Jimmy Hood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jimmy Hood
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| Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee | |
| In office 17 November 1998 – 18 October 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Committee established |
| Succeeded by | Michael Connarty |
| Member of Parliament for Lanark and Hamilton East Clydesdale (1987–2005) |
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| In office 11 June 1987 – 30 March 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Judith Hart |
| Succeeded by | Angela Crawley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 May 1948 Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Died | 3 December 2017 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Marion McCleary |
| Alma mater | University of Nottingham |
James Hood (born May 16, 1948 – died December 3, 2017) was a Scottish politician. He was a member of the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1987 until 2015.
He represented the Clydesdale area until 2005. After that, he represented the Lanark and Hamilton East area. Before becoming an MP, Hood was a trade union official for the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). He was involved in the miners' strike of 1984–85.
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Early Life and Work
James Hood was born in Lesmahagow, Scotland. He went to school in Lesmahagow and later studied at Coatbridge College, Motherwell Technical College, and the University of Nottingham.
He worked for the National Coal Board (NCB) for 23 years. He started as a mining engineer in 1964. That same year, he joined the NUM, a union for miners.
Hood worked in the Lanarkshire Coalfield. When it closed in 1968, he moved to Nottinghamshire. In 1973, he became a NUM trade union official. During the Miners' Strike of 1984–85, he led the striking miners in Nottinghamshire.
Before becoming an MP, he was also involved in local government. He was a member of Ollerton Parish Council from 1973 to 1987. In 1979, he was elected as a councillor for the Newark and Sherwood District Council. He served there until he was elected to Parliament.
Life as a Member of Parliament
James Hood was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1987 general election. He became the MP for Clydesdale. He took over from Judith Hart, another Labour MP who was retiring.
He won the election with a large number of votes. In 2005, the boundaries of his constituency changed. He then ran for and won the new seat of Lanark and Hamilton East. He continued to represent this area until 2015. In the 2015 election, he lost his seat to Angela Crawley from the Scottish National Party.
His Work in Parliament
In Parliament, James Hood joined a group called the Campaign group. This group often supported left-wing ideas. Early in his career, he refused to pay the poll tax, which was a controversial tax at the time.
In 1998, he spoke about how MPs' careers were controlled by party leaders. He suggested that unfair treatment happened in Parliament. He called for changes to make things fairer. Even though he was known for his strong left-wing views, he later became a supporter of Tony Blair's 'New Labour' government.
He voted against the first Gulf War. In 2003, he was one of many Labour MPs who voted against the invasion of Iraq.
He also served on important committees in Parliament. He was the Chairman of the European legislation select committee from 1992 to 2006. He was also a member of the Liaison Committee and the Defence Select Committee. From 1997, he was part of the Speaker's panel of Chairmen. This meant he could lead debates in the House of Commons.
In 2008, Hood supported the idea of a Team GB football team for the 2012 Olympic Games. He believed that young British football players should be able to play together on the world stage. However, football groups in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland were against this idea. They worried it would stop them from competing as separate nations in the future.
In 2014, Hood spoke against Scottish independence. He said that even if Scotland might be better off economically, he would still be against breaking away from the United Kingdom. He believed in staying united.
Parliamentary Expenses
During a time when MPs' expenses were being looked at closely, James Hood's claims were reported. He had claimed money for a second home in London. This was allowed at the time because his main home was far from Westminster. He said he fully supported making details of expenses public online. He also agreed that future claims would need receipts.
Personal Life
James Hood married Marion McCleary in 1967. They had a son and a daughter, and five grandchildren. He had a heart attack in 1998. James Hood passed away from a second heart attack on December 3, 2017, at the age of 69.
