Eric Illsley

Biography:

Eric Illsley was re-elected MP for Barnsley Central in May 2010 with a majority of 11,093.

In 2011 he was convicted of charges related to the Parliamentary expenses scandal; he resigned his seat shortly after his conviction.

Eric was born in a council house in Kendray, a district of Barnsley, on the 9th April 1955. Apart from at university he has always lived in Barnsley.

Eric attended Hunningley Lane Junior School and Agnes Road Junior School where he passed my eleven plus exam and went to what was then the Holgate Grammar School for boys. Eric then worked for a year at a local company, Qualter Hall & Co, before going to Leeds University gaining a degree in law.

Eric began work for the National Union of Mineworkers in 1978 as a compensation officer and in 1982 transferred to administrative duties and in 1985 became the Head of the Union’s General Department. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Barnsley Central for the first time on the 11th June 1987.

Eric had joined the Labour Party in 1979 and held the position of Treasurer and Secretary of the local party during the 1980’s. He was also Treasurer of the Barnsley District Labour Party and I was Secretary of the Yorkshire South European Labour Party.

During his Parliamentary career he was a member of the Energy Select Committee until 1991 when he entered the Opposition Whips office. He also served on the Select Committee on Televising the House of Commons and on the Procedure Committee of which he is still a member.

In 1994 Eric was appointed Opposition NHS spokesman and then spokesman on Local Government. Between 1995 and 1997 he was spokesman on Northern Ireland.

In 1997 Eric was appointed to the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs. In 1999 he was appointed to the Speaker’s Panel of Chairmen. This involves chairing Standing Committees dealing with legislation, delegated legislation and Grand Committees.

He is a member of the Department of Work & Pensions, Foreign Affairs and Culture, Media & Sport backbench committees and for a number of years he has been Treasurer of the Yorkshire Group of Labour MPs. He is Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Packaging Manufacturing. This interest stems from Barnsley’s long association with the glass industry. He is also Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Occupational Pensions Group as well as a Council Member of Parliament’s oldest committee, the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee.

He is a member of the Caravan Club Council. The Caravan Club is an organisation that represents the interests of over 850 000 caravanners and provides a wide range of services. Needless to say, he takes a keen interest in caravanning issues as have been an active caravanner for many years.

Eric married his wife, Dawn, in September 1978 and he has two daughters, both now grown up.

Constituency: Barnsley Central

Constituency Address:

Date of Birth: 9 April 1955

Party: Labour

Westminster Tel: