Dennis Skinner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dennis Skinner
Skinner in 2011
Honorary President of the Socialist Campaign Group
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2020
Preceded by	Office established
Member of Parliament for Bolsover
In office 18 June 1970 – 6 November 2019
Preceded by	Harold Neal
Succeeded by	Mark Fletcher
Chair of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party
In office 7 October 1988 – 6 October 1989
Leader	Neil Kinnock
Preceded by	Neil Kinnock
Succeeded by	Jo Richardson
President of the Derbyshire Area of the National Union of Mineworkers
In office June 1966 – 25 June 1970
Preceded by	Herbert Parkin
Succeeded by	Raymond Ellis (1972)
Alderman on Clay Cross Urban District Council
In office 1962–1970
Personal details
Born	Dennis Edward Skinner (1932-02-11) 11 February 1932 (age 93) Clay Cross, Derbyshire, England
Political party	Labour
Other political affiliations	Socialist Campaign Group (1982–present)
Spouse	Mary Parker ​ ​ (m. 1960; separated 1989)​
Domestic partner	Lois Blasenheim
Children	3
Alma mater	Ruskin College
Profession	Miner, politician
Signature
Nickname	Beast of Bolsover

Dennis Edward Skinner (born 11 February 1932) is a former British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Bolsover for 49 years, from 1970 to 2019. An MP is a person elected to represent their local area in the House of Commons.

Skinner was a member of the Labour Party and was known for his strong left-wing views. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a coal miner for over 20 years.

He earned the nickname the "Beast of Bolsover" for his tough and direct way of speaking in Parliament. He was one of the longest-serving MPs in British history. Skinner was also a lifelong Eurosceptic, meaning he was critical of the European Union. He voted for the UK to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.

Early Life and Career

Dennis Skinner was born in Clay Cross, Derbyshire, England. He was the third of nine children. His father, Edward, was a coal miner, and his mother, Lucy, was a cleaner. At age 10, Skinner won a scholarship to a grammar school.

In 1949, he started working as a coal miner, just like his father. He worked in different mines for over 20 years. In 1966, he became the youngest-ever president of the Derbyshire branch of the National Union of Mineworkers, a group that represents miners.

In the 1960s, he also became involved in local government as a councillor in Clay Cross. He famously refused to wear the traditional fancy clothes and gold chain that came with the job. He said he believed all the "pomp and ceremony" was outdated and a waste of time.

A Long Career in Parliament

Skinner in 1992

Skinner joined the Labour Party in 1956. In 1970, he was elected as the MP for Bolsover, an area with a large mining community. He held this seat for nearly 50 years. He lost his seat in the 2019 general election to Mark Fletcher of the Conservative Party.

The "Beast of Bolsover"

Skinner got his nickname because of his aggressive and passionate speaking style. He once said he earned the name after a debate about a former Prime Minister. While other politicians were praising the man, Skinner stood up and spoke about the dangers and poor conditions faced by miners.

For most of his time in Parliament, Skinner had a special seat he always sat in. It was on the front bench, in a spot known for MPs who often disagree with their own party leaders. He usually wore a tweed jacket and a red tie, while most other MPs wore suits.

Key Moments in Parliament

• Exposing a Spy: In 1979, Skinner helped to publicly reveal that a man named Anthony Blunt had been a spy for the Soviet Union.
• Blocking Bills: On two occasions, he used parliamentary rules to stop bills he disagreed with. One was about medical research, and he later said this was his proudest political moment.
• Voting His Conscience: In 2003, he was one of many Labour MPs who voted against the Iraq War, even though his party's government supported it. He also voted against renewing the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system.
• The "Dinosaur" Jibe: In 2012, Prime Minister David Cameron called Skinner a "dinosaur." Cameron's comment was criticised by other MPs as being rude and ageist.

End of an Era

After the 2015 election, Skinner became one of the longest-serving MPs. He was also the oldest MP from 2017 until he lost his seat in 2019.

When he was first elected, Bolsover was a very safe seat for the Labour Party because of its large mining community. Over the decades, the area changed. In the 2019 election, he lost the seat to the Conservatives after his share of the vote had fallen over many years.

Political Views

Skinner in 2011

Skinner was a strong supporter of the miners' union and its leader, Arthur Scargill, during the big miners' strike of 1984–85. During the strike, he donated his own salary to the miners' cause.

He consistently voted in favour of equal rights for all people. He also supported Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership in 2015.

Skinner has always been a "Eurosceptic," which means he has been critical of the UK's membership in the European Union. He voted for Brexit in the 2016 referendum. He also believes the House of Lords, the second chamber of the UK Parliament, should be abolished.

Suspensions from Parliament

Skinner was known for his fiery language and was suspended from Parliament at least 10 times. Being suspended means an MP is ordered to leave the chamber for the rest of the day.

Some notable suspensions include:

• In 1984, for calling another politician "pompous" and refusing to take back the word.
• In 1995, for accusing the government of a "crooked deal" when it sold Britain's coal mines.
• In 2016, for calling Prime Minister David Cameron "Dodgy Dave" during a debate about the Panama Papers. When the Speaker asked him to withdraw the word "dodgy," Skinner refused and was suspended. The nickname "Dodgy Dave" became popular in the media.

Jokes at the Queen's Speech

Skinner (left) at the 2016 Labour Party Conference with John Prescott

Skinner was famous for making a witty comment each year during the State Opening of Parliament. This is a formal ceremony where the Queen gives a speech. Just as an official called Black Rod arrives to summon the MPs, Skinner would shout out a joke.

Here are some of his most famous quips:

Life After Parliament

After losing his seat in 2019, Skinner has remained involved in politics. In 2020, he was named the honorary president of the Socialist Campaign Group, a group of left-wing Labour MPs.

Personal Life

Skinner signing a copy of his book in October 2014

Skinner married Mary Parker in 1960 and they had three children. They separated in 1989. His partner since the 1990s has been Lois Blasenheim.

In 2014, he published his life story, called Sailing Close to the Wind: Reminiscences. He has said that he has never sent an email and does not use social media.

Skinner has had some health problems, including cancer in 1999 and a heart bypass operation in 2003. He had hip surgery in 2019, which meant he was too ill to campaign in the election that he lost.

His mother had Alzheimer's disease, and he found that singing old songs to her helped her remember them. Since 2008, he has visited care homes to sing to elderly patients with dementia. He is a fan of Derby County Football Club.

Images for kids

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  Skinner in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Dennis Skinner para niños