Jacqui Lait | |
|---|---|
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 14 September 2001 – 10 November 2003 | |
| Leader | Iain Duncan Smith |
| Preceded by | George Robertson[a] |
| Succeeded by | Peter Duncan |
| Member of Parliament forBeckenham | |
| In office 20 November 1997 – 12 April 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Piers Merchant |
| Succeeded by | Bob Stewart |
| Member of Parliament forHastings and Rye | |
| In office 9 April 1992 – 8 April 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Kenneth Warren |
| Succeeded by | Michael Foster |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1947-12-16)16 December 1947 (age 77) Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Peter Jones |
| Alma mater | University of Strathclyde |
| a.^ Office vacant from 2 May 1997 to 14 September 2001 | |
Jacqueline Anne Harkness Lait (born 16 December 1947) is a BritishConservative Party politician and formerMember of Parliament (MP) for the constituencies ofHastings and Rye (1992–1997) andBeckenham (1997–2010).
Lait was born inPaisley,Renfrewshire, attendingPaisley Grammar School and theUniversity of Strathclyde, where she received abachelor's degree in business management. After graduating, Lait worked inpublic relations for thejute industry in Dundee later working for the television news agencyVisnews. Lait worked for the Government Information Service and later theDepartment of Employment in 1974. In 1980, Lait joined the Chemical Industries Association as parliamentary adviser. She has also run her own parliamentary consultancy.[citation needed]
Lait was a candidate forStrathclyde West for the1984 European elections and the following year stood in theby-election forTyne Bridge where she finished in third place behindDavid Clelland andRod Kenyon. She was selected as the Conservative candidate forHastings and Rye in April 1991.[citation needed]
Lait won the Hastings and Rye seat in the1992 general election and in 1996 became the first female ConservativeWhip. She lost her seat at the1997 general election, following a dispute with localfishermen, but later in the same year was elected MP forBeckenham via aby-election following the resignation ofPiers Merchant.
Upon the election of the new Conservative leaderIain Duncan Smith inSeptember 2001, Lait was appointedShadow Secretary of State for Scotland.[1] The position had been vacant since 1997 as the Conservatives had no representation in the UK Parliament from Scottish constituencies. AfterMichael Howard replaced Duncan Smith as Conservative leader inNovember 2003, hereshuffled the shadow cabinet, appointingPeter Duncan, who was elected to the Scottish constituencyGalloway and Upper Nithsdale in the2001 election, as Shadow Scottish Secretary while reassigning Lait to serve as shadow Home Affairs Minister. A reshuffle after the2005 general election saw her appointed as shadowMinister for London. Two years later, she received the additional duties of shadowMinister for Planning underDavid Cameron's leadership.
During theUnited Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal, she was discovered to have over-claimed for the mortgage interest on her second home, and was ordered to pay back over £7,000.[2]
Lait stood down as an MP at the2010 general election.[3]
Lait is married to Peter Jones, former leader ofEast Sussex County Council.[4]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forHastings and Rye 1992–1997 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forBeckenham 1997 –2010 | Succeeded by |
| Vacant Title last held by George Robertson (1993–97) | ShadowSecretary of State for Scotland 2001–2003 | Succeeded by |
