Lewis Moonie

Lewis George Moonie, Baron Moonie (born 25 February 1947 in Dundee) is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament (MP) for Kirkcaldy from 1987 to 2005.

The Right Honourable The Lord Moonie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence
In office 31 January 2001 – 13 June 2003
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Sec. of State	Geoff Hoon
Preceded by	Peter Kilfoyle
Succeeded by	Ivor Caplin
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 June 2005 Life Peerage
Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy
In office 12 June 1987 – 11 April 2005
Preceded by	Harry Gourlay
Succeeded by	Constituency Abolished
Personal details
Born	25 February 1947 Dundee, Scotland
Nationality	Scottish
Political party	Independent (2019–) Labour Co-operative (until 2019)
Spouse(s)	Sheila Ann Burt
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh University of St Andrews

Early life

He attended the Grove Academy in Dundee. He studied medicine at the Bute Medical School, University of St Andrews graduating with a MB ChB in 1970. In 1981 he graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a MSc in community medicine. He also became DPM in 1975, MRCPsych in 1979 and MFCM in 1984. From 1982 to 1986, he was a councillor on Fife Regional Council.

Medical career

From 1973 to 1975 he was a trainee registrar in psychiatry. From 1975 to 1980 he was a research clinical pharmacologist and a medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Edinburgh. From 1980 to 1984, he was a trainee in community medicine for the Fife Health Board, becoming a Community Medicine Specialist from 1984 to 1987.

Parliamentary career

He was elected at the 1987 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kirkcaldy, and served until he retired from the House of Commons at the 2005 general election. He served as a junior minister at the Ministry of Defence.

On 13 May 2005 it was announced that he would be created a life peer, and on 22 June 2005 the peerage was gazetted as Baron Moonie, of Bennochy in Fife.[1]

The 'Cash for Influence' Scandal

In late-January 2009 The Sunday Times involved Lord Moonie in a classic 'sting operation'. Along with three other Labour peers, Lord Moonie was approached by a reporter. Of the four, Lord Moonie was the only one subsequently cleared by the House of Lords Sub-committee on Lords' Interests.

In the newspaper sting, "Moonie said he would contact Healey and offered to identify people who could put down an amendment." He quoted an annual fee for his assistance of £30,000. Lord Moonie is quoted as saying "I did not agree to amend the legislation. I agreed to seek to help to find a way of trying to amend the legislation."[2]

The House of Lords Sub-committee on Lords' Interests was asked to report on the matter. It found that "on the standard of proof that we have set, we do not find that Lord Moonie expressed a clear willingness to breach the Code by promoting amendments on behalf of lobbyists in return for payment." [3]

The Lords' Privileges Committee considered the sub-committee's report. It published its findings on 14 May 2009. It agreed that Lord Moonie had not breached the code.[4]

Personal life

He married Sheila Ann Burt on 28 December 1971. They have two sons.

References

1. "No. 57685". The London Gazette. 27 June 2005. p. 8317.
2. Whispered over tea and cake: price for a peer to fix the law, Sunday Times, 25 January 2009
3. Lords Sub-Committee on Lords Interests Report
4. The Conduct of Lord Moonie, Lord Snape, Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn Lords Privileges Committee Report

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lewis Moonie
• They Work For You
• Ask Aristotle
• Twitter Account

News items

• Accused of misleading MPs in July 2000
• Becoming a junior minister in February 2000