Gwyneth (Patricia) Dunwoody (born in Fulham, London on 12 December 1930), is the longest-serving woman Member of the United Kingdom Parliament, having been the Labour Party MP for Exeter between 1966 and 1970, then MP for Crewe from 1974 to 1983 then following boundary changes, for the Crewe and Nantwich constituency since 1983. She was also a member of the European Parliament between 1975 and 1979, at a time when MEPs were nominated by national parliaments — MEPs have been directly elected since 1979.
As a member for a constituency with a strong connection with the railway industry, she has considerable expertise on transport matters and has been Chair of the House of Commons' Transport Select Committee since 1997; in this role she has been a thorn in the flesh of the government, and an attempt by the Government Whips to remove her from the Chair of the TSC after the 2001 General Election led to a revolt by back-bench members of Parliament, which led to her reinstatement.
She belongs to an experienced political dynasty: her father, Morgan Phillips , was General Secretary of the Labour Party; her husband, John Dunwoody , whom she later divorced, was also elected as a Labour MP in 1966; while their daughter, Tamsin Dunwoody-Kneafsey, is a member of the National Assembly for Wales.
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Last updated: 08-22-2005 08:06:52
