368:
However, the press labelled her the "parliamentary virgin", as she was the last of the 242 new MPs to make their maiden speech in the
Commons. "Having endured through gritted teeth being dubbed a 'Blair's babe', I am grateful at least to have the opportunity to relinquish for ever the title of being
392:
within the permitted maximum, she was charged with her agent Des
Whicher with having fraudulently omitted to declare spending which would have taken her well over it. Although most of the charges collapsed and were withdrawn by the trial Judge, a dispute over whether the rent for a campaign office
401:
and she was sentenced to 100 hours' community service. Prominent members of the local Labour Party gave evidence against her, and much was made at the time of her rivals for the Labour Party candidacy. At the selection meeting of the Newark Branch Labour Party, the local candidate came in a poor
1093:
453:
restricted reporting of her routine activities after she unsuccessfully demanded that every report concerning her should be submitted for her approval before publication; the newspaper lifted the restriction during the campaign.
474:. The case was dismissed in December 2005, leaving her to bear costs of ÂŖ45,000. In an interview, she claimed that a government minister had asked her for sex in return for assisting her to secure promotion.
295:, gaining Gainsborough South West ward from the Liberal Democrats in 1990. She served a single term and did not seek re-election in 1994. She was unsuccessful as the Labour Parliamentary candidate in the
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300:
745:
216:
312:
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1103:
223:
overturned her conviction within weeks: the disqualification was revoked, and she resumed her place in the House of
Commons. However, she lost her seat in the
1113:
1143:
1083:
482:
Jones reportedly became reliant on alcohol after she was shunned by her colleagues when she returned to the House of
Commons in 1999 - only 34 signed an
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1013:
407:
212:
63:
1138:
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35:
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went on to win the Labour Party candidacy for the
Broxtowe constituency. As a result of the conviction, Jones was disqualified from the
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40:
759:
350:
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1004:
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864:
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650:
247:. An only child, her father, Fred Hamilton, was a production manager for a pharmaceutical company, and was a friend of Labour MP
1098:
486:
welcoming her back to the House of
Commons after her conviction was quashed. Her husband said that she refused to attend
923:
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held that the effect of the quashing of the conviction was that the disqualification was revoked with no need for a
425:
211:
in March 1999, and had the Labour whip withdrawn. She was the first MP to be disqualified from membership of the
724:
616:
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sympathies, much to the consternation of a number of local party activists who had supported her nomination.
502:
388:, the police launched an investigation into her spending at the 1997 election campaign. Although submitting
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279:; her future husband, Christopher Jones, was also a journalist, who worked for the BBC. The couple moved to
606:
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228:
521:
307:, finishing in third place, and then failed to secure the nomination to fight for the marginal seat of
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985:
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by her husband, reportedly surrounded by 15 empty vodka bottles. Her cause of death was reported as
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used also as party headquarters was left to the Jury. The two were convicted on 19 March 1999 of "
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714:
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449:
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483:
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914:
819:
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370:
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the last virgin in the House," she announced upon making the speech in
January 1998. A
208:
181:
75:
1052:
854:
640:
719:
611:
292:
280:
128:
1094:
Female members of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
429:
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248:
498:
362:
358:
331:
327:
283:. They were married in north Wales in 1982. They had two sons; Penri and Huw.
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322:. Although she presented herself at the selection meetings as a traditional
273:
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107:
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859:
789:
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374:
676:. Vol. 2. Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre. p. 241.
980:
750:
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124:
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fourth, and withdrew from the contest at that stage. The runner-up,
200:
16:
British journalist and Member of
Parliament for Newark (1997â2001)
357:. She was pictured alongside 96 other women Labour MPs in the "
227:. She later lost a civil case brought against the police for
691:. Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre. p. 129.
257:
when she was young, which inspired her to become an active
607:"Fiona Jones; Blair babe MP who fell victim to alcohol"
330:
professional. After her selection, she presented her
153:
145:
135:
114:
90:
85:
69:
57:
34:
23:
886:Authorities of the House of Commons v Fiona Jones
217:Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883
1079:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
318:In September 1995, she was selected to fight at
269:, and joined the Labour Party at the age of 17.
