{{Short description|British politician (born 1951)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Use British English|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Gordon Prentice | honorific_suffix = | image = Gordon Prentice 2007.jpg | caption = Prentice in 2007 | office = Member of Parliament <br /> for Pendle | parliament = | majority = | predecessor = John Lee | successor = Andrew Stephenson | term_start = 9 April 1992 | term_end = 12 April 2010 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|01|28|df=yes}} | birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Bridget Corr|1975|2000|end = divorced}} * {{marriage|Heather Halliday|2011}} }} | party = Labour | alma_mater = University of Glasgow | occupation = Council Leader (1986–1988) <br /> Member of Parliament (1992–2010) }} '''Gordon Prentice''' (born 28 January 1951) is a British-Canadian<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newmarketvotes.ca/en/candidates/registered-candidates/candidate-profile-gordon-prentice/|accessdate=6 August 2024|title=Candidate Profile Gordon Prentice|website=Newmarket Votes}}</ref> former politician of the Labour Party who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pendle in Lancashire from 1992 to 2010.
==Early life== He was educated at the independent George Heriot's School in Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow, where he received an MA in Politics and Economics in 1975, and was president of the union.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.gla.ac.uk/alumni/ouralumni/lifeafterglasgow/notablealumni/|title=ALUMNI|website=www.gla.ac.uk|access-date=24 June 2022}}</ref> He then worked for the Labour Party Policy Directorate from 1982 to 1992.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/press-1991-97/page/n17/mode/2up|title=Gordon Prentice MP press releases 1991 97|website=archive.org|date=5 January 2022|access-date=14 August 2022}}</ref>
Prior to becoming an MP, Prentice was the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council from 1986 to 1988.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2123430.stm|title=Gordon Prentice|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=17 October 2002|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5822290.mp-spread-wings/|title=How MP spread his wing|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=27 August 2004|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/mps/712.shtml|title=Gordon Prentice|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=1997|access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
==Parliamentary career== Prentice was initially selected as the prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) for Pendle in October 1990, and was first elected at the 1992 general election with a majority of 2,113.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/press-1991-97/page/n25/mode/2up|title=Gordon Prentice MP press releases 1991 97|website=archive.org|date=5 January 2022|access-date=16 May 2022}}</ref> At the same election his wife Bridget Prentice was elected MP for Lewisham East; both having defeated Conservative incumbents. He delivered his maiden speech a month later, on 13 May, in a debate on the economy, in which he wished his predecessor well for the future.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=1992-05-13a.621.4#Gordon%20Prentice|title=Orders of the Day — The Economy|website=theyworkforyou.com|date=13 May 1992|access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref> Prentice held the constituency at the 1997 general election with a greatly increased majority of 10,824, the largest ever in Pendle and its predecessor constituency of Nelson and Colne.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6180229.largest-ever-majority/|title=Largest ever majority|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=15 May 1997|access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6180959.record-show-staggers-mp/|title=Record show staggers MP|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=7 May 1997|access-date=22 June 2022}}</ref> However, his majority was reduced to 4,275 at the 2001 general election and to 2,180 in 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6026112.majority-cut-turnout-plunges/|title=Majority cut as turnout plunges|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=8 June 2001|access-date=23 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5785253.prentice-sees-majority-cut-half/|title=Prentice sees majority cut by half|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=9 May 2005|access-date=23 June 2022}}</ref>
In 1999, Prentice introduced a Right to Roam Bill as a private member's bill, which aimed to establish a freedom to roam over certain upland and uncultivated areas of England and Wales. This became law in November 2000 as the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lgcplus.com/archive/right-to-roam-bill-wins-some-ministerial-support-10-02-1999/|title=RIGHT TO ROAM BILL WINS SOME MINISTERIAL SUPPORT|website=www.lgcplus.com|date=10 February 1999|access-date=24 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/291283.stm|title=Ministers backtrack on right to roam|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=8 March 1999|access-date=24 March 2022}}</ref>
Prentice campaigned against fox hunting and in May 2000 tabled an amendment to the government's Hunting Bill, vowing not to withdraw it unless the government gave a "cast-iron statement" that promised to introduce legislation before the next election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/771557.stm|title=MP presses for fox hunt ban|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=31 May 2000|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref> This resulted in protests outside his constituency office in Nelson in July 2000, despite protesters knowing he was in London.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6075472.mps-attack-pro-hunt-lobby/|title=MP's attack on pro hunt lobby|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=7 July 2000|access-date=1 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6075473.prentice-blasts-bully-boy-demo/|title=Prentice blasts 'bully boy' demo|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=8 July 2000|access-date=1 April 2021}}</ref> By 2002, Prentice was campaigning for fox hunting with dogs to be completely banned, asking the government to bring back the previous year's bill and to force it through parliament.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5979045.prentice-fights-total-ban/|title=Prentice fights on for total ban|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=20 March 2002|access-date=25 June 2022}}</ref> He later became a target of the Countryside Alliance, who named him top of a "most wanted" list published in December 2003 and attempted to remove him as an MP at the next election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5866278.mp-tops-hunters-most-wanted-list/|title=MP tops hunters' 'most wanted' list|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=18 December 2003|access-date=25 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5807479.pro-hunt-lobby-target-pendle-mp/|title=Pro-hunt lobby to target Pendle MP|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=22 November 2004|access-date=25 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/7995150.pro-hunting-lobby-vows-to-overthrow-labour-mp/|title=Pro-hunting lobby vows to overthrow Labour MP|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=28 January 2005|access-date=25 June 2022}}</ref>
In 2000, Prentice organised hustings for the election of the Speaker of the House of Commons, and later branded the election system "a farce" when interviewed by BBC One.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6060942.election-farce-blasted-mps/|title=Election 'farce' blasted by MPs|website=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=24 October 2000|access-date=21 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2000/oct/17/parliament.uk|title=Speaker candidates issue electoral statements|website=theguardian.com|date=17 October 2000|access-date=21 June 2022}}</ref> He also said that neither ministers nor the chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party should get involved in the election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/speaker-stitch-up-accusation-6mnxh5mq9sw|title=Speaker stitch up accusation|website=The Times|date=20 October 2000|access-date=21 June 2022}}</ref>
Prentice was angrily told off by Tony Blair in October 2004, when he asked during Prime Minister's Questions if there had been any single act of renewal in the Labour Party within the ten years Blair had been the party leader. He had previously been warned by the party in 1996 when he criticised Blair's performance as opposition leader.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5812458.prentice-attacks-blair-qt/|title=Prentice attacks Blair on QT|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=28 October 2004|access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6202327.shut-else-threat-prentice/|title='Shut up or else' threat to Prentice|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=3 July 1996|access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6202471.prentice-joins-mp-atack-blair/|title=Prentice joins MP {{as written|ata|ck [sic}} on Blair|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=1 July 1996|access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref> He then subsequently pledged his support for Blair the following week.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6201774.mp-prentice-pledges-support/|title=MP Prentice pledges support|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=11 July 1996|access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref>
In 2005, Prentice was appointed to parliament's Public Administration Committee. Two years later, he called for tax-exiled peers to be removed from the House of Lords.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/nov/09/lords.uk |title=MP calls for tax-exile peers to be removed from Lords|website=theguardian.com|date=9 November 2007|access-date=9 June 2022}}</ref>
In March 2006, Prentice spoke out against the proposed merger of Lancashire Constabulary with Cumbria Constabulary. He later welcomed the merger being called off, saying it wasn’t appropriate for taxpayers in Lancashire to pay higher tax bills than those living in Cumbria.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/700168.police-feel-force-isnt/|title=Police feel Force isn't with them|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=3 March 2006|access-date=26 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/833547.police-force-merger-scrapped/|title=Police force merger scrapped|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=14 July 2006|access-date=26 June 2022}}</ref> He called for "merger rethink" in the House of Commons shortly before the plans were announced.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4774235.stm|title=MP calls for force merger rethink|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=15 May 2006|access-date=26 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/4689306.stm|title=Force merger to cost county more|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=7 February 2006|access-date=26 June 2022}}</ref> Prentice was one of the few Labour MPs not to endorse Gordon Brown for the 2007 Labour Leadership, nominating left-winger John McDonnell for the role instead.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/may/16/labourleadership.labour2|title=Who's backing John McDonnell?|website=theguardian.com|date=16 May 2007|access-date=20 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/hayes-mp-denies-plot-oust-6016041|title=Hayes MP Denies Plot To Oust Brown|website=mylondon.news|date=16 September 2008|access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref> The following year, he became the second MP (after Graham Stringer) to call for Brown to resign, remarking that "the prime minister needs different sets of skills from a Chancellor of the Exchequer".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/prentice-calls-on-gordon-brown-to-step-down-1-1685027|title=Prentice calls on Gordon Brown to step down|newspaper=Burnley Express|date=28 July 2008|access-date=7 March 2017|archive-date=8 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308133526/http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/prentice-calls-on-gordon-brown-to-step-down-1-1685027|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/prentice-gordon-must-go-985206|title=Prentice: Gordon Must Go|website=dailyrecord.co.uk|date=28 July 2008|access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7528513.stm|title=Brown should quit, says Labour MP|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=28 July 2008|access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
After allegations involving Sophie, Countess of Wessex in April 2001, Prentice stated his belief that members of the British royal family should register their financial and business interests, like MPs. He also claimed he was "shocked by revelations" involving her.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1269978.stm|title=MPs call for royal business register|newspaper=news.bbc.co.uk|date=11 April 2001|access-date=27 August 2020}}</ref>
Prentice lost his seat at the 2010 election and announced he would not stand at the next election, stating he was now a private citizen.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/8174875.Prentice__I_won_t_stand_in_Pendle_at_next_election/|title=Prentice: I won't stand in Pendle at next election |newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph |date=20 May 2010 |access-date=30 March 2017}}</ref>
==Expenses scandal== In December 2009, Prentice was criticised for claiming £2,262 for items bought at John Lewis, including £749 for a television, £649 for a fridge-freezer and other amounts for various items of furniture. Prentice also claimed mortgage payments that amounted to £19,564 in 2004–05, £20,211 in 2005–06, £21,806 in 2006–07, £20,313 in 2007–08 and £19,508 in 2008–09.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jellied eels and John Lewis bills: a flavour of how they claimed|publisher=The Sunday Telegraph|date=2009|page=24}}</ref> Following the scandal, Prentice did not claim anything for the first quarter of 2009–10.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4789802.expenses-pendle-mp-gordon-prentice-claims-19-000/|last1=Moseley|first1=Tom|title=Expenses: Pendle MP Gordon Prentice claims £19,000|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=11 December 2009|access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> Prentice was among 625 other MPs at the time who received letters regarding the scandal, and paid back £2,620 to the House of Commons due to new, retrospective rules for expenses created by an external auditor. The auditor stressed that their findings carried no implication or innuendo about the conduct or motive of MPs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/oct/12/gordon-brown-repay-mps-expenses|title=Gordon Brown ordered to repay £12,000 of expenses|website=theguardian.com|date=12 October 2009|access-date=23 October 2022}}</ref>
==Personal life== Prentice married Bridget Prentice (née Corr), later also an MP for Lewisham East, whom he had met while at university. The couple divorced in 2000 after being separated for three years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vote 2001 {{!}} Candidates|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/