View source for Hilary Armstrong

{{Short description|British politician (born 1945)}}
{{About|the British politician|the scholar of neoplatonism|A. H. Armstrong}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name                = The Baroness Armstrong of Hill&nbsp;Top
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|PC|DL}}
| image               = Official portrait of Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top crop 2, 2019.jpg
| office              = [[Minister for the Cabinet Office]]<br />[[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]]
| primeminister       = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start          = 5 May 2006
| term_end            = 28 June 2007
| predecessor         = [[Jim Murphy]] {{small|(Acting)}}
| successor           = [[Ed Miliband]]
| office1             = [[Minister for Social Exclusion]]
| primeminister1      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start1         = 5 May 2006
| term_end1           = 28 June 2007
| predecessor1        = [[Phil Woolas]]
| successor1          = Position abolished
| office2             = [[Chief Whip|Chief Whip of the House of Commons]]<br />[[Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury]]
| primeminister2      = [[Tony Blair]]
| deputy2             = [[Keith Hill (politician)|Keith Hill]]<br />[[Bob Ainsworth]]
| term_start2         = 8 June 2001
| term_end2           = 5 May 2006
| predecessor2        = [[Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton|Ann Taylor]]
| successor2          = [[Jacqui Smith]]
| office3             = [[Minister of State for Local Government]]
| primeminister3      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start3         = 2 May 1997
| term_end3           = 8 June 2001
| predecessor3        = [[David Curry]]
| successor3          = [[Nick Raynsford]]
| office4             = [[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government|Minister of State for Housing and Planning]]
| primeminister4      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start4         = 2 May 1997
| term_end4           = 29 July 1999
| predecessor4        = [[Robert Jones (Conservative politician)|Robert Jones]]
| successor4          = [[Nick Raynsford]]
| office5             = [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to the [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| leader5             = [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]]
| term_start5         = 24 July 1992
| term_end5           = 12 May 1994
| predecessor5        = [[Adam Ingram (Labour politician)|Adam Ingram]]
| successor5          = [[Bruce Grocott]]
| office6             = [[Member of the House of Lords]]<br />[[Lord Temporal]]
| term_start6         = 18 June 2010<br />[[Life Peerage]]
| term_end6           = 
| office7             = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[North West Durham]]
| term_start7          = 11 June 1987
| term_end7           = 12 April 2010
| predecessor7        = [[Ernest Armstrong (British politician)|Ernest Armstrong]]
| successor7          = [[Pat Glass]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1945|11|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place         = [[Sunderland]], County Durham, England
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| spouse              = [[Paul Corrigan (civil servant)|Paul Corrigan]]
| alma_mater          = [[University of East London]]<br />[[University of Birmingham]]
| website             = {{URL|hilaryarmstrong.com|Official website}}
}}

'''Hilary Jane Armstrong, Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|PC|DL}} (born 30 November 1945), is a British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] [[politician]] who was [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[North West Durham]] from 1987 to 2010.

==Early life==
Armstrong was born on 30 November 1945 to Hannah P. Lamb and [[Ernest Armstrong (British politician)|Ernest Armstrong]], a Labour Party politician. She attended [[Monkwearmouth]] Grammar School before going on to take a BSc in [[sociology]] at [[West Ham Technical Institute]] (now the University of East London) and a Diploma in Social Work from the [[University of Birmingham]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Armstrong of Hill Top|work=Who's who|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.5722}}</ref><ref>https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/675155.business-networking-through-the-uel-alumni/Waltham{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Forest Guardian, Business Networking though the UEL Alumni</ref> A former social worker and university lecturer, Armstrong worked for [[Voluntary Service Overseas|VSO]] in Kenya before entering politics. She was first elected as [[County Durham|Durham County]] Councillor for [[Crook, County Durham|Crook]] North Division in 1985.

