View source for Maria Eagle

{{short description|British Labour politician (born 1961)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name                = Maria Eagle
| honorific-suffix    = [[Member of Parliament|MP]]
| image               = Official portrait of Maria Eagle MP crop 2.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2020
| office              = [[Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry]]
| term_start          = 8 July 2024
| term_end            = 6 September 2025
| primeminister       = [[Keir Starmer]]
| predecessor         = [[James Cartlidge]]
| successor           = [[Luke Pollard]]
| office1             = [[Minister of State for Justice and Equalities]]{{efn|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State from 2007 to 2009}}
| primeminister1      = [[Gordon Brown]]
| term_start1         = 2 July 2007
| term_end1           = 6 May 2010
| predecessor1        = [[Gerry Sutcliffe]]
| successor1          = [[Crispin Blunt]]
| office2             = [[Northern Ireland Office|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children in Northern Ireland]]
| primeminister2      = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start2         = 6 May 2006
| term_end2           = 28 June 2007
| predecessor2        = [[Jeff Rooker]]
| successor2          = ''Office abolished''
| office3             = [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Families and Wellbeing|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children]]
| primeminister3      = Tony Blair
| term_start3         = 17 June 2005
| term_end3           = 6 May 2006
| predecessor3        = [[Margaret Hodge]]
| successor3          = [[Beverley Hughes]]
| office4             = [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People]]
| primeminister4      = Tony Blair
| term_start4         = 11 June 2001
| term_end4           = 17 June 2005
| predecessor4        = Margaret Hodge
| successor4          = [[Anne McGuire]]
| office8             = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br>for [[Liverpool Garston]]<br>{{nobold|[[Garston and Halewood]] (2010–2024)}}
| term_start8         = 1 May 1997
| predecessor8        = [[Eddie Loyden]]
| majority8           = 20,104 (47.9%)
{{collapsed infobox section begin
| last                = yes
| Shadow portfolios
| titlestyle          = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| embed               = yes
| office6             = Shadow Secretary of State
| subterm6            = 2016
| suboffice6          = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport|Culture, Media and Sport]]
| subterm7            = 2015–2016
| suboffice7          = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Defence|Defence]]
| subterm8            = 2013–2015
| suboffice8          = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]]
| subterm9            = 2010–2013
| suboffice9          = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Transport|Transport]]
| office10             = Shadow Minister
| subterm10            = 2023–2024
| suboffice10          = [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Defence Procurement]]
| subterm11           = 2010
| suboffice11         = [[Shadow Solicitor General for England and Wales|Solicitor General]]
{{collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| successor5          = 
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1961|2|17|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Bridlington]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], England
| party               = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| alma_mater          = {{ubl|[[Pembroke College, Oxford]]|[[University of Law]]}}
| relatives           = [[Angela Eagle]] (sister)
}}
'''Maria Eagle''' (born 17 February 1961) is a British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] politician who has been the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Liverpool Garston]], previously [[Garston and Halewood]], since [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]. She served as a junior minister in the governments of [[Tony Blair]], [[Gordon Brown]] and [[Keir Starmer]]. 

The twin sister of [[Angela Eagle]], also a Labour MP, Eagle was born in the [[East Riding of Yorkshire]] to a working-class family and raised in [[Merseyside]]. She studied [[Philosophy, politics and economics]] at [[Pembroke College, Oxford]] and Law at the [[University of Law|College of Law]], London. After graduating with her law degree, she worked as an [[articled clerk]] and solicitor in both London and [[Liverpool]]. After unsuccessfully contesting [[Crosby (UK Parliament constituency)|Crosby]] in [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]], she was elected as MP for [[Liverpool Garston]] at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]].

Under Tony Blair, Eagle was a junior minister at the [[Department for Work and Pensions]], [[Department for Education and Skills (United Kingdom)|Department for Education and Skills]] and [[Northern Ireland Office]]. She was [[Minister of State]] at the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Justice]] and [[Government Equalities Office]] under Gordon Brown. Following the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], Eagle became [[Solicitor General for England and Wales|Shadow Solicitor General for England and Wales]]. She served in the [[Shadow cabinet]] as [[Shadow Transport Secretary]], [[Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary]], [[Shadow Defence Secretary]] and finally [[Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary]]. She [[2016 British shadow cabinet resignations|resigned]] from the [[Corbyn shadow cabinet]] in June 2016. She returned to the frontbench as Shadow Minister for Procurement in 2023.

==Early life and career==
Maria Eagle was born on 17 February 1961 in [[Bridlington]],<ref name="Own bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.angelaeaglemp.co.uk/biography.php|title=The Biography of Angela Eagle|year=2008|publisher=Angela Eagle|access-date=17 October 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514085104/http://www.angelaeaglemp.co.uk/biography.php|archive-date=14 May 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> the daughter of Shirley (''{{nee}}'' Kirk), a factory worker, and André Eagle, a print worker.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angelaeagle.co.uk/bio|title=Biography|access-date=12 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702083306/http://www.angelaeagle.co.uk/bio|archive-date=2 July 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7bwC2rhYKYUC|title=Westminster Women|first1=L.|last1=McDougall|first2=Linda|last2=McDougall|date=31 January 2012|publisher=Random House|via=Google Books|isbn=9781448130498|access-date=26 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703085530/https://books.google.com/books?id=7bwC2rhYKYUC|archive-date=3 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> She was educated at St Peter's Church of England School in [[Formby]], [[Merseyside]] and [[Formby High School]] before attending [[Pembroke College, Oxford]], where she graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[Philosophy, politics and economics]] in 1983.<ref name="Dods">{{cite book|title=Dod's Parliamentary Companion|date=2005|publisher=Vacher Dod Publishing|pages=153|isbn=9780905702513|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KbiIAAAAMAAJ&q=%22maria+eagle%22+}}</ref>

Eagle worked in the voluntary sector from 1983 to 1990, and then went to the [[University of Law|College of Law]], [[London]], where she took her law finals in 1990, before she joined Brian Thompson & Partners in [[Liverpool]] as an [[articled clerk]] in 1990. In 1992 she became a solicitor with Goldsmith Williams in Liverpool, and later a Solicitor at Stephen Irving & Co also in Liverpool, where she remained until her election to [[Palace of Westminster|Westminster]].<ref name="Dods" />

After joining the Labour Party, Eagle was elected the secretary of the [[Crosby (UK Parliament constituency)|Crosby]] Constituency Labour Party (CLP) for two years in 1983,<ref name="ParlProf">[https://web.archive.org/web/20100609020923/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/maria-eagle/25660 Biography – Maria Eagle] UK Parliament</ref> and was also elected as the campaigns organiser with that CLP for three years in 1993.<ref name="ParlProf" />

==Parliamentary career==
At the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]], Eagle stood as the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] candidate in [[Crosby (UK Parliament constituency)|Crosby]], coming second with 25.7% of the vote behind the incumbent [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP [[Malcolm Thornton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm|title=UK General election results April 9th 1992 [Archive]|website=www.politicsresources.net|access-date=27 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724020412/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm|archive-date=24 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="electoralcalculus1992">{{cite web |title=Election Data 1992 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054418/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt |archivedate=15 October 2011 |accessdate=18 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=9 April 1992 |title=Politics Resources |url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724020412/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm |archive-date=24 July 2011 |accessdate=2010-12-06 |work=Election 1992 |publisher=Politics Resources}}</ref>

=== Backbencher ===
Prior to the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], Eagle was selected through an [[all-women shortlist]] to stand as the Labour candidate in [[Liverpool Garston]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Research Paper 01/75|url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2001/rp01-075.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061120230523/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2001/rp01-075.pdf|archive-date=20 November 2006|access-date=4 February 2009|date=22 October 2001}}</ref><ref name="independent.co.uk">{{cite news|last1=Rentoul|first1=John|last2=Ward|first2=Stephen|last3=MacIntyre|first3=Donald|date=9 January 1996|title=Labour blow as all-women lists outlawed|work=The Independent|location=London|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/labour-blow-as-allwomen-lists-outlawed-1323046.html|url-status=live|access-date=4 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925090338/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/labour-blow-as-allwomen-lists-outlawed-1323046.html|archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref> Eagle was elected to Parliament as MP for Liverpool Garston with 61.3% of the vote and a majority of 18,417.<ref name="electoralcalculus1997">{{cite web |title=Election Data 1997 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054424/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt |archivedate=15 October 2011 |accessdate=18 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref> She made her [[maiden speech]] on 17 June 1997.<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970617/debtext/70617-22.htm#70617-22_spnew1 Hansard Debates for 17 June 1997] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327091223/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970617/debtext/70617-22.htm#70617-22_spnew1 |date=27 March 2019 }} UK Parliament</ref>

She became a member of the Public Accounts Committee and in 1999 she was appointed the [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to the [[Minister of State]] at the [[Department of Health and Social Care|Department of Health]], [[John Hutton, Baron Hutton of Furness|John Hutton]]. Her proposed ban on [[mink]] fur farming was defeated as a [[Private member's bill]] but subsequently picked up by the government and enacted as the [[Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000]].<ref name="BBC profile">{{cite news|title=Maria Eagle: Political Profile|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2119462.stm|access-date=9 November 2015|publisher=BBC|date=21 October 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223164316/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2119462.stm|archive-date=23 February 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

Eagle was re-elected as MP for Liverpool Garston at the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]] with an increased vote share of 61.4% and a decreased majority of 12,494.<ref name="electoralcalculus2001">{{cite web |title=Election Data 2001 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054450/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt |archivedate=15 October 2011 |accessdate=18 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref>

=== Government minister ===
[[File:Maria Eagle 2.jpg|left|thumb|Official portrait, 2007]]
Eagle was promoted to the [[Premiership of Tony Blair|Tony Blair government]] following the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]] as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the [[Department for Work and Pensions]].

At the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], Eagle was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 54% and a decreased majority of 7,193.<ref name="electoralcalculus2005">{{cite web |title=Election Data 2005 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054249/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt |archivedate=15 October 2011 |accessdate=18 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref> Following the election, she was the [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Families and Wellbeing|Minister for Children]] at the Department for Education and Skills, until the May 2006 reshuffle moved her to [[Northern Ireland Office|Northern Ireland]], where she was minister for [[Department for Employment and Learning|Employment and Learning]].

Eagle was moved to the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Justice]] when Gordon Brown became [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] in June 2007. In September 2008, she was nominated for Stonewall Politician of the Year for her work to support equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.lesbilicious.co.uk/stonewall-awards-shortlist-announced |title=Stonewall Awards shortlist announced |date=23 September 2008 |journal=Lesbilicious |first=Milly |last=Shaw |access-date=27 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130420154434/http://www.lesbilicious.co.uk/stonewall-awards-shortlist-announced |archive-date=20 April 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> As part of the government reshuffle in October 2008, she assumed additional responsibility for [[Government Equalities Office|Equalities]]. In the June 2009 reshuffle, she was promoted to [[Minister of State]].<ref name="ParlProf" />

===Expenses controversy===
On 17 May 2009, during the [[United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal]], ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' revealed that Eagle had claimed £3,500 for the refurbishment of the bathroom of her Liverpool home, then switched her second home designation to a different property four months later. Eagle voted in favour of legislation which would have kept MPs' expenses information secret.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sawer|first=Patrick|date=17 May 2009|title=Maria Eagle: bathroom renovated on expenses before flat was 'flipped'|work=Daily Telegraph|location=London|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5336468/Maria-Eagle-bathroom-renovated-on-expenses-before-flat-was-flipped.html|url-status=live|access-date=12 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529173136/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5336468/Maria-Eagle-bathroom-renovated-on-expenses-before-flat-was-flipped.html|archive-date=29 May 2010}}</ref>

=== In opposition ===
[[File:Official portrait of Maria Eagle crop 2.jpg|left|thumb|Official portrait, 2017]]
Prior to the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], Eagle's constituency of [[Liverpool Garston]] was abolished, and replaced with [[Garston and Halewood]]. At the 2010 general election, Eagle was elected to Parliament as MP for Garston and Halewood with 59.5% of the vote and a majority of 16,877.<ref name="electoralcalculus2010">{{cite web |title=Election Data 2010 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt |archive-date=26 July 2013 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref>

Following the election, she served in interim Labour leader [[Harriet Harman]]'s frontbench as [[Shadow Solicitor General for England and Wales]] and Shadow Minister for Justice.<ref name="ParlProf" /><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120509200752/http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/thornberry-among-new-labour-front-benchers/ Thornberry among new Labour front benchers]}} ePolitix.com, 28 May 2010</ref><ref>[http://www2.labour.org.uk/opposition-front-bench Opposition Front Bench] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605014712/http://www2.labour.org.uk/opposition-front-bench|date=5 June 2010}} Labour Party</ref> In October 2010 Eagle was elected to the [[Shadow cabinet]] of new Labour Party leader [[Ed Miliband]] as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport in the [[2010 Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election|Labour Party Shadow Cabinet election]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11484352 Cooper tops shadow cabinet vote] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007042210/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11484352 |date=7 October 2010 }} BBC News, 7 October 2010</ref>

In February 2013, she voted in favour in the House of Commons Second Reading vote on marriage equality in Britain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130205/debtext/130205-0004.htm |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 05 Feb 2013 (pt 0004) |at=5 Feb 2013 : Column 231 |access-date=27 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115021159/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130205/debtext/130205-0004.htm |archive-date=15 November 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], Eagle was re-elected as MP for Garston and Halewood with an increased vote share of 69.1% and an increased majority of 27,146.<ref name="electoralcalculus">{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref><ref name="2015 result">{{cite news |title=Garston & Halewood |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000708 |access-date=10 May 2015 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

