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James Murphy (born 23 August, 1967 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of East Renfrewshire and is the Minister of State for Europe, appointed by Gordon Brown on 28 June 2007.

Career

From 1992 to 1994, Murphy was President of the National Union of Students in Scotland, having attended Strathclyde University. He was then elected in 1994 as President of the UK NUS, serving until 1996. Under his leadership in 1995, the NUS dropped its opposition to the abolition of the student grant in line with the Labour Party's policies. Subsequently Murphy was condemned by a House of Commons Early Day Motion signed by 17 Labour MPs for 'intolerant and dictatorial behaviour' shortly before being elected to Parliament.

At the 1997 general election, he was elected as MP for the Eastwood constituency, winning the formerly Conservative-held seat with a majority: 3236.

From 2000 to 2001, he was a member of the Public Accounts Committee, which oversees public expenditure. In March 2001, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Helen Liddell, the Secretary of State for Scotland.

At the 2001 general election he was re-elected as MP for Eastwood, with an increased majority of 9141.

In June 2002, he was appointed as a government whip, with responsibility for the Scotland Office, Scottish Group of Labour MPs and the Northern Ireland Office. His responsibilities were changed in November 2002 to cover the Department of Trade and Industry instead of the Northern Ireland Office, and in June 2003 to cover the Scotland Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department for International Development.

For the 2005 general election, the Eastwood constituency was renamed East Renfrewshire, although the boundaries were unchanged. Murphy was re-elected with a majority of 6657 and promoted to ministerial, rank as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Cabinet Office. His responsibilities included egovernment, better regulation and public service modernisation.

He was promoted in May 2006 to Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, with responsibilities includeing employment, welfare reform and child poverty. In early 2006 Murphy helped pilot through Parliament the bill which became the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006, which critics claim will seriously weaken Parliamentary democracy.

In June 2007, the new Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed Murphy as Minister of State for Europe. His main responsibility is in negotiating the final wording of the EU Reform Treaty which in October 2007 may become a new Treaty of Lisbon.

The EU Reform Treaty/Revived EU Constitution/Treaty of Lisbon

Following the European Council meeting in June 2007 Jim Murphy's main responsibility is in negotiating the final wording of the EU Constitution/Reform Treaty that in October 2007 may become a new Treaty of Lisbon. This is a difficult political task as he needs to be able to circumvent the Labour Party's 2005 manifesto commitment to a referendum on the EU Constitution: "We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign wholeheartedly for a Yes vote." Murphy has so far done this by arguing that "the Constitutional concept has been abandoned". However, others such as the think tank Open Europe disagree publishing analyses that they claim demonstrates that (minus the EU flag and anthem) the new document is exactly the same as the old rejected Constitution. Murphy also argues that the Tony Blair negotiated to safeguard four "red line" opt outs and that this makes the Reform Treaty "a more modest, practical, Reform Treaty" when compared to the old Constitution. The Conservatives have tried to argue that the 'red lines' do not hold water and point to what Tony Blair set out should happen if the rejected EU Constitution was to be brought back: "What you cannot do is have a situation where you get a rejection of the treaty and bring it back with a few amendments and say, Have another go'. You cannot do that".

Labour Party Groups

As a Government Minister, Murphy's membership of these groups is suspended in line with the Ministerial Code. He can still attend their meetings in Parliament.

• Vice Chair Labour’s Departmental Treasury Committee (1997 - 2001)
• Vice Chair Labour’s Departmental Culture, Media and Sport Committee (1997 - 2001)
• Member of Labour’s Northern Ireland Committee
• Chair Labour Friends of Israel (2000-2002)

Notes and references

1. Guardian (2007-06-29): Profile: Jim Murphy
2. Early day motion 991, 1995 - 1996 Session
3. "UK general election result, May 1997: Eastwood". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
4. "UK general election result, June 2001: Eastwood". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
5. "UK general election result, May 2005: Eastwood". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
6. Finkelstein, Daniel (15 February 2006). "How I woke up to a nightmare plot to steal centuries of law and liberty". The Times. Retrieved 2007-10-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
7. "The Labour Party Manifesto 2005" (PDF). The Labour Party. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
8. "Hansard, 23 July 2007: Column 602-607". Retrieved 2007-10-21.
9. http://www.openeurope.org.uk
10. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200607/ldselect/ldeucom/142/7071202.htm
11. "Murphy: Is Europe ready for global challenges". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. 7 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
12. "EU red lines unravelling - Tories". BBC News Online. 2 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)}
13. Tony Blair, Independent, 23 April 2004

• "Jim Murphy MP". Guardian Unlimited Politics. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
• "Jim Murphy MP career". Guardian Unlimited Politics. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
• "Jim Murphy Profile". BBC News. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
• "Jim Murphy Interview". Public Finance. Retrieved 2006-05-09.

External links

• Jim Murphy MP official site
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Jim Murphy MP official profile
• Jim Murphy's Welfare Reform and Child Poverty blog comment on welfare reform and child poverty related issues
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask aristotle: Jim Murphy MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Jim Murphy MP
• BBC News - Jim Murphy profile 10 February, 2005
• SourceWatch -Jim Murphy MP - a fully referenced profile

• 1967 births
• Living people
• East Renfrewshire
• Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for Scottish constituencies
• People from East Renfrewshire
• NUS presidents
• Alumni of the University of Strathclyde
• Labour MPs (UK)
• UK MPs 1997-2001
• UK MPs 2001-2005
• UK MPs 2005-
• Roman Catholic politicians