Mo Mowlam

The Right Honourable Mo Mowlam
Official portrait, 1999
Minister for the Cabinet Office 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
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office 3 May 1997 – 11 October 1999
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Patrick Mayhew
Succeeded by	Peter Mandelson
Member of Parliament forRedcar
In office 11 June 1987 – 14 May 2001
Preceded by	James Tinn
Succeeded by	Vera Baird
Shadow Cabinetportfolios
1992	Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
1992–1993	Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
1992–1994	Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage
1994–1997	Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Personal details
Born	Marjorie Mowlam (1949-09-18)18 September 1949 Watford,England
Died	19 August 2005(2005-08-19)(aged 55) Canterbury,England
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Jon Norton ​ (m.1995)​
Alma mater	Trevelyan College, Durham(BA) University of Iowa(PhD)
Signature

Marjorie"Mo"Mowlam(18 September 1949 – 19 August 2005) was a BritishLabour Partypolitician. She was theMember of Parliament(MP) forRedcarfrom 1987 to 2001 and served in theCabinet of Tony BlairasSecretary of State for Northern Ireland,Minister for the Cabinet OfficeandChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Mowlam's time as Northern Ireland Secretary saw the signing of the historicGood Friday Agreementin 1998. Her personal charisma and reputation for plain speaking led her to be perceived by many as one of the most popular "New Labour"politicians in the UK. WhenTony Blairmentioned her in his speech at the1998 Labour Party Conference,she received astanding ovation.

Early life

Mowlam was born at 43 King Street,Watford,Hertfordshire,England, the middle of three children of Tina and Frank,but grew up inCoventry,where her father progressed to become Coventry's assistantpostmaster.She would later be awarded theFreedom of the Cityin 1999.She was the only one of the family's three children to pass the11-plusexam. She started atChiswickGirls' grammar school in West London, then moved toCoundon Court Schoolin Coventry,one of the firstcomprehensive schoolsin the country.She then studied atTrevelyan College,Durham University,readingsociologyandanthropology.She joined the Labour Party in her first year.She became the Secretary of theDurham Union Societyin 1969 and later went on to become the vice-president of theDurham Students' Union.She worked for then-MP (Labour)Tony Bennin London and American writerAlvin Tofflerin New York, moving to theUnited Stateswith her then-boyfriend and studying for aPhDinpolitical scienceat theUniversity of Iowaon the effects of theSwiss system of referendums.

Mowlam was a lecturer in the Political Science Department at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukeein 1977 and atFlorida State UniversityinTallahasseefrom 1977 to 1979. During her time in Tallahassee, her apartment was broken into by someone; she suspected that it wasTed Bundy,a serial killer and rapist who is thought to have murdered at least thirty-five young women and attacked several others.

Her house in Summerhill Terrace,Newcastle upon Tyne,with plaque

Mowlam returned to England in 1979 to take up an appointment at theUniversity of Newcastle upon Tyne.She also worked in adult education at Northern College, Barnsley, with students who had fewer opportunities than traditional university students. In 1981, she organised a series of alternative lectures to theReith lecturesbeing given that year byLaurence Martin,the university'svice chancellor.These were published asDebate on Disarmament,with their proceeds going to theCampaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Personal life

Mowlam married Jonathan Norton, a City of London banker, inCounty Durhamon 24 June 1995;Norton died on 3 February 2009. Mowlam had two step-children from Norton's first marriage toGeraldine Bedell.

Member of Parliament

Having failed to win selection for the1983 general election,Mowlam was selected as Labour candidate for the safe seat ofRedcarafterJames Tinnstood down. She took the seat in the1987 general election,becoming the Labour spokesperson onNorthern Irelandlater that year. Together with Shadow ChancellorJohn 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.

Mowlam joined theShadow CabinetwhenJohn Smithbecame leader of the Labour Party in 1992, holding the title ofShadow Secretary of State for National Heritage.During this time, she antagonised both monarchists and republicans by calling forBuckingham Palaceto be demolished and replaced by a "modern" palace built at public expense. Later, her willingness to speak her mind, often without regard to the consequences, was seen as her greatest strength by her supporters.

Following Smith's death in 1994, Mowlam, alongsidePeter Kilfoyle,became a principal organiser ofTony Blair's campaign for the Labour leadership. After his victory, Blair made herShadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.She initially resisted being appointed to the position, preferring an economic portfolio, but, after accepting it, she threw her weight into the job.

In government

Mowlam in her official portrait as Northern Ireland Secretary

In 1997, Mowlam was once again re-elected as MP for Redcar with an increased majority of 21,667.With the Labour Party election win in May 1997, she was madeSecretary of State for Northern Ireland,the first woman to have held the post. A reflection of her personal approach was the organisation of a walk about in Belfast city centre.

Good Friday Agreement

Main article:Good Friday Agreement

[Mo Mowlam] was the catalyst that allowed politics to move forward which led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998. She cut through conventions and made difficult decisions that gave momentum to political progress.

— Peter Hain,2005

Mowlam "oversaw the negotiations which led to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement".On 6 August 1997 she met with the Sinn Féin leaderGerry Adamsto have "their first face to face discussions since the breakdown of the IRA ceasefire in February 1996".She was successful in helping to restore the secondIRAceasefire which eventually led toSinn Féinbeing included in the multi-party peace talks. The talks led to the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement achieved on 10 April 1998, bringing an end to conflict in Northern Ireland known as theTroubles.

On 4 January theUlster LoyalistUDA/UFF prisoners in theMaze prison,voted not to continue supporting the peace process.Gary McMichaelof theUlster Democratic Party,their political representatives quickly flew to London requesting the Secretary of State meet with the prisoners. After consulting with her advisers and the UK Prime Minister Tony Blairon Friday 9 January 1998 she visited theUlster Defence Association(UDA) andUlster Freedom Fighters(UFF) prisoners represented political by Gary McMichael. The visit was unprecedented for a Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. "The Maze was a focal point of a troubled peace process today as Mo Mowlam arrived for a visit that had been variously described as mad or brave."The same day she also visited theIrish Republican Army(IRA) andUlster Volunteer Force(UVF)H-blockwings of the prison.

The message that I brought was very clear and simple. The only way that we're going to make progress towards a permanent peace in Northern Ireland is by taking a proactive stance and talking to reach the broadest possible agreement.

— Mo Mowlam

The visit was unprecedented and a political gamble,and was potentially dangerous when she met with prisoners, some of whom had been convicted of murder, face-to-face.

She went on to oversee theGood Friday Agreementsigning in 1998,which led to the temporary establishment of a devolved power-sharingNorthern Ireland Assembly.However, an increasingly difficult relationship withUnionistparties meant her role in the talks was ultimately taken over byTony Blairand his staff, prompting Mowlam to remark to then-US PresidentBill Clinton:"Didn't you know? I'm the new tea lady around here".In 1999, Mowlam referred toparamilitary punishment attacks in Northern Irelandas "internal housekeeping" and maintained that the violence did not count as breaking the ceasefire.

Cabinet Office Minister

Main article:Minister for the Cabinet Office

Whilst her deteriorating relationship with Unionists was the key reason Mowlam was replaced byPeter Mandelsonas Northern Ireland Secretary in October 1999, her move to the relatively lowly position ofCabinet Office Ministermay have involved other factors, notably her health and her popularity.Mowlam resented being appointed to the post, having previously disparaged it as "Minister for theTodayprogramme".As Cabinet Office Minister, she was reportedly intended to be Tony Blair's "enforcer".

As head of the Government's anti-drugs campaign, in 2002, she called for international legalisation.She caused some controversy when she admitted in 2000 to having usedcannabisas a student: "I tried dope. I didn't particularly like it. But unlike President Clinton, I did inhale".

Retirement

On 4 September 2000, Mowlam announced her intention to retire fromParliamentand relinquished her seat at the2001 general election.

