Lewis Moonie Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
The Lord Moonie
Office:Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence
Primeminister:Tony Blair
1Blankname:Sec. of State
1Namedata:Geoff Hoon
Term Start:31 January 2000
Term End:13 June 2003
Predecessor:Peter Kilfoyle
Successor:Ivor Caplin
Office1:Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Term Start1:22 June 2005
Term End1:28 April 2022
Life Peerage[1]
Office2:Member of Parliament
for Kirkcaldy
Term Start2:11 June 1987
Term End2:11 April 2005
Predecessor2:Harry Gourlay
Successor2:Constituency Abolished
Birth Date:25 February 1947
Birth Place:Dundee, Scotland
Nationality:Scottish
Party:Independent (2019–)
Labour Co-operative (until 2019)
Spouse:Sheila Ann Burt
Alma Mater:University of Edinburgh
University of St Andrews

Lewis George Moonie, Baron Moonie (born 25 February 1947) is a British politician. He was the Labour Co-operative 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 graduating with a MB ChB in 1970. In 1981 he graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a MSc in community medicine. He also became DPM in 1975, MRCPsych in 1979 and MFCM in 1984. From 1982 to 1986, he was a councillor on Fife Regional Council.

Medical career

From 1973 to 1975 he was a trainee registrar in psychiatry. From 1975 to 1980 he was a research clinical pharmacologist and a medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Edinburgh. From 1980 to 1984, he was a trainee in community medicine for the Fife Health Board, becoming a Community Medicine Specialist from 1984 to 1987.

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.

The 'Cash for Influence' Scandal

See 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.

External links

News items

Notes and References

  1. retired from house under House of Lords Reform Act 2014
  2. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5581570.ece Whispered over tea and cake: price for a peer to fix the law
  3. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldprivi/88/8805.htm Lords Sub-Committee on Lords Interests Report
  4. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldprivi/88/8802.htm The Conduct of Lord Moonie, Lord Snape, Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn