The Rt Hon Mo Mowlam
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office 3 May 1997 – 11 October 1999
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Sir Patrick Mayhew
Succeeded by	Peter Mandelson
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 11 October 1999 – 7 June 2001
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Jack Cunningham
Succeeded by	The Lord Macdonald of Tradeston
Member of Parliament for Redcar
In office 11 June 1987 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	James Tinn
Succeeded by	Vera Baird
Born	18 September 1949 Watford, Hertfordshire, England
Died	19 August 2005 (aged 55) Canterbury, Kent, England
Political party	Labour

Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam (18 September 1949 – 19 August 2005) was a British politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Labour Member of Parliament. Image File history File links This work is copyrighted. ... The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is the British cabinet minister who has responsibility for the government of Northern Ireland. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Right Honourable Patrick Mayhew, Baron Mayhew of Twysden, PC, is a British barrister, and politician for the Conservative Party. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a sinecure office in the British government. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Right Honourable John Anderson Jack Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling, PC, DL (born 4 August 1939) is a British Labour politician and was Member of Parliament for Copeland until 2005. ... Angus John Gus Macdonald, Baron Macdonald of Tradeston, CBE, PC (born August 20, 1940), is a British Labour politician. ... Redcar is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... James Tinn was the British Labour member of Parliament for Cleveland from 1964 to 1974 and for Redcar from its creation in 1974 to his retirement in 1987. ... Vera Baird (born February 13, 1951) is the British member of Parliament for Redcar, and a Queens Counsel. ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Watford is a town and district in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, situated 34 km (21 miles) northwest of London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. ... For the similarly named county in the West Midlands region, see Herefordshire. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is the British cabinet minister who has responsibility for the government of Northern Ireland. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ...

Her time as Northern Ireland Secretary saw the signing of the historic Good Friday Peace Agreement in 1998. Her personal charisma, reputation for plain speaking and successful fight against a brain tumour led her to be perceived by many as one of the most popular 'New' Labour politicians in the UK; a fact reflected in the standing ovation she received when Tony Blair mentioned her name in his speech at the 1998 Labour Party Conference. However she also attracted criticism for her abrasive style, and Unionists believed that her bias to Republicans hindered the peace process. The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement and, more rarely, as the Stormont Agreement) was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process. ... A brain tumor is any intracranial tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, normally either in the brain itself (neurons, glial cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells), lymphatic tissue, blood vessels), in the cranial nerves (myelin-producing Schwann cells), in the brain envelopes (meninges), skull, pituitary and pineal gland, or... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Labour Party Conference, or annual national conference of the Labour Party, is formally the supreme decision-making body of the Party. ...

Life and work

She was born in Watford, England, the daughter of an alcoholic father, but grew up in Coventry, where her father rose to become Coventry's assistant postmaster, and she would later be awarded the Freedom of the City in 1999. She was the only one of the family's three children to pass the 11-plus exam, and started at Chiswick Girls' grammar school in West London, before attending Coundon Court comprehensive school in Coventry. She then studied at Trevelyan College, Durham, reading sociology and anthropology, joining the Labour Party in her first year. She worked for then Labour MP Tony Benn in London and American writer Alvin Toffler in New York, before deciding to do a PhD in political science at the University of Iowa. Watford is a town and district in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, situated 34 km (21 miles) northwest of London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... For other places with the same name, see Coventry (disambiguation). ... Freedom of the City is an award made by some municipalities in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, the United States and Italy to esteemed members of its community; such people may then be termed Freemen or Freewomen of the City. ... The Eleven Plus is an examination given to students aged 11 since about 1944 in some parts of the United Kingdom to select whether they go to a grammar school or to a secondary modern. ... Chiswick (IPA pronunciation: ) is a district of West London, covering the eastern part of the London Borough of Hounslow. ... A Comprehensive school is a type of school providing secondary level education in England or Wales. ... Trevelyan College, Durham Trevelyan College, affectionately known as Trevs, is a college of the University of Durham in northern England. ... Durham University is a university in England. ... Sociology (from Latin: socius, companion; and the suffix -ology, the study of, from Greek λόγος, lógos, knowledge) is an academic and applied discipline that studies society and human social interaction. ... Anthropology (from Greek: ἀνθρωπος, anthropos, human being; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study of humanity. ... Anthony Tony Neil Wedgwood Benn (born 3 April 1925), formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate, is a British socialist politician. ... Alvin Toffler Alvin Toffler (born October 3, 1928) is an American writer and futurist, known for his works discussing the digital revolution, communications revolution, corporate revolution and technological singularity. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Political Science is the field concerning the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behaviour. ... The University of Iowa, also commonly called Iowa or U of I, is a major national research university located on a 1,900-acre campus in Iowa City, Iowa, USA, on the banks of the Iowa River in East Central Iowa. ...

She was a lecturer in the Political Science Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1975-77, and at Florida State University, before returning to England in 1979 to teach at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (also known as UW-Milwaukee, UWM or Milwaukee) is a public research university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ... Florida State University (commonly referred to as Florida State or FSU)[6] is a public research university located in Tallahassee. ... Newcastle University is a British university located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. ...

In 1981 she organised a series of alternative lectures — in parallel to the Reith lectures — which were published as Debate On Disarmament, jointly edited by Mowlam, with all proceeds from the book going to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. A Reith Lecture is a lecture in a series of annual radio lectures given by leading figures of the day, and broadcast by the BBC. They were begun in 1948, in honour of the first Director-General of the BBC, John Reith. ... Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament logo In British politics, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has been at the forefront of the peace movement in the United Kingdom and claims to be Europes largest single-issue peace campaign. ...

She called herself a "devout atheist". For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ...

A Mo Mowlam Memorial was held at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 20 November 2005, and another in Redcar on 3 December. is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 337th day of the year (338th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Political career

Having failed to win selection in the previous election (1983), she was selected as Labour candidate for the safe seat of Redcar after James Tinn stood down. She then took the seat in the 1987 general election. She became opposition spokesperson on Northern Ireland in that year. Together with Labour leader John Smith, Mowlam was one of the architects of Labour's "Prawn Cocktail Offensive", dedicated to reassuring the UK's financial sector about Labour's financial rectitude.^[1] Subsequently, she held a variety of posts and was made Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in 1994 by Tony Blair. She initially resisted being appointed to the position, preferring a domestic economic portfolio, but after accepting it, threw her weight into the job. The UK general election, 1983 was held on June 9, 1983 and gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... Redcar is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... James Tinn was the British Labour member of Parliament for Cleveland from 1964 to 1974 and for Redcar from its creation in 1974 to his retirement in 1987. ... Margaret Thatcher David Steel Election 1987 Titles The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987 and was the third consecutive victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... John Smith QC (September 13, 1938 – May 12, 1994) was a British politician who served as leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden and unexpected death from a heart attack on 12 May 1994. ... The Prawn Cocktail Offensive was the scornful name given to the British Labour Partys successful attempt (while in opposition in the 1990s) to win trust and backing from the United Kingdoms financial sector. ... The Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and his department, the Northern Ireland Office. ...

She had been a principal organiser, alongside Peter Kilfoyle, of Blair's campaign for the Labour leadership following the death of John Smith. As a member of Smith's shadow cabinet (Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage) she had earlier courted controversy by calling for Buckingham Palace to be demolished (so antagonising monarchists) and replaced by a 'modern' palace built at public expense (so antagonising republicans). Later her willingness to speak her mind — often without regard to the consequences — was seen as her greatest strength by her supporters and her greatest weakness by critics. Peter Kilfoyle (born on June 9, 1946 in Liverpool) is a UK politician. ... John Smith QC (September 13, 1938 – May 12, 1994) was a British politician who served as leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden and unexpected death from a heart attack on 12 May 1994. ... The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Opposition Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster System of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of other smaller opposition parties) form an alternative cabinet to the governments, whose... The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is a UK cabinet position with responsibility for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. ... Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. ...

After the 1997 general election she was made Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the first and currently the only woman to have held the post. She was successful in helping to restore an IRA ceasefire, and including Sinn Féin in the multi-party talks. She also paid an unprecedented - and potentially dangerous - visit to loyalist prisoners in the Maze prison in an attempt to get the loyalists to sign up to the peace process, meeting convicted murderers face-to-face, and unaccompanied. She received criticism for claiming that the terrorist murderers Johnny Adair and Michael Stone were "unsung heroes of the peace process."^[2] The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is the British cabinet minister who has responsibility for the government of Northern Ireland. ... This article is about the historical army of the Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919–21, and the Irish Civil War 1922–23. ... For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... The personnel gate to the main guard office. ... Johnny Adair (b. ... Michael Stone (born 2 April 1955 in Belfast) is a loyalist paramilitary from the Braniel estate in east Belfast, Northern Ireland. ...

She saw through Good Friday Agreement signed in 1998, which led to the temporary establishment of a devolved power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly. However, an increasingly difficult relationship with Unionist parties meant her role in the talks had been increasingly taken over by Tony Blair and his staff, prompting Mowlam to remark on one occasion (to Bill Clinton) "Didn't you know? I'm the new tea lady around here".^[3] The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement and, more rarely, as the Stormont Agreement) was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process. ... The logo of the Northern Ireland Assembly, a six flowered linen or flax plant. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ...

Whilst her deteriorating relationship with Unionists was the key reason^[4] she was replaced as Northern Ireland Secretary in October 1999 by Peter Mandelson, her move to the relatively lowly position of Cabinet Office Minister may have involved other factors, notably her health and her popularity. Mowlam had previously denounced the post as "Minister for the Today programme", and resented being appointed to it. As Cabinet Office Minister she was reportedly intended as Tony Blair's "Enforcer". This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Cabinet Office can be either: Cabinet Office in the United Kingdom, Cabinet Office in Japan. ... Today, sometimes referred to as the Today programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4s long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, which is now broadcast from 6am to 9am from Monday to Friday and from 7am to 9am on Saturdays. ...

She was head of the Government's anti-drugs campaign, but undermined the campaign when she attracted media attention when in 2000 she admitted to trying cannabis as a student. ("I tried dope. I didn't particularly like it. But unlike President Clinton, I did inhale")^[5] Look up Cannabis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In early 2000 she personally briefed the press that she was bored with her job and wanted to be Labour candidate for the post of Mayor of London. The stories were widely seen as damaging to Frank Dobson, the official Labour candidate, who was already facing serious difficulties in his campaign against Ken Livingstone, a popular but maverick politician who left Labour to stand as an independent for the post after his selection as official Labour candidate had been blocked. Mowlam's supporters briefed she was the only figure with sufficient popularity to challenge Livingstone, but the episode did nothing for either the Labour Party or Mowlam. Ken Livingstone, the current Mayor of London The Mayor of London is an elected politician in London, United Kingdom. ... The Right Honourable Frank Gordon Dobson (born March 15, 1940) is a British politician and member of Parliament for Holborn and St. ... Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born June 17, 1945) is an English politician who became Mayor of London on the creation of the post in 2000. ...

Later on 4 September 2000 she announced her intention to retire from Parliament, relinquishing her seat at the 2001 election.^[6] Her statement of intent was forced on her by Downing Street following a series of stories in the paper suggesting she was looking for an excuse to leave the government. is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons The Right Honourable Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker Hélène Hayman, Baroness Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups (as of May 5, 2005 elections) Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats... Tony Blair William Hague Charles Kennedy The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ...

After retirement from the House of Commons she became a noted critic of government policy on various issues, especially foreign policy towards Iraq.

She continued public activity after retirement, becoming agony aunt for the men's magazine Zoo, saying that she missed her constituency work as an MP. She also set up a charity, MoMo Helps, to help drug users who are successfully completing their rehabilitation and provide support for the parents or carers of disabled children. An agony aunt is an advice columnist at a magazine or newspaper. ... Zoo is a weekly lads mag in the UK. It was launched in 2004, as the second weekly mens magazine in the UK (the first being the similar, rival, magazine; Nuts). ... Marjorie Mo Mowlam (18 September 1949 – 19 August 2005) was a British politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Labour Member of Parliament. ...

Her political memoirs, entitled Momentum, were published in 2002.

Illness and death

Mo Mowlam chatting on Irish television shortly before her death.

Five months before the 1997 General Election which took Labour to office, Mowlam was diagnosed with a brain tumour, a fact she tried to keep secret until the tabloid press started to print jibes about her appearance. The various treatments caused her to lose most of her hair and she often wore a wig, which she would sometimes casually remove in public stating that it was "such a bother".^[7] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A brain tumor is any mass created by an abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells either found in the brain (neurons, glial cells, epithelial cells, myelin producing cells, etc. ... A tabloid is a newspaper — especially in the United Kingdom — that uses the tabloid format, which is roughly 23½ by 14¾ inches per spread. ...

The BBC reported on 3 August 2005, that she was critically ill at King's College Hospital in London.^[8] She appeared to have suffered from balance problems as a result of her radiotherapy. She fell over, received head injuries and never regained consciousness. She had made a living will in which she had asked not to be resuscitated, and food and water were withdrawn. is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kings College Hospital, Ruskin Wing Kings College Hospital first opened in 1840 close to Lincolns Inn Fields and within two years was treating 1290 inpatients in 120 beds. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... A living will, also called will to live, advance health directive, or advance health care directive, is a specific type of power of attorney or health care proxy or advance directive. ... A DNR/DNI, or Do Not Resuscitate/Do Not Intubate order, is a written order from a doctor that resuscitation should not be attempted if a person suffers cardiac or respiratory arrest. ...

On 12 August 2005, she was moved to Pilgrims Hospice in Canterbury, Kent where she died seven days later, aged 55, survived by her husband, Jon Norton, and two step-children. She had died just 13 days after Robin Cook, another member of the 1997 New Labour Cabinet. is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Robert Finlayson Cook (28 February 1946 – 6 August 2005) was a politician in the British Labour Party. ...

References