After retirement from the House of Commons, she became a critic of government policy on various issues, especially the2003 invasion of Iraq.She took part in theanti-Iraq War protestsalongsideVanessa Redgrave,Tony Benn,Tariq Ali,Ken LivingstoneandBianca Jagger.

Following her retirement, Mowlam becameagony auntfor the men's magazineZoo.She said 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.

Her political memoirs, entitledMomentum: The Struggle for Peace, Politics and the People,were published in 2002.

She was the subject ofThis Is Your Lifein January 2003 when she was surprised byMichael Aspel.

Illness and death

Five months before the 1997 general election which took Labour to office, Mowlam was diagnosed with abrain tumour,which she tried to keep private until thetabloid pressstarted to print jibes about her appearance. Although she claimed to have made a full recovery, the various treatments caused her to lose most of her hair. She often wore a wig, which she would sometimes casually remove in public stating that it was "such a bother".

On 3 August 2005, the BBC reported that she was critically ill atKing's College Hospitalin London.She appeared to have suffered from balance problems as a result of herradiotherapy.According to her husband, she had fallen over on 30 July 2005, receiving head injuries and never regaining consciousness. Herliving will,in which she had askednot to be resuscitated,was honoured.

On 12 August 2005, she was moved to Pilgrims Hospice inCanterbury,Kent,where she died at 8:10 am on 19 August, aged 55.She was survived by her husband Jon Norton and two stepchildren. Her death came just 13 days after the death ofRobin Cook,another cabinet minister of the 1997 government.

In January 2010, it was revealed by her ex-doctor that her tumour had been malignant and was the cause of her death. Despite recommendations, she had withheld the true nature of her condition from Tony Blair and the electorate.

Mowlam was anatheistand was cremated inSittingbourneon 1 September 2005 at a non-religious service conducted byRichard Coles,formerly of the 1980s bandThe Communards.Half of her ashes were scattered atHillsborough Castle(the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's official residence) and the other half in her former parliamentary constituency of Redcar.

Memorials and tributes

The plaque on her home

A memorial service was held for Mowlam at theTheatre Royal, Drury Lane,on 20 November 2005, another at Hillsborough Castle on 1 December 2005 and another in Redcar on 3 December 2005.

To honour Mowlam,Redcar and Cleveland Unitary Authoritycommissioned an official memorialmosaicwhich was unveiled at Redcar's newly refurbished boating lake on 23 October 2009. An intricate 800-tile mosaic, set in a three-metre raised circle, was created by local artist John Todd to illustrate her life and interests. The mosaic has her portrait as the centrepiece, surrounded by images including the beach where she loved to walk, racehorses atRedcar Racecourse(where she celebrated her wedding), the Redcar steelworks, theZetland Lifeboat,clasped hands and doves (to symbolise theNorthern Ireland peace process) and theHouses of Parliament.

Her archive of personal papers, which was donated in 2006, is held byTeesside Archives.

The postgraduate common room ofTrevelyan College, Durham(Mowlam's alma mater) was renamed "The Mowlam Room" in her honour. The room houses a small bust of Mowlam.

A children's play park named after her is on theStormont Estate.

Docudrama

In 2009,Channel 4commissioned adocudramaticfilm,Mo,portraying Mo Mowlam's life from the Labour election victory of 1997 to her death in 2005.The film starredJulie Waltersas Mowlam.Mowas broadcast on 31 January 2010and attracted over 3.5 million viewers, making it Channel 4's highest-rated drama since 2001.The film was also a critical success, with MPAdam Ingramclaiming that it "brought home the essence of Mo".Mowas nominated for aBAFTA awardfor Best Single DramawithJulie WaltersandGary Lewisreceiving nominations for, respectively, Best Actressand Best Supporting Actor. The Best Actress award was given to Walters.

External links

• Hansard1803–2005:contributions in Parliament by Mo Mowlam
• AppearancesonC-SPAN