Lewis Moonie, Baron Moonie

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The Lord Moonie
Member of Parliament
for Kirkcaldy
In office
12 June 1987 – 11 April 2005
Preceded by Harry Gourlay
Succeeded by Constituency Abolished
Personal details
Born (1947-02-25) 25 February 1947 (age 77)
Dundee
Nationality British
Political party Labour Co-operative
Spouse(s) Sheila Ann Burt
Alma mater University of Edinburgh, University of St Andrews

Lewis George Moonie, Baron Moonie (born 25 February 1947 in Dundee) is a Labour Co-operative politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kirkcaldy from 1987 to 2005.

Early life

He attended the Grove Academy in Dundee. He studied Medicine at the Bute Medical School, University of St Andrews gaining his MB ChB in 1970. From the University of Edinburgh he gained an MSc in Community Medicine in 1981. He also became DPM in 1975, MRCPsych in 1979 and MFCM in 1984. From 1982-6, he was a councillor on Fife Regional Council.

Medical career

From 1973-5 he was a trainee registrar in Psychiatry. From 1975-80 he was a research clinical pharmacologist and a medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Edinburgh. From 1980-4, he was a trainee in Community Medicine for the Fife Health Board, becoming a Community Medicine Specialist from 1984-7.

Parliamentary career

He was elected at the 1987 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kirkcaldy, and served until he retired from the House of Commons at the 2005 general election. He served as a junior minister at the Ministry of Defence.

On 13 May 2005 it was announced that he would be created a life peer, and on 22 June 2005 the peerage was gazetted as Baron Moonie, of Bennochy in Fife.[1]

The 'Cash for Influence' Scandal

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Main article: 2009 cash for influence scandal

In late-January 2009 The Sunday Times involved Lord Moonie in a classic 'sting operation'. Along with three other Labour peers, Lord Moonie was approached by a reporter. Of the four, Lord Moonie was the only one subsequently cleared by the House of Lords Sub-committee on Lords' Interests.

In the newspaper sting, "Moonie said he would contact Healey and offered to identify people who could put down an amendment." He quoted an annual fee for his assistance of £30,000. Lord Moonie is quoted as saying “I did not agree to amend the legislation. I agreed to seek to help to find a way of trying to amend the legislation.”[2]

The House of Lords Sub-committee on Lords' Interests was asked to report on the matter. It found that "on the standard of proof that we have set, we do not find that Lord Moonie expressed a clear willingness to breach the Code by promoting amendments on behalf of lobbyists in return for payment." [3]

The Lords' Privileges Committee considered the sub-committee's report. It published its findings on 14 May 2009. It agreed that Lord Moonie had not breached the code.[4]

Personal life

He married Sheila Ann Burt on 28 December 1971. They have two sons.

References

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 57685. p. 8317. 27 June 2005.
  2. ↑ Whispered over tea and cake: price for a peer to fix the law, Sunday Times, January 25, 2009
  3. ↑ Lords Sub-Committee on Lords Interests Report
  4. ↑ The Conduct of Lord Moonie, Lord Snape, Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn Lords Privileges Committee Report

External links

News items

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy
1987 – 2005		 Constituency abolished
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