Eagle was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Defence in September 2015 by newly elected Labour leader [[Jeremy Corbyn]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeremy Corbyn announces new Shadow Cabinet appointments|url=http://press.labour.org.uk/post/129068026019/jeremy-corbyn-announces-new-shadow-cabinet|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611100606/http://press.labour.org.uk/post/129068026019/jeremy-corbyn-announces-new-shadow-cabinet|archive-date=11 June 2016|access-date=27 May 2016|website=Labour Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/live-jeremy-corbyn-makes-finishing-touches-to-labours-shadow-cabinet-10499453.html |title=Jeremy Corbyn shadow Cabinet live: Labour leader under fire after ignoring women for top jobs |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=14 September 2015 |at=14 Sept |access-date=14 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915072554/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/live-jeremy-corbyn-makes-finishing-touches-to-labours-shadow-cabinet-10499453.html |archive-date=15 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> She said she was surprised by her appointment as she had disagreed with Corbyn's advocacy of unilateral nuclear disarmament and supported the renewal of the [[Trident (UK nuclear programme)|Trident]] nuclear weapons system.<ref name="NSTrident">{{cite news|last1=Eaton|first1=George|title=Maria Eagle on nuclear disarmament: "I'm not ruling it out"|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/10/maria-eagle-nuclear-disarmament-i-m-not-ruling-it-out|access-date=9 November 2015|publisher=New Statesman|date=14 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121212242/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2015/10/maria-eagle-nuclear-disarmament-i-m-not-ruling-it-out|archive-date=21 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Tasked with leading Labour's defence review, she said she would not rule out the possibility of it recommending unilateral disarmament.<ref name="NSTrident" /> However, she described Corbyn commenting he would not countenance using a nuclear deterrent as "unhelpful" to the policy process.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dathan|first1=Matt|title=Jeremy Corbyn's ability to become Prime Minister questioned by shadow defence secretary|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyn-labour-party-conference-trident-shadow-defence-secretary-maria-eagle-a6673811.html|access-date=9 November 2015|publisher=Independent|date=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151103165535/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyn-labour-party-conference-trident-shadow-defence-secretary-maria-eagle-a6673811.html|archive-date=3 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2016, Eagle was moved to the position of [[Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/06/labour-reshuffle-thornberry-replaces-eagle-for-defence-mcfadden-sacked-and-benn-stays |author1-last=Mason |author1-first=Rowena |author2-last=Perraudin |author2-first=Frances |title=Labour reshuffle: Thornberry replaces Eagle for defence, McFadden sacked and Benn stays |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=6 January 2016 |access-date=27 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614102028/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/06/labour-reshuffle-thornberry-replaces-eagle-for-defence-mcfadden-sacked-and-benn-stays |archive-date=14 June 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> She resigned from the shadow cabinet on 27 June 2016 in the [[2016 British shadow cabinet resignations|mass resignation of the Shadow Cabinet]] following the Brexit referendum.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/26/labour-shadow-cabinet-resignations-jeremy-corbyn-who-has-gone |author-last1=Syal |author-first=Rajeev |author2-last=Perraudin |author2-first=Frances |title=Shadow cabinet resignations: who has gone and who is staying |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=27 June 2016 |access-date=27 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722213447/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/26/labour-shadow-cabinet-resignations-jeremy-corbyn-who-has-gone |archive-date=22 July 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

She supported [[Owen Smith]] in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the [[2016 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2016 Labour leadership election]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2016/07/which-mps-and-meps-have-nominated-owen-smith/|title=Full list of MPs and MEPs backing challenger Owen Smith|date=2016-07-21|website=LabourList|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715214543/https://labourlist.org/2016/07/which-mps-and-meps-have-nominated-owen-smith/|archive-date=15 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the snap [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], Eagle was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 77.7% and an increased majority of 32,149.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Ged |date=May 11, 2017 |title=Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll |url=http://liverpool.gov.uk/media/1356173/sopn-nop-garston-halewood.docx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014113109/http://liverpool.gov.uk/media/1356173/sopn-nop-garston-halewood.docx |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2023 |publisher=Acting Returning Officer |format=DOCX |publication-place=Liverpool, England}}</ref> She was again re-elected at the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]], with a decreased vote share of 72.3% and a decreased majority of 31,624.<ref>{{cite web |last=Reeves |first=Tony |date=November 14, 2019 |title=Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll |url=https://liverpool.gov.uk/media/1358587/garston-halewood-sopn.docx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129071457/https://liverpool.gov.uk/media/1358587/garston-halewood-sopn.docx |archive-date=November 29, 2021 |access-date=December 24, 2023 |publisher=Acting Returning Officer |format=DOCX |publication-place=Liverpool, England}}</ref>

She is a supporter of [[Labour Friends of Israel]].<ref>{{cite news |title=LFI Supporters In Parliament |url=https://www.lfi.org.uk/in-parliament/ |access-date=11 March 2020 |work=Labour Friends of Israel}}</ref>

On 15 February 2023, she was appointed as a member of the [[Privy Council (United Kingdom)|Privy Council]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-15-List-of-Business.pdf |title=Orders Approved and Business Transacted at the Privy Council held by the King at Buckingham Palace |date=15 February 2023 |publisher=Privy Council of the United Kingdom |access-date=21 February 2023 |archive-date=21 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221022512/https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-15-List-of-Business.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle]], she was appointed Shadow Minister for Procurement.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet our Shadow Cabinet |url=https://labour.org.uk/people/shadow-cabinet/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=The Labour Party |language=en}}</ref>

===Return to government===
Due to the [[2023 review of Westminster constituencies]], Eagle's constituency of Garston and Halewood was abolished, and replaced with [[Liverpool Garston]]. At the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]], Eagle was elected to Parliament as MP for Liverpool Garston with 58.4% of the vote and a majority of 20,104.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001337 Liverpool Garston</ref> She was appointed as [[Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry]] on 8 July.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minister of State (Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry) |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--179 |website=UK Government |access-date=30 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministerial Appointments: July 2024 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-july-2024 |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2024, Eagle voted in favour of the [[Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill]], which proposes to legalise [[Assisted suicide in the United Kingdom|assisted suicide]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading |url=https://votes.parliament.uk/votes/commons/division/1877 |website=Votes in Parliament |date=29 November 2024}}</ref>

Eagle left the government in the [[2025 British cabinet reshuffle]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-06 |title=Ministerial appointments: September 2025 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-5-september-2025 |access-date=2025-09-07 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Following her initial election, Eagle joined her twin sister [[Angela Eagle|Angela]] in Parliament.{{efn|They are sometimes incorrectly described as the first set of twins to sit in the Commons at the same time;<ref name="NSTrident" /> in fact the first set of twins is believed to have been [[James Grenville, 1st Baron Glastonbury|James]] and [[Richard Grenville (British Army officer)|Richard Grenville]], who sat together for [[Buckingham (UK Parliament constituency)|Buckingham]] between 1774 and 1780.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/periods/hanoverians/twins-parliament-grenvilles-and-buckingham-borough-1774|title=Twins in Parliament: the Grenvilles and Buckingham Borough, 1774|first=Stephen|last=Farrell|website=The History of Parliament Online|access-date=10 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609185704/http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/periods/hanoverians/twins-parliament-grenvilles-and-buckingham-borough-1774|archive-date=9 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>}} Maria describes herself as "the straight one", while Angela is a lesbian.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2007/11/26/interview-maria-eagle-defends-homophobic-incitement-law/|title=Interview: Maria Eagle defends homophobic incitement law|date=26 November 2007 |access-date=11 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326090640/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2007/11/26/interview-maria-eagle-defends-homophobic-incitement-law/|archive-date=26 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Publications==

* ''[https://digital.library.lse.ac.uk/Documents/Detail/high-time-or-high-tide-for-labour-women-1998/120304 High Time or High Tide for Labour Women?]'' by Maria Eagle and Joni Lovenduski, 1998, Fabian Society Books, {{ISBN|0-7163-0585-2}}, {{OCLC|39267019}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://archive.today/20130421010946/http://www.mariaeaglemp.co.uk/ Maria Eagle MP] official website{{UK MP links | parliament = maria-eagle/483 | hansard = ms-maria-eagle | hansardcurr = 3065 | guardian = 1522/maria-eagle | publicwhip = Maria_Eagle | theywork = maria_eagle | record = Maria-Eagle/Garston-and-Halewood/128 | bbc = 25660.stm | journalisted = }}

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{{s-non|reason=Constituency abolished}}
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{{Labour Party UK MPs}}
{{Miliband Shadow Cabinet}}
{{Labour Party shadow cabinet election, 2010}}
{{One Nation Labour}}
{{Shadow Defence Secretaries}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eagle, Maria}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century British women politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English politicians]]
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[[Category:Alumni of Pembroke College, Oxford]]
[[Category:English identical twins]]
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