?|url=http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/should-mp-apologise-over-henderson-s-attack-1-6388381|access-date=3 February 2014|newspaper=Sheffield Telegraph|date=22 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140124152456/http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/should-mp-apologise-over-henderson-s-attack-1-6388381|archive-date=24 January 2014|url-status=live}} a local newspaper, the Sheffield Star, launched a Twitter campaign with the hashtag #Hendogate to defend Henderson's, attracting support locally.{{cite news|last=Lynch|first=Molly|title=MP under fire as Sheffielders leap to the defence of Henderson's Relish|url=http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/mp-under-fire-as-sheffielders-leap-to-the-defence-of-henderson-s-relish-1-6388499|access-date=3 February 2014|newspaper=Sheffield Star|date=22 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125023059/http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/mp-under-fire-as-sheffielders-leap-to-the-defence-of-henderson-s-relish-1-6388499|archive-date=25 January 2014|url-status=live}} Dowd later stated his "amazement" at the backlash his comments had caused, which he said included threats of violence.{{cite news|title=Relish row is Hend-over|url=http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/campaigns/relish-row-is-hend-over-1-6398674|access-date=3 February 2014|newspaper=Sheffield Star|date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131175525/http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/campaigns/relish-row-is-hend-over-1-6398674|archive-date=31 January 2014|url-status=live}} The assistant manager of the Hare and Billet{{spaced ndash}}Adam Beaston{{spaced ndash}}claimed that Dowd branded Henderson's a "blatant copy" of Lea and Perrins at the time but that he warned the MP that such a view would be "blasphemy in Sheffield".{{cite news|title=MP 'warned' in relish row|url=http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/campaigns/mp-warned-in-relish-row-1-6392810|access-date=3 February 2014|newspaper=Sheffield Star|date=24 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127032446/http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/campaigns/mp-warned-in-relish-row-1-6392810|archive-date=27 January 2014|url-status=dead}}

Personal life

Dowd lists his interests as music, theatre and reading, and enjoys travelling in Cornwall. In 1998, he began a relationship with Janet Anderson, a fellow Labour MP. The couple married in 2016 and remained together until her death in 2023.{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/12/janet-anderson-obituary|title = Janet Anderson obituary|last = Langdon|first = Julia|date = 12 February 2023|accessdate = 13 February 2023|newspaper = The Guardian}}

References

External links

[http://www.jimdowd.org.uk Jim Dowd official site]
{{UK MP links | parliament = jim-dowd/189 | hansardcurr = 3017 | hansard = mr-jim-dowd | publicwhip = Jim_Dowd | theywork = jim_dowd}}
[http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-1456,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics – Ask Aristotle: Jim Dowd MP]
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/370.stm BBC News: Politics – Jim Dowd MP profile (2005)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213194335/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/370.stm |date=13 February 2009 }}

{{s-ttl

| title = Member of Parliament for Lewisham West

| years = 1992–2010

}}

{{s-ttl

| title = Member of Parliament for Lewisham West and Penge

| years = 2010–2017

}}

Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at the London Nautical School

Category:English people of German descent