Shadow Cabinet posts

Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office 20 October 1994 – 2 May 1997
Leader	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Jack Cunningham
Succeeded by	John Major
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office 18 July 1992 – 20 October 1994
Leader	John Smith Margaret Beckett
Preceded by	Gordon Brown
Succeeded by	Jack Cunningham
Shadow Secretary of State for Health
In office 2 November 1989 – 18 July 1992
Leader	Neil Kinnock
Preceded by	Michael Meacher
Succeeded by	David Blunkett

Parliamentary offices

Member of Parliament for Livingston
In office 9 June 1983 – 6 August 2005
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Jim Devine
Member of Parliament for Edinburgh Central
In office 28 February 1974 – 9 June 1983
Preceded by	Tom Oswald
Succeeded by	Alexander Fletcher

Personal details

Born

Robert Finlayson Cook

28 February 1946
Bellshill, Scotland

Died

6 August 2005 (aged 59)
Inverness, Scotland

Resting place

Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland

Political party

Labour

Spouses

Margaret Whitmore

(m. 1969; div. 1998)
Gaynor Regan

(m. 1998)

Children

Alma mater

University of Edinburgh

Signature

Robert Finlayson "Robin" Cook (born 28 February 1946, died 6 August 2005) was an important British politician. He was a member of the Labour Party. Robin Cook served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for many years. He was an MP from 1974 until he passed away in 2005.

He held several major jobs in the government. From 1997 to 2001, he was the Foreign Secretary. This role involves managing the UK's relationships with other countries. After that, he became the Leader of the House of Commons from 2001 to 2003.

Robin Cook studied at the University of Edinburgh. He was known for being a very good debater in Parliament. He quickly moved up in politics. As Foreign Secretary, he helped guide Britain's actions in places like Kosovo and Sierra Leone.

He famously resigned from his government jobs in 2003. This was to protest against the invasion of Iraq. He believed Britain should not go to war without international agreement.

Early Life and Education
Early Years in Parliament
Rising in Opposition
In Government Roles
- Foreign Secretary (1997-2001)
- Leader of the House of Commons (2001-2003)
Resignation Over the Iraq War
After Leaving Government
Personal Life
Death and Legacy
See also

Early Life and Education

Robin Cook was born in Bellshill, Scotland. He was the only son of Peter and Christina Cook. His father was a chemistry teacher. Robin Cook went to school at Aberdeen Grammar School and the Royal High School, Edinburgh.

At first, he thought about becoming a church minister. But he became more interested in politics. He joined the Labour Party in 1965. He later became an atheist.

He studied English literature at the University of Edinburgh. He earned a degree in English Literature. After university, he worked as a teacher for a short time. In 1971, he became a tutor and a local councillor in Edinburgh. He stopped these jobs when he became an MP in 1974.

Early Years in Parliament

Robin Cook first tried to become an MP in 1970, but he didn't win. He was successfully elected to the House of Commons in February 1974. He represented the Edinburgh Central area.

In 1983, the areas MPs represented changed. He then became the MP for the new Livingston area. He continued to represent Livingston until his death.

In Parliament, Cook was part of a group called the Tribune Group. He often disagreed with the government's policies at the time. He supported changes to how elections worked. He also wanted more women to become MPs. He believed in getting rid of nuclear weapons. He also changed his mind about Europe, becoming more supportive of European cooperation.

Rising in Opposition

Robin Cook became known for his excellent debating skills. He quickly moved up in the Labour Party. In 1980, he became a spokesman for the party. By 1983, he joined the Shadow Cabinet. This is a group of senior politicians from the main opposition party who "shadow" government ministers.

He held several important roles in the Shadow Cabinet. He was the Shadow Health Secretary from 1987 to 1992. Then he was the Shadow Trade Secretary from 1992 to 1994. In 1994, he became the Shadow Foreign Secretary. This was the job he became most famous for.

In 1996, a report called the Scott Report was published. It was about arms being sold to Iraq. Robin Cook gave a powerful speech about it in Parliament. Many people praised his performance. He was seen as one of the best debaters in the House of Commons.

He also helped create important changes to the British constitution. He worked with another politician, Robert Maclennan. Their agreement led to major reforms. These included giving more power to Scotland and Wales (called devolution). It also led to the Human Rights Act. This law protects people's basic rights. They also worked to remove most of the inherited members from the House of Lords.

In Government Roles

Foreign Secretary (1997-2001)

When the Labour Party won the election in 1997, Tony Blair became Prime Minister. Robin Cook was given the job of Foreign Secretary. This is one of the most important jobs in the government. He said he wanted to add an "ethical dimension" to foreign policy. This meant he wanted Britain's foreign policy to be based on strong moral values.

During his time as Foreign Secretary, Britain took action in Kosovo and Sierra Leone. These actions were sometimes debated. He also helped to resolve a long-standing issue with Iran. This agreement ended a death threat against the author Salman Rushdie. He also helped get two people accused of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial to stand trial in the Netherlands.

Leader of the House of Commons (2001-2003)

After the 2001 election, Robin Cook was moved to a new role. He became the Leader of the House of Commons. This job involves managing the daily business of Parliament. It was seen as a less powerful job than Foreign Secretary. But he accepted it and worked to improve how the Commons operated.

He was in charge of changing the working hours and rules of the Commons. He also led discussions about reforming the House of Lords. He wanted the House of Lords to be more democratic.

In 2003, during a TV show, the host accidentally called him "Robin Cock." Robin Cook responded with humor, which showed his good nature.

Resignation Over the Iraq War

In early 2003, Robin Cook was one of the main government members who disagreed with going to war in Iraq. He believed that military action should not happen without international agreement. He also felt there wasn't enough support for it in Britain.

On 17 March 2003, he resigned from the government. He gave a powerful speech in the House of Commons. He explained why he could not support the war. His speech received a standing ovation from many MPs. This was very unusual for the British Parliament.

After Leaving Government

After resigning, Robin Cook remained an active Member of Parliament. He continued to speak out about the decision to go to war in Iraq. He also supported the idea of a more democratic House of Lords. He believed that the second chamber of Parliament should be elected by the people.

In 2004, he hosted an episode of the BBC show Have I Got News for You. He also became friends with Gordon Brown, another important Labour politician. They focused on their shared political ideas. Robin Cook worked hard to encourage people to vote for the Labour Party in the 2005 election.

Personal Life

Robin Cook married Margaret Katherine Whitmore in 1969. They had two sons together. Later, in 1997, he announced he was leaving his first wife. In 1998, he married Gaynor Regan, who worked for him.

He enjoyed horse racing. For several years, he wrote a weekly column about horse racing tips for a newspaper.

Death and Legacy

In August 2005, Robin Cook was on holiday in the Scottish Highlands. On 6 August 2005, he suffered a severe heart attack while walking down Ben Stack. He collapsed and passed away shortly after. He was 59 years old.

His funeral was held in Edinburgh. Gordon Brown gave a speech in his honor. A memorial service was also held later in London.

In 2007, a headstone was placed on his grave. It has a famous quote on it: "I may not have succeeded in halting the war, but I did secure the right of parliament to decide on war." This refers to his strong opposition to the Iraq War. It shows his belief in Parliament's power to make big decisions like going to war.

Robin Cook facts for kids

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