215:for that offence since it was introduced by the
746:"House of Commons Hansard; vol 304, col 1168"
8:
337:She was elected as Member of Parliament for
176:; 27 February 1957 â 28 January 2007) was a
687:Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (1994).
672:Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (1990).
1000:
986:contributions in Parliament by Fiona Jones
600:
598:
596:
594:
592:
417:quashed the convictions on 15 April 1999.
203:failing to declare the full amount of her
20:
715:"Drink, deception and the death of an MP"
439:, but lost to the Conservative candidate
903:
901:
641:"Brief career of 'parliamentary virgin'"
635:
633:
432:, and she resumed her seat on 29 April.
291:Jones was elected as a Labour member of
708:
706:
704:
702:
700:
698:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
513:
381:at a Labour conference fringe meeting.
1109:21st-century British women politicians
1104:20th-century British women politicians
779:
777:
490:meetings in case she was recognised.
466:, Jones brought a civil case against
399:Representation of the People Act 1983
192:in Labour's landslide victory in the
7:
908:McDougall, Linda (9 February 2007).
843:Court of Appeal of England and Wales
824:Court of Appeal of England and Wales
713:Barkham, Patrick (6 February 2007).
254:The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
1114:Alumni of the University of Lincoln
946:"Ex-Labour MP died 'from drinking'"
890:[1999] EWHC 377 (Admin)
493:She was found dead at her home in
353:, who had held the seat since the
14:
1144:Alcohol-related deaths in England
1084:People from West Lindsey District
835:R v. Fiona Jones, Desmond Whicher
785:"Ex-Labour MP found dead at home"
758:. 22 January 1998. Archived from
53:1 May 1997 â 14 May 2001
1005:Parliament of the United Kingdom
956:British Broadcasting Corporation
865:British Broadcasting Corporation
795:British Broadcasting Corporation
756:Parliament of the United Kingdom
651:British Broadcasting Corporation
605:Roth, Andrew (6 February 2007).
361:" photograph, and seen next to
910:"The Babe who fell from grace"
443:. In the 12 months before the
435:She contested her seat in the
397:", under section 82(6) of the
1:
839:[1999] EWCA Crim 1094
689:Local Elections Handbook 1994
674:Local Elections Handbook 1990
293:West Lindsey District Council
1139:Women councillors in England
820:[1999] EWCA Crim 974
311:and the safe Labour seat of
251:. Heffer gave her a copy of
95:Fiona Elizabeth Ann Hamilton
1134:21st-century English people
1124:20th-century English people
1069:Councillors in Lincolnshire
447:, the local newspaper, The
373:, Jones campaigned against
301:Gainsborough and Horncastle
1160:
1129:21st-century English women
1119:20th-century English women
1089:Politicians from Liverpool
855:"Jones returns to Commons"
462:After studying law at the
1037:
1018:
1010:
1003:
991:The "Fiona Jones archive"
725:Guardian News & Media
617:Guardian News & Media
326:, she was nevertheless a
170:Fiona Elizabeth Ann Jones
163:
81:
46:
30:
384:After complaints by the
377:, and she appeared with
1074:English Roman Catholics
565:"Fiona Jones; Obituary"
522:"Fiona Jones; Obituary"
503:alcoholic liver disease
184:. She was elected as a
892: (30 April 1999),
841: (22 April 1999),
822: (15 April 1999),
468:Nottinghamshire Police
426:Queen's Bench Division
920:Telegraph Media Group
894:High Court of Justice
532:Telegraph Media Group
472:malicious prosecution
464:University of Lincoln
445:2001 general election
437:2001 general election
355:1979 general election
343:1997 general election
305:1992 general election
263:Wirral College of Art
229:malicious prosecution
225:2001 general election
199:Jones was accused of
194:1997 general election
1021:Member of Parliament
816:R v Jones & Anor
488:Alcoholics Anonymous
186:Member of Parliament
36:Member of Parliament
762:on 11 December 2007
313:Liverpool Riverside
239:Jones was born in
180:politician in the
1047:
1046:
1038:Succeeded by
1014:Richard Alexander
995:Newark Advertiser
958:. 5 February 2007
797:. 2 February 2007
577:. 5 February 2007
534:. 8 February 2007
450:Newark Advertiser
395:corrupt practices
390:election expenses
386:Liberal Democrats
351:Richard Alexander
167:
166:
149:Christopher Jones
64:Richard Alexander
1151:
1099:UK MPs 1997â2001
1011:Preceded by
1001:
968:
967:
965:
963:
942:
936:
935:
933:
931:
926:on 22 April 2013
922:. Archived from
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587:
586:
584:
582:
575:Times Newspapers
561:
544:
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541:
539:
518:
484:early day motion
422:divisional court
408:House of Commons
287:Political career
219:. However, the
213:House of Commons
131:, United Kingdom
121:
110:, United Kingdom
105:27 February 1957
104:
102:
86:Personal details
72:
60:
51:
21:
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915:Telegraph.co.uk
907:
906:
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884:
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867:. 29 April 1999
853:
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696:
686:
685:
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666:
656:
654:
653:. 19 March 1999
639:
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578:
563:
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547:
537:
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527:Telegraph.co.uk
520:
519:
515:
511:
480:
460:
415:Court of Appeal
339:Newark-on-Trent
289:
267:Preston College
261:. She attended
243:and grew up in
237:
221:Court of Appeal
207:, convicted of
136:Political party
123:
119:
118:28 January 2007
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1041:Patrick Mercer
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975:
974:External links
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441:Patrick Mercer
371:Roman Catholic
299:stronghold of
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209:election fraud
205:election costs
182:United Kingdom
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122:(aged 49)
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76:Patrick Mercer
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413:However, the
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379:Lord Longford
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272:She became a
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62:
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45:
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37:
33:
29:
22:
19:
1019:
994:
979:
960:. Retrieved
949:
940:
928:. Retrieved
924:the original
913:
885:
881:
869:. Retrieved
858:
849:
834:
830:
815:
811:
799:. Retrieved
788:
764:. Retrieved
760:the original
749:
740:
728:. Retrieved
720:The Guardian
718:
688:
682:
673:
667:
655:. Retrieved
644:
620:. Retrieved
612:The Guardian
610:
579:. Retrieved
568:
536:. Retrieved
525:
516:
492:
481:
461:
448:
434:
419:
412:
383:
367:
347:Conservative
336:
317:
297:Conservative
290:
281:Lincolnshire
271:
252:
238:
201:fraudulently
198:
178:Labour Party
173:
169:
168:
129:Lincolnshire
120:(2007-01-28)
71:Succeeded by
48:
18:
1064:2007 deaths
1059:1957 births
984:1803â2005:
430:by-election
404:Nick Palmer
359:Blair babes
249:Eric Heffer
59:Preceded by
25:Fiona Jones
1053:Categories
962:1 November
930:1 November
871:1 November
801:1 November
766:1 November
730:1 November
657:1 November
622:1 November
581:1 November
573:. London:
538:1 November
509:References
499:alcoholism
458:Later life
363:Tony Blair
345:, ousting
332:New Labour
328:New Labour
277:journalist
245:Fazakerley
235:Early life
158:Journalist
154:Occupation
101:1957-02-27
570:The Times
365:himself.
324:socialist
274:freelance
259:socialist
241:Liverpool
188:(MP) for
108:Liverpool
49:In office
951:BBC News
860:BBC News
790:BBC News
646:BBC News
375:abortion
174:Hamilton
993:in the
981:Hansard
751:Hansard
495:Saxilby
424:of the
341:in the
309:Lincoln
303:in the
125:Saxilby
1025:Newark
320:Newark
190:Newark
146:Spouse
140:Labour
41:Newark
888:
837:
818:
478:Death
172:(nÊe
1034:2001
1030:1997
1023:for
964:2008
932:2008
873:2008
803:2008
768:2008
732:2008
659:2008
624:2008
583:2008
540:2008
470:for
265:and
115:Died
91:Born
39:for
501:or
349:MP
1055::
954:.
948:.
918:.
912:.
900:^
863:.
857:.
793:.
787:.
776:^
754:.
748:.
723:.
717:.
697:^
649:.
643:.
632:^
615:.
609:.
591:^
567:.
548:^
530:.
524:.
505:.
420:A
410:.
315:.
231:.
196:.
127:,
1032:â
997:.
966:.
934:.
875:.
805:.
770:.
734:.
661:.
626:.
585:.
542:.
103:)
99:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.