Rob Marris
{{Short description|British Labour politician}}
{{Like resume|date=January 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Rob Marris
|image = Rob Marris PPC.jpg
|caption = Marris in 2014
|office = Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury
|leader = Jeremy Corbyn
|term_start = 18 September 2015
|term_end = 30 June 2016
|predecessor = Alison McGovern
|successor = Peter Dowd
|office2 = Member of Parliament
for Wolverhampton South West
|term_start2 = 7 May 2015
|term_end2 = 3 May 2017
|predecessor2 = Paul Uppal
|successor2 = Eleanor Smith
|term_start3 = 7 June 2001
|term_end3 = 12 April 2010
|predecessor3 = Jenny Jones
|successor4 = Paul Uppal
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1955|4|8}}
|birth_place = Wolverhampton, England
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Labour
|otherparty = New Democratic Party
|alma_mater = University of British Columbia
|profession = Solicitor
}}
Robert Howard Marris (born 8 April 1955{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2177221.stm|title=Rob Marris:Political profile|work=BBC News|date=16 October 2002|accessdate=27 October 2014}}) is a British Labour Party politician, who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South West. He first held the seat from 2001 until his defeat in 2010. He regained at the seat at the 2015 general election, but stepped down at the 2017 general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2017/04/19/wolverhampton-mp-rob-marris-will-not-stand-in-2017-general-election/|title=Wolverhampton MP Rob Marris will NOT stand in 2017 General Election|work=Express & Star|location=Wolverhampton|date=19 April 2017|accessdate=19 April 2017}}
Early life and career
The son of Dr. Charles Marris and Margaret Marris JP, he was born in Wolverhampton and partially educated at Warstones Primary School, before attending Birchfield Preparatory School and St. Edward's School in Oxford.
He then moved to Canada and spent some time as a lumberjack, before obtaining a double first in History and Sociology from the University of British Columbia.
He then completed a master's degree, working as a truck driver whilst finishing his thesis.{{cite news|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-66206668|title=Profile: Rob Marris – Key to a New Political Life|author=Ros Dodds|work=Birmingham Post|url-access= |via=|date=19 October 2000|accessdate=}}{{dead link|date=July 2021}}
Having decided he wanted a career in law in the UK and not being eligible for a UK grant, he spent 3 years driving trolleybuses, followed by a period as a forest fire fighter during which time he joined Greenpeace, newly founded in Vancouver, becoming world member no. 204.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} He was also a member of the New Democratic Party, Canada's counterpart to the Labour Party as members of the Socialist International.
He served his articles of clerkship in Wolverhampton and went to work for Thompsons Solicitors, the trade union law firm, until he was elected to the House of Commons.{{cite web|url=http://www.robmarris.net/about_rob|title=about Rob|accessdate=26 October 2014|work=RobMarris.net|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110083156/http://www.robmarris.net/about_rob|archive-date=10 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}
Parliamentary career
= 2001–10 =
First elected at the 2001 general election, on 8 July 2007, he became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Shaun Woodward, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
In July 2008, Marris received the "Backbencher of the Year" award from The House, the magazine of the House of Commons.{{cite news|last=Walker|first=Jon|url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/jon-walker-backbencher-year-marris-3959327|title=Backbencher of the year Marris really has a mind of his own|work=Birmingham Post|date=20 June 2008|accessdate=26 October 2014}} Marris spoke in a "well above average" number of parliamentary debates and had a "well above average" voting record.{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/rob_marris/wolverhampton_south_west#topics|title=Rob Marris Former MP Wolverhampton South West|work=theyworkforyou.com|accessdate=27 October 2014}}
Marris emerged well from the May 2009 political scandal of MPs expenses disclosures{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5342657/MPs-expenses-The-saints-Part-ii.html?image=3 | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=MPs' expenses: The saints (Part ii) | accessdate=22 May 2010 | date=18 May 2009}} being listed as a "saint", with minimal claims for second home. However, he was defeated in the 2010 general election by Paul Uppal of the Conservative Party.
= 2015–17 =
In May 2013, Marris was once again selected as the Labour Party's Parliamentary candidate for Wolverhampton South West in the 2015 General Election. The seat was once held by the Conservative Enoch Powell, known for his April 1968 "rivers of blood" speech in which he opposed immigration. In the run-up to the 2015 election, both Marris, his main opponent, Paul Uppal and even UKIP agreed that immigration was no longer a key issue.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/29/immigration-enoch-powell-wolverhampton-south-west-jobs-economy-more-important|title=Immigration: in Enoch Powell's former seat jobs and the economy matter more|author=Amelia Gentleman|work=Guardian newspapers|date=29 April 2015|accessdate=1 May 2015}} Marris expressed concern about zero hour contracts, foodbanks and workers earnings below living wages and whilst Uppal highlighted the improvement in community relations.
In 2015, Marris introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, based on Lord Falconer of Thoroton's earlier proposals in the House of Lords.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/ignore-the-slippery-critics-of-assisted-dying-ftdfppx892z|title=Ignore the slippery critics of assisted dying|author=Philip Collins|work=The Times|date=11 September 2015|access-date=27 October 2015}} The bill was praised by Philip Collins, a leader writer for The Times as "a sophisticated and humane attempt" to clarify the law before the courts do so and which unlike religion "will actually ease suffering." Archbishop Welby's subsequent objections were described as "histrionic" and lacking any religious reason.
