Martin Morland

Martin James Morland (born 1st July 1960) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Deputy Labour Leader from November 1998 to August 1999. He previously served as Home Secretary, Education, Health & Welfare Secretary and Regions, Culture and Tourism Secretary in the Labour Government (January 1999 - August 1999) and the Labour/Liberal Democrat Coalition Government (May 1997 - January 1999). Morland has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1987 for Glasgow Maryhill.

Early Life

Martin James Morland was born to Mary and Mark Morland in 1960. He grew up in Maryhill where he now represents as a Member of Parliament. Martin went to a local comprehensive primary and secondary school where he did exceptionally well in his examinations. At the age of fifteen, he joined the Labour Party after taking part in a CND rally in Edinburgh. After school, Martin went to Glasgow University where he got a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

Political Career

In 1983, Martin was selected as the Labour candidate for Glasgow Maryhill in the council elections that year. He was victorious and had a majority of 9,010. He served on Glasgow City Council as Education Spokesman from 1983-1985 before serving as Health Spokesman from 1985-1987. Martin was the youngest councillor elected in 1983 at the age of twenty-three.

In 1987, Glasgow Maryhill MP, Maria Fyfe, resigned due to health problems. The Constituency Labour Party selected Martin as their candidate. He was elected in the General Election that year with 47% of the vote. Martin remained on the backbenches between 1987 and 1992. In 1991, Martin was promoted to the frontbench by Neil Kinnock as the Shadow Minister for Children. In 1992, he was re-elected as Glasgow Maryhill MP with 46% of the vote. However, the Labour Party failed to win a victory over the Conservatives nationally. He was retained in his post as Shadow Minister for Children by John Smith. After Smith's death, he supported John Prescott in the 1994 leadership election believing that Blair would destroy the core values of the Labour Party. Due to his support for Prescott, he was removed from the Labour frontbench by Blair. He was highly critical of Blair's leadership and called for the retention of Clause IV. After Blair's resignation, Martin backed Damien Parker's bid for the Labour leadership. He was brought into the Shadow Cabinet in January 1997 as Shadow Home Secretary. During this period, Martin campaigned vigorously against the Government's school security policy and the Alcohol Confiscation Act. He also called for a points-based immigration system which he still advocates in government. In the 1997 Election, Martin was re-elected as Glasgow Maryhill MP with 43% of the vote.

Between 1997 - 1999, Martin served in the Labour-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government as Home Secretary and Regions, Culture and Sports Secretary. He pioneered many significant bills. The School Security Act, Prevention of Crime Act, London Assembly Act and Free NHS Prescriptions Act were some of his legislative achievements. In the 1998 VONC against Parker's leadership of the party, he backed the Prime Minister entirely. Martin was also responsible for the 2008 Olympics Bid and the 2006 World Cup Bid. In the 1999 January Election, Martin was responsible for running the campaign with Damien Parker. Labour won its first majority since 1974. Martin was re-elected as Glasgow Maryhill MP with 38% of the vote.

In the Labour Government of January 1999 - August 1999, Martin remained as Deputy Prime Minister and was appointed as Education, Health and Welfare Secretary and stayed in his role as Regions, Culture and Tourism Secretary. He pioneered many significant pieces of legislation including the Electoral Reform Act 1999 and the Smoking Regulation Act 1999. Unfortunately, his reforms to the educational system such as the Universal Education Act 1999 and the Educational Assistance Grant Act 1999 did not manage to get passed into law due to the dissolution of Parliament in July 1999. However, Martin managed to get the amended Freedom and Liberation Act 1999 passed through Parliament which introduced civil partnerships for LGBT couples. After the assassination of Prime Minister Damien Parker in Northern Ireland, Martin became Acting Prime Minister and Acting Labour Party Leader. He decided to hold an election giving that Labour's parliamentary majority was now standing at 3. Martin was extremely popular with the public during the election as 50% wanted him as the Prime Minister. He also worked with his Labour colleagues to produce a manifesto which sought to build upon the foundations laid by the previous two governments. However, Labour suffered a massive defeat winning 39% of the popular vote and 272 seats in the new Parliament.

Martin remained as Acting Leader of the Opposition until his resignation in September 1999 where he resigned to return to the backbenches for two months while he recovered from the election and Damien Parker's death. In November 1999, he was appointed as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer by Leader of the Opposition, David Harris. Morland has served in this role since and his Shadow Budget in January 2000 managed to cut the deficit further than the Government's Budget and managed to maintain investment in public services. He has supported the Goverment on some of its attempts to get people back into work but has opposed them on measures such as Social Welfare Reform.

Personal Life

Morland is married to Claire Brown, a primary teacher. The pair met in 1985 and married in 1987. They live in Kirkintilloch. They have three children: Evanna (8), Tom (5) and Colette (2). Morland is an Atheist.