Glenys Kinnock

British peer and politician (1944–2023)

The Right Honourable

The Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead

FRSA PC

Official portrait, 2009

Minister of State for Africa and the United Nations
In office
13 October 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister| Gordon Brown
Preceded by| The Lord Malloch-Brown
Succeeded by| Henry Bellingham
Minister of State for Europe
In office
5 June 2009 – 13 October 2009
Prime Minister| Gordon Brown
Preceded by| Caroline Flint
Succeeded by| Chris Bryant
Member of the House of Lords

Lord Temporal

Life peerage
30 June 2009 – 9 April 2021
Member of the European Parliament
for Wales

South Wales East (1994–1999)

In office
19 July 1994 – 5 June 2009
Preceded by| Llew Smith
Succeeded by| Derek Vaughan
Personal details
Born|

Glenys Elizabeth Parry

(1944-07-07)7 July 1944
Roade, Northamptonshire, England
Died| 3 December 2023(2023-12-03) (aged 79)
London, England
Political party| Labour
Spouse|

Neil Kinnock

(m. 1967)​

Children| 2, including Stephen
Alma mater| Cardiff University

Glenys Elizabeth Kinnock, Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead, FRSA (née Parry; 7 July 1944 – 3 December 2023), was a British politician and teacher who served as Minister of State for Europe from June to October 2009 and Minister of State for Africa and the United Nations from 2009 to 2010. A member of the Labour Party, she was previously a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Wales, formerly South Wales East, from 1994 to 2009.

## Early life

[edit]

Glenys Elizabeth Parry was born in Roade, Northamptonshire, and educated at Holyhead Comprehensive School, Anglesey.[1] She graduated in 1965 from University College, Cardiff in education and history.[2] Parry worked at Moorland Primary School, in Splott, in 1966.[3] She met Neil Kinnock at university[4] and married him in 1967.[5]

## European Parliament

[edit]

Kinnock represented Wales in the European Parliament from 1994 until 2009, where she was a member of the Party of European Socialists (PES) political group.[6] She was a Member of the European Parliament's Development and Co-operation Committee[7] and a substitute member of the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs.[8] She was a co-president of the African, Caribbean and Pacific-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly from 2002 to 2009, and Labour spokesperson on International Development in the European Parliament.[2] In November 2006 Kinnock was criticised for "taking a junket" to Barbados to discuss world poverty issues.[9] Kinnock co-presided over the 12th ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.[10]

## Domestic political career

[edit]

In the 2009 cabinet reshuffle, Kinnock was appointed minister for Europe following the resignation of Caroline Flint.[11] To enable her to join the government, she was awarded a life peerage and became Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead, of Holyhead in the County of Ynys Môn on 30 June 2009.[12] She was introduced to the House of Lords on the same day.[13][14]

In 2009, while she was minister for Europe, the status of the Welsh language was elevated to make it equal with several other European minority languages, such as Catalan. The cost of translation services was to be met by the Welsh Assembly and the Welsh Language Board. Kinnock commented "This demonstrates a clear commitment by the EU to promote its unique and diverse cultural heritage".[15]

From 2009 to 2010, Kinnock served as minister of state for Africa and the United Nations, filling a post left vacant after the resignation of Lord Malloch-Brown.[16] From 2010 to 2013 she was an Opposition spokesperson for the Department of International Development in the House of Lords.[17] Kinnock retired from the Lords on 9 April 2021.[18]

## Personal life

[edit]

She was the wife of Neil Kinnock, who was leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992, and they had two children together, including Stephen.[19] When her husband was given a life peerage in 2005, she was entitled to the title Lady Kinnock, but decided against its use.[2] However, she became Lady (or Baroness) Kinnock in her own right when she was ennobled in 2009. Kinnock grew up speaking Welsh.[2]

In 2017, Kinnock was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.[20] Her husband spoke about their experience with the disease and providing support for her.[21] She died from complications of the disease at her home in London, on 3 December 2023, aged 79.[22]

## Publications

[edit]

* Beyond Band Aid: Charity Is Not Enough (1987; with Joan Lestor and David Ward)[23]
* Voices for One World (1987)[24]
* Eritrea: Images of War and Peace (1988)[25]
* Namibia: Women in War (1990; with Tessa Cleaver and Marion Wallace)[26]
* Namibia: Birth of a Nation (1991; with Jenny Matthews)[27]
* By Faith and Daring (1993; with Fiona Millar)[28]
* The Gender Perspective (1995)[29]
* Changing States: A Labour Agenda for Europe (1996; with Glyn Ford and Arlene McCarthy)[30]
* A Woman's Work Is Never Done (2006; with Elizabeth Andrews and Ursula Masson)[31]