She was shortlisted for the vacant [[Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)|Sedgefield]] constituency in [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]], only to lose out to [[Tony Blair]], who went on to be elected MP. Four years later, at the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]], she was elected to her father's [[North West Durham]] seat on his retirement, increasing his majority by 3,806 to 10,162.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge83/i07.htm |title=University of Keele – Political Science Resources – 1987 general election |access-date=18 July 2008 |archive-date=22 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522195317/http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge83/i07.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Parliamentary career==
Armstrong was [[parliamentary private secretary]] to [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]] during his time as Labour leader, and played a large part in his successful fight to institute [[One member, one vote]] at Labour's [[Labour Party (UK) Conference|party conference]].

Armstrong was seen as a politician on the right of the Labour Party, and was close politically to her near neighbour Tony Blair and the [[New Labour]] agenda. However, she is also a member of the [[Amicus (trade union)|Amicus]] [[trades union]] (formerly [[Manufacturing, Science and Finance|MSF]]).{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} Her union ties helped her gain support in rewriting [[Clause IV]].<ref name=":0" />

In the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]], Armstrong retained her North West Durham constituency by defeating two future party leaders, [[Theresa May]] of the Conservatives, who became prime minister in 2016, and [[Tim Farron]] of the Liberal Democrats.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/11740888/Tim-Farron-the-Christian-Lefty-on-course-to-be-elected-Liberal-Democrat-leader.html|title=Tim Farron: the Christian Lefty on course to be elected Liberal Democrat leader|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=2017-04-01|language=en}}</ref>

===In government===
Armstrong spent two years as Minister for Housing and Planning and four years as Minister for Local Government in the [[Department for the Environment, Transport, and the Regions]] and then the [[Department for Transport, Local Government, and the Regions]], before being promoted into the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]] as [[Chief Whip]] after the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 election]]. This was the high point of a political career which was low-key but generally successful; though she endured controversies over [[Select committee (United Kingdom)|select committee]] membership and over allegations of strong arm tactics with Labour dissenters over [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|military action]] in Afghanistan.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4978928.stm|title=Profile: Hilary Armstrong|date=5 May 2006|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

Armstrong also faced criticism after government defeats in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|Commons]] over the length of time suspected terrorists could be detained without charge, and incitement to religious hatred provisions in the [[Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005]]. Press commentators speculated that in losing these votes through miscalculating government support, and in one instance letting the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] off the "Whip" because she believed the vote was won, Armstrong's position had become vulnerable.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070607071447/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article724243.ece The Times – Whips in turmoil as Blair's no-show castrates hate Bill]</ref> However the rumours that she would resign the post<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/feb/01/religion.immigrationpolicy|title=Government defeated over bill to combat religious hatred|date=1 February 2006|website=The Guardian}}</ref> proved unfounded.

Afterwards, [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] leader [[David Cameron]] mocked Armstrong during an exchange with Tony Blair, saying "She must be the first Chief Whip in history to put the Prime Minister in the frame for losing a key vote—which is an interesting career move, to say the least."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4668868.stm|title=Blair to push ahead with reforms|date=1 February 2006|access-date= 4 March 2025|work = [[BBC News]]}}</ref> This was the second time David Cameron had attacked her during [[Prime Minister's Questions]]; on his debut as [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]] on 7 December 2005, Cameron singled her out by saying, "That's the problem with these exchanges—the chief whip on the Labour side shouting like a child. Is she finished? Are you finished?"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/dec/07/conservatives.uk1|title=He's in front of you, Tony|author= Tempest, Matthew|access-date = 4 March 2025|date=7 December 2005|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

On 5 May 2006 Armstrong was appointed [[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]], Minister for the [[Cabinet Office]] and [[Minister for Social Exclusion]]. In 2006, Armstrong launched a petition on behalf of the [[Bethnal Green and Bow]] Labour Party against Labour turned [[Respect Party|Respect]] MP [[George Galloway]]'s participation in [[Channel 4]]'s ''[[Celebrity Big Brother (UK TV series)|Celebrity Big Brother]]''. She criticised Galloway for being paid as an MP during the time he was in the Big Brother house. Galloway responded by saying he planned to refund the taxpayer after his exit from the show as he would not know how much to refund until then.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20050115/ai_n16005276 ''The Sunday Herald'' – Galloway: pledge to pay back taxpayers' money to cover absence (via FindArticles.com)]</ref>

She formally resigned from the government on 27 June 2007 when Tony Blair resigned as prime minister, she was succeeded by [[Ed Miliband]] the following day. On becoming prime minister, [[Gordon Brown]] announced Armstrong's appointment as chair of a [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] Manifesto Committee drawing up policy ideas covering children. {{citation needed|date=March 2014}}

==Post-Government==
On 4 July 2009, Armstrong announced her intention to stand down at the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8134398.stm|title=Two North East MPs standing down|work=[[BBC News Online]]|date=4 July 2009}}</ref>

On 18 June 2010, she was created a [[life peer]] as '''Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top''', ''of [[Crook, County Durham|Crook]] in the [[County of Durham]]'',<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59467 |date=23 June 2010 |page=11801}}</ref> and was [[Introduction (House of Lords)|introduced]] in the [[House of Lords]] on 6 July 2010.<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/minutes/100622/ldordpap.htm House of Lords Business, 22 June 2010] <!-- Holding ref. More precise refs will be provided as they become available. --></ref>

She was interviewed in 2014 as part of [[The History of Parliament]]'s oral history project.<ref name="Life story interview with Hilary Armstrong (1945-), former Labour Member of Parliament">{{cite web|title=Hilary Armstrong interviewed by Emma Peplow|url=http://sounds.bl.uk/Oral-history/The-History-of-Parliament-Oral-History-Project/021M-C1503X0103XX-0001V0|publisher=[[British Library Sound Archive]]|access-date=26 January 2018}}</ref>

She is a member of the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill.

On 19 July 2019, Armstrong's North West Durham constituency party voted to expel her from the party after she and 67 other Labour peers published an advert in ''[[The Guardian]]'' on 17 July claiming that [[Jeremy Corbyn]] had “failed the test of leadership” over his handling of [[antisemitism]] [[Antisemitism in the UK Labour Party|complaints within Labour]].<ref>{{Cite news|author= Townsend, Mark|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/20/hilary-armstrong-ex-chief-whip-expel-labour-partyy|title=Hilary Armstrong 'very sad' over vote to expel her from Labour party|date=20 July 2019|access-date = 4 March 2025|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> However, the vote was non-binding as only the National Executive has the mandate to expel members.{{cn|date=June 2024}} She is a member of [[Labour Friends of Israel]].{{cn|date=June 2024}}

==Personal life==
Armstrong is married to [[Paul Corrigan (civil servant)|Paul Corrigan]].

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hilaryarmstrong.com/ Hilary Armstrong MP] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206172459/http://www.hilaryarmstrong.com/ |date=6 February 2010 }} official site
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050305070222/http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page1396.asp 10 Downing Street – Hilary Armstrong] official biography
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050903165957/http://www.nwdurhamlabour.org.uk/ North West Durham Labour Party – Hilary Armstrong MP] official site
*{{UK Peer links|parliament=hilary-armstrong/25713|hansard=ms-hilary-armstrong|hansardcurr=5782|guardian=117/hilary-armstrong|publicwhip=Baroness_Armstrong_of_Hill_Top|theywork=baroness_armstrong_of_hill_top|record=Hiliary-Armstrong/1421|bbc=25713.stm|journalisted=hilary-armstrong}}
*[http://www.uel.ac.uk/news/press_releases/releases/uelalumni.htm East London Futures]
*[https://archive.today/20070502194127/http://www.uel.ac.uk/news/press_releases/releases/networking.htm UEL Alumni Event – Hilary Armstrong]

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|-
{{s-off}}
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{{s-end}}

{{Blair Cabinet}}
{{Minister for the Cabinet Office}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Armstrong, Hilary}}
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[[Category:20th-century British women politicians]]
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[[Category:British Methodists]]
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[[Category:Female members of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom]]
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[[Category:Labour Friends of Israel]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) life peers]]
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[[Category:New Labour]]
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[[Category:Politicians from County Durham]]
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