According to Linda Woodhead, professor of sociology of religion at Lancaster University, 70 per cent of religious people wanted the law changed.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/environment/article/most-believers-back-assisted-dying-despite-opposition-of-church-leaders-d5r3stn79kw|title= Most believers back assisted dying despite opposition of church leaders|author= Rosemary Bennett and David Sanderson|date= 16 July 2014|access-date=27 October 2015}} The bill was rejected by 330 to 118.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34208624|title=Assisted Dying Bill: MPs reject 'right to die' law|author=James Gallagher & Philippa Roxby |work=BBC News|date=11 September 2015|accessdate=27 October 2015}}
A marginal at the 2015 general election, Marris regained Wolverhampton South West with a majority of 801 votes. He was appointed Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury by Jeremy Corbyn in September 2015.{{Cite web|title=Shadow minister role for Wolverhampton MP Marris|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/09/21/shadow-minister-role-for-wolverhampton-mp-marris/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Express & Star|language=en}}{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2015/09/jeremy-corbyns-shadow-cabinet-full-list-ministers|title=Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet: the full list of ministers|author=Anoosh Chakelian|work=New Statesman|date=18 September 2015|accessdate=23 September 2015}}
On 30 June 2016, Marris resigned during the committee stage hearings on the Finance Bill and reportedly called on Corbyn to resign{{cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/news/update/2016-06-30/labour-mp-quits-corbyns-shadow-cabinet/|title=Live updates: Labour leadership crisis: Labour MP quits shadow Treasury team|publisher=ITV News|date=30 June 2016|accessdate=19 April 2017}} along with a number of Parliamentary colleagues preceding the 2016 leadership election. During the 2020 Labour Party leadership election, a video emerged of candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey, who at the time of the ultimately unsuccessful 2016 leadership challenge had been in post as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury for 3 days, accusing Marris of having his assistant delete shared Shadow Cabinet files after resigning in an attempt to undermine loyalist frontbenchers.{{cite news |last=Wearmouth |first=Rachel |date=27 January 2020 |title=Rebecca Long-Bailey: It's 'B******s' To Claim Voters Rejected Socialism |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/rebecca-long-bailey-says-idea-voters-rejected-socialism-is-bollocks_uk_5e2e22bcc5b6779e9c358975 |work=Huffington Post |access-date=29 January 2020 }} Marris strongly denied there was any malicious intent and said that his assistant deleted the files because the document was created by his Parliamentary office and was not the property of the Labour Party. In an interview Marris clarified that it was him who removed the shared files, not his assistant.{{cite news |last=Marris|first=Rob|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/rebecca-long-bailey-rob-marris_uk_5e32b29bc5b69a19a4aa861c|title=Rebecca Long-Bailey's Claim About My Resignation Is Wrong. Here's What Happened|work=Huffington Post|access-date=20 January 2019|date=20 January 2019}}
Marris stood down at the 2017 general election, which Labour was expected to lose badly.{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |last2=Elgot |first2=Jessica |date=9 June 2017 |title=Corbyn defies doubters as Labour gains seats |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/09/jeremy-corbyn-labour-defies-doubters-gain-seats-election-2017 |work=The Guardian |access-date=29 January 2020 }} His successor, Eleanor Smith, held the seat for Labour with an increased majority of 2,185.{{cite news|title=Election 2017: Wolverhampton South West|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001051|work=BBC News|accessdate=9 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606131021/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001051|archive-date=6 June 2017|df=dmy-all}}
Personal life
In June 2008, Marris was cautioned after causing damage, which he said was unintentional, to a van which was impeding his access to a bus stop.{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/2076906/Labour-MP-Rob-Marris-cautioned-for-damaging-van.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609002850/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/2076906/Labour-MP-Rob-Marris-cautioned-for-damaging-van.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=9 June 2008 | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Labour MP Rob Marris cautioned for damaging van | first=Richard | last=Edwards | date=4 June 2008 | accessdate=22 May 2010}} He is Honorary President of the Wolves on Wheels Cycle Campaign.{{cite web|url=http://wolvesonwheels.org.uk/latest/101-nata-transport-appraisal-is-biased-against-cycling.html|title=NATA Transport Appraisal is biased against cycling|work=WolvesonWheels|accessdate=23 September 2015}}
After leaving Parliament, Marris was appointed Board Director for B E Wedge Holdings Ltd, the holding company for Wedge Group Galvanizing.{{cite press release |author= |title=WEDGE GROUP WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR TO THE BOARD |url=https://www.wedge-galv.co.uk/news/wedge-group-welcomes-new-director-to-the-board/ |date=October 2017 |access-date=2020-01-29}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.robmarris.net Official Rob Marris Website]
- {{UK MP links | parliament = rob-marris/1468 | hansardcurr = 1703 | hansard = mr-rob-marris | publicwhip = Rob_Marris | theywork = rob_marris}}
- [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/person/10987/rob-marris Guardian Unlimited Politics – Ask Aristotle: Rob Marris MP]
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Jenny Jones}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Wolverhampton South West|years=2001–2010}}
{{s-aft|after=Paul Uppal}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Paul Uppal}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Wolverhampton South West|years=2015–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=Eleanor Smith}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marris, Rob}}
Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:People educated at St Edward's School, Oxford