Jean Mann

Jean Mann JP (née Stewart; 2 July 1889 – 21 March 1964) was a Scottish Labour Party politician and a campaigner for better housing and planning. She was the third female Labour MP in Scotland.

Jean Mann JP
Jean Mann (1946)
Member of Parliament for Coatbridge and Airdrie Coatbridge (1945-50)
In office 5 July 1945 – 8 October 1959
Preceded by	James Barr
Succeeded by	James Dempsey
Personal details
Born	Jean Stewart 2 July 1889[1]
Died	21 March 1964 (aged 74)
Political party	Labour
Other political affiliations	Ind. Labour Party
Children	Five

Early life

In September 1941, the Scottish Branch of the Housing and Town Planning Association organised a conference in Largs to draw attention to the Scottish evidence to the Barlow Commission on the Distribution of the Industrial Population (1940). The conference papers and proceedings were afterwards published in a book titled Replanning Scotland which was edited by Jean Mann.[2]

Parliamentary career

In the Labour landslide at the 1945 general election, Mann was elected as Member of Parliament for Coatbridge. After she had taken the oath, it was realised that her position on the Rent Tribunals under the Rent of Furnished Houses Control (Scotland) Act 1943 was remunerated and that she therefore might hold an 'office of profit under the Crown' which would disqualify her from election. A Select Committee was established[3] which reported that her election was invalid; a Bill[4] was rushed through validating it and indemnifying her from the consequences of acting as an MP while disqualified.[5]

On 19 February 1947, Mann introduced the epithet "twerp" to the House of Commons when referring to a character in the popular radio comedy programme ITMA, during a debate on supplementary estimates.[6][7]

Bibliography

• Mann, Jean (Ed.) (1941), Replanning Scotland, Town and Country Planning Association (Scotland).
• Mann, Jean (1962). Woman in Parliament. London: Oldhams Press.

References

1. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-50056
2. Rosenburg, Lou (2016), Scotland's Homes Fit for Heroes: Garden City Influences on the Development of Working Class Housing 1900 to 1939, The Word Bank, Edinburgh, pp. 234-236
3. HC Deb 17 August 1945 vol 413 cc272-3
4. The Coatbridge and Springburn Elections (Validation) Bill
5. The Coatbridge and Springburn Elections (Validation) Act 1945, (9 & 10 George 6.) 3.
6. Mann, Jean, MPfor Coatbridge (19 February 1947). "Civil Estimates, Supplementary Estimate, 1946–47: Broadcasting". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 433. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 1249. The comedians of the B.B.C. seem content with smutty sex jokes. Today, 70 per cent. of their wireless programmes are based on jokes of this kind. If families are sitting with us we feel we want to switch off. The greatest insult of all to Scotland is the introduction of a Scots girl to "Itma" who is supposed to he falling head over heels for a little "twerp" called "The Governor."
7. "B.B.C. Comedian Called a "Twerp"". The Canberra Times. 21 (6200). 21 February 1947. p. 1 – via Trove. The word "twerp," was heard for the first time in the House of Commons when Mrs. Jean Mann, during the debate on the supplementary estimates, used it in referring to the B.B.C.'s most publicised comedian Tommy Handley, in his programme, entitled "Itma.

• Centre for the Advancement of Women in Politics: Jean Mann
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Jean Mann