David Cairns (politician)
David Cairns | |
---|---|
Minister of State for Scotland[a] | |
In office 11 May 2005 – 16 September 2008 | |
Prime Minister | Tony Blair Gordon Brown |
Preceded by | Anne McGuire |
Succeeded by | Ann McKechin |
Member of Parliament for Inverclyde Greenock and Inverclyde (2001–2005) | |
In office 7 June 2001 – 9 May 2011 | |
Preceded by | Norman Godman |
Succeeded by | Iain McKenzie |
Personal details | |
Born | Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland | 7 August 1966
Died | 9 May 2011 London, England | (aged 44)
Nationality | British |
Political party | Labour |
Domestic partner | Dermot Kehoe |
Alma mater | Pontifical Gregorian University |
John David Cairns (7 August 1966 – 9 May 2011) was a Scottish politician who served as
Early life
Cairns was born and raised in
From 1991 to 1994 he served as a priest in
Parliamentary career
Cairns had ambitions to enter House of Commons but was barred due to the Removal of Clergy Disqualification Act 1801 and the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 which prevented present or former Catholic priests from being elected to Parliament. To rectify this, Siobhain McDonagh MP introduced the House of Commons Disqualification (Amendment) Bill in Parliament on 16 June 1999,[4] but the bill failed. The government subsequently introduced the House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Bill, which removed almost all restrictions on clergy of whatever denomination from sitting in the House of Commons. The only exception is the 26 Church of England (Anglican) bishops who sit as Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords, as a person may not sit in both Houses at once. The bill passed on 11 May 2001.[5]
Cairns had already been selected as the Labour candidate in his home town following the retirement of Norman Godman. He was elected as the Labour MP for Greenock and Inverclyde at the 2001 general election with a majority of 9,890, becoming the first person born in Greenock to represent it in Parliament. He made his maiden speech on 4 July 2001.[6]
Cairns was appointed as the
On 16 September 2008, Cairns resigned from the government during arguments in the Labour party over Gordon Brown's leadership,[9] saying that the time had come to "allow a leadership debate to run its course". He was the only minister to resign after rebel MPs began calling for a leadership contest.[10] The Guardian later called it "a principled decision by a principled politician".[11] In the 2010 general election, Cairns was returned as Member of Parliament for his constituency of Inverclyde with a majority of 14,416, which was an increase on his previous election.[12]
Personal life and death
Cairns was openly gay, and at the time of his death, was in a relationship with Dermot Kehoe.[13][11][14]
In March 2011, Cairns was hospitalised in London for acute pancreatitis,[15] and died at Royal Free Hospital on 9 May 2011, at the age of 44.[16]
See also
- James Godfrey MacManaway
- Roman Catholic Church in Scotland
Notes
- ^ Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (2005–07)
References
- ^ "David Cairns 1966–2011". Tom Harris. 10 May 2011. Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ^ "Account Suspended". www.franciscans.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
- ^ "David Cairns". The Herald Scotland. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Jun 1999 (pt 20)". publications.parliament.uk.
- ^ "House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001". www.legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 4 Jul 2001 (pt 17)". publications.parliament.uk.
- ^ "Profile: David Cairns". The Times. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Inverclyde MP David Cairns dies after illness". Jewish Chronicle. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ Porter, Andrew (16 September 2008). "Gordon Brown leadership crisis: Rebel MP David Cairns resigns". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008.
- ^ "Minister quits in Brown protest". BBC News. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
- ^ a b Wilson, Brian (10 May 2011). "David Cairns obituary". The Guardian.
- ^ "Election 2010 results for Inverclyde". BBC News.
- ^ "Politics Obituaries – David Cairns". The Telegraph. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ LGBT Labour Archived 29 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 26 March 2011
- ^ "MP David Cairns in hospital with acute pancreatitis". BBC News. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Labour MP David Cairns, 44, Dies in Hospital". Sky News. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
External links
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
- Profile: David Cairns, David Thompson, BBC News, 16 September 2008
- David Cairns on Using Social Media in Election 2010