Margaret Hodge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Baroness Hodge of Barking DBE PC
Official portrait, 2020
Chair of the Public Accounts Committee
In office 10 June 2010 – 30 March 2015
Preceded by	Edward Leigh
Succeeded by	Meg Hillier
Minister of State for Culture and Tourism
In office 22 September 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	Barbara Follett
Succeeded by	John Penrose
In office 27 June 2007 – 3 October 2008
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	David Lammy
Succeeded by	Barbara Follett
Minister of State for Industry and the Regions
In office 5 May 2006 – 27 June 2007
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Alun Michael
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Minister of State for Work
In office 9 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Jane Kennedy
Succeeded by	Jim Murphy
Minister of State for Children
In office 13 June 2003 – 9 May 2005
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Maria Eagle
Minister of State for Universities
In office 11 June 2001 – 13 June 2003
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Tessa Jowell
Succeeded by	Alan Johnson
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People
In office 29 July 1998 – 11 June 2001
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Paul Boateng
Succeeded by	Maria Eagle
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 August 2024 Life peerage
Member of Parliament for Barking
In office 9 June 1994 – 30 May 2024
Preceded by	Jo Richardson
Succeeded by	Nesil Caliskan
Personal details
Born	Margaret Eve Oppenheimer (1944-09-08) 8 September 1944 (age 80) Alexandria, Egypt
Political party	Labour
Spouses	Andrew Watson ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1978)​ Henry Hodge ​ ​ (m. 1978; died 2009)​
Children	4
Education	London School of Economics (BA) Bedford College, London

Margaret Eve Hodge, Baroness Hodge of Barking (born 8 September 1944) is a British politician. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Barking from 1994 to 2024. An MP is a person elected to represent people in the House of Commons. She is a member of the Labour Party. Before becoming an MP, she led the Islington London Borough Council from 1982 to 1992. She has also held many important government jobs. From 2010 to 2015, she was the head of the Public Accounts Committee. After leaving the House of Commons, she became a life peer in the House of Lords. This means she was given a special title and a seat in the House of Lords for life.

Early Life and Education

Margaret Hodge was born on 8 September 1944 in Cairo, Egypt. Her parents, Hans and Lisbeth Oppenheimer, were Jewish refugees. They had left Germany and Austria in the 1930s. Her father joined his uncle's metal business in Egypt.

In 1948, her family moved to Orpington, England. They started a steel-trading company called Stemcor. This company grew to become one of the world's largest private steel companies. Margaret Hodge is a major shareholder in this family business.

When she was ten, her mother passed away. Margaret went to Bromley High School and Oxford High School. She later studied Economics at the London School of Economics. She also started a Masters degree at Bedford College, London. In her youth, she supported the CND and protested against the Vietnam War.

Early Career in Public Service

Before becoming a politician, Margaret Hodge worked in different fields. From 1966 to 1971, she worked in market research and public relations. Later, from 1992 to 1994, she was a senior consultant at Price Waterhouse.

Leading Islington Council

Margaret Hodge began her political career in local government. She was first elected as a councillor for the London Borough of Islington in 1973. A councillor is someone elected to represent a local area. She became the head of the Housing Committee in 1975. This was an important role because Islington had many housing challenges.

In 1982, the Labour Party won most of the council seats. Margaret Hodge became the Council Leader. She held this position for ten years until 1992. As leader, she faced challenges like government spending limits. She worked to improve housing and local services for the people of Islington.

Parliamentary Career as an MP

Margaret Hodge became an MP for Barking in 1994. She won a special election held after the previous MP passed away. She served as an MP for Barking for 30 years. In 2021, she announced she would not stand for re-election. She stepped down as an MP in June 2024.

Key Government Roles

Margaret Hodge held several important jobs in the government.

• In 1998, she became a Junior Minister for Disabled People. This role focused on helping people with disabilities.
• In 2001, she became the Minister for Universities. She helped guide new laws about higher education.
• In 2003, she became the first ever Children's Minister. This meant she was in charge of policies for children, including education and welfare.
• In 2005, she became the Minister of State for Work. She worked on issues related to jobs and employment.
• From 2007 to 2008, and again from 2009 to 2010, she was the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism. In this role, she looked after areas like arts, sports, and tourism.

Addressing Local Concerns in Barking

As an MP for Barking, Margaret Hodge focused on local issues. She often spoke about the concerns of families in her area. She believed that local people's needs should be heard. She worked to address issues like housing and job opportunities.

In 2006, she spoke about the challenges faced by some residents in Barking. She wanted to make sure their concerns were understood. She worked hard to represent her constituents and improve their lives.

In 2009, the leader of the British National Party (BNP) decided to run against her in Barking. However, Margaret Hodge was re-elected as the MP. She even increased her majority. The BNP lost all their local council seats in Barking in 2010.

Leading the Public Accounts Committee

In 2010, Margaret Hodge was chosen to lead the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). This committee checks how the government spends public money. It makes sure that taxpayers' money is used wisely.

As chair, she was known for asking tough questions. She wanted to make sure government departments were responsible. She held officials accountable for their spending decisions. She stepped down from this role in 2015. She later wrote a book about her experiences called Called to Account.

Reviewing the Garden Bridge Project

In 2016, the Mayor of London asked Margaret Hodge to review the Garden Bridge project. This project was about building a new bridge in London. Her job was to check if the project was good value for money. She also looked at how transparent the decisions were.

Her report, published in 2017, suggested that the project should be cancelled. She found that decisions were not always made with taxpayers' money in mind. She also noted that the process for choosing companies was not always fair.

Views and Other Activities

Margaret Hodge has strong views on how society should work. She believes that the government can play a good role in people's lives. She also supported Liz Kendall and Owen Smith in past Labour Party leadership elections.

In 2019, local Labour members in Barking voted to hold a selection process for their next MP. Margaret Hodge was reselected to be the candidate.

Joining the House of Lords

After leaving the House of Commons, Margaret Hodge was given a special honour. In August 2024, she became a life peer. This means she was given the title of Baroness Hodge of Barking. She now sits in the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament.

Personal Life

Margaret Hodge describes herself as a secular Jew. She was married to Andrew Watson from 1968 to 1978. They had a son and a daughter. In 1978, she married Henry Hodge, who later became a High Court Judge. They had two more daughters. Henry Hodge passed away in 2009.

Honours and Awards

Margaret Hodge has received several honours for her public service.

• In 1978, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
• In 2015, she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This is a very high honour.