### Articles

[edit]

* "The Rape of Darfur", 2006 (The Guardian)[32]
* "A Lethal Bully That Must Be Tackled", 2006 (The Times)[33]
* "Cambodia's Brazen U.N. Bird", 2012 (The New York Times)[34]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Glenys Kinnock, ex-minister and wife of former Labour leader, dies aged 79". The Times. 3 December 2023. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
2. ^ a b c d Browne, Adrian (3 December 2023). "Glenys Kinnock: The political spouse who became a force in her own right". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
3. ^ "Glenys on hand for century". South Wales Echo. 8 March 1991. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
4. ^ Ellam, Dennis (5 March 1989). "Profile: Glenys Kinnock". Wales on Sunday. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
5. ^ Francis, Sam (3 December 2023). "Glenys Kinnock: Former minister and wife of Neil Kinnock dies aged 79". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
6. ^ "The Socialist Group in the European Parliament". Archived from the original on 3 January 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2007.
7. ^ "The European Parliament Development and Cooperation Committee". Archived from the original on 6 April 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
8. ^ "The European Parliament committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights". Archived from the original on 6 April 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
9. ^ "Politician Glenys Kinnock of Holyhead". North Wales Daily Post. 9 November 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
10. ^ "The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly". Archived from the original on 16 May 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
11. ^ Swaine, Jon (6 June 2009). "Former leader's wife hurried in as Flint's replacement". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
12. ^ "No. 59121". The London Gazette. 7 July 2009. p. 11621.
13. ^ "Lords Hansard text". Parliament of the United Kingdom. 30 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 April 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
14. ^ Gimson, Andrew (1 July 2009). "What the Dickens? Balls plays Wackford Squeers". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
15. ^ "Welsh language welcomed by European Commission". The Translation People. 12 July 2009. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
16. ^ Sparrow, Andrew (12 October 2009). "Chris Bryant replaces Glenys Kinnock". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
17. ^ Lady Kinnock profile Archived 14 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, parliament.uk; accessed 31 December 2013.
18. ^ "Retirements of Members – Tuesday 13 April 2021 – Hansard – UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
19. ^ "'Don't say I'm retiring!' – Glenys Kinnock MEP". Wales Online. 23 May 2009. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
20. ^ "Kinnock at 80: The former Labour leader on life, politics and his beloved wife". ITV News. London. 24 March 2022. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
21. ^ "Alzheimer's: Neil Kinnock supporting wife through disease". BBC News. 27 March 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
22. ^ "Glenys Kinnock: Former MEP, minister and wife of ex-Labour leader dies aged 79". Sky News. 3 December 2023. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
23. ^ OCLC 914784057
24. ^ OCLC 19267903
25. ^ OCLC 650371030
26. ^ OCLC 782064549
27. ^ OCLC 21228094
28. ^ OCLC 123764456
29. ^ OCLC 958367787
30. ^ OCLC 36378142
31. ^ OCLC 495356189
32. ^ Kinnock, Glenys (18 January 2006). "The rape of Darfur". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018.
33. ^ Kinnock, Glenys (13 September 2006). "A lethal bully that must be tackled". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
34. ^ Kinnock, Glenys (16 October 2012). "Cambodia's Brazen U.N. Bid". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Profile at European Parliament website Archived 22 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
* Speeches made in the European Parliament
* Mrs Kinnock, co-president of the ACP EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly Archived 20 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
* "The need for an ethical foreign policy, Mark II". The Independent. London. 2007.[dead link‍]
* Glenys Kinnock at IMDb
* Glenys Kinnock discography at Discogs

European Parliament

Preceded by

Llew Smith

|  Member of European Parliament for Wales
South Wales East (1994–1999)
1994–2009 | Succeeded by

Derek Vaughan

Political offices
Preceded by

Caroline Flint

|  Minister of State for Europe
2009  | Succeeded by

Chris Bryant

as Under-Secretary of State for Europe and Asia
Preceded by

The Lord Malloch-Brown

as Minister of State for Africa, Asia and the United Nations  |  Minister of State for Africa and the United Nations
2009–2010  | Succeeded by

Henry Bellingham

as Under-Secretary of State for Africa and the United Nations

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Neil Kinnock

Political career|

* Leader of the Labour Party (1983–1992)
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Shadow Cabinet elections|

* 1980
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* 1987
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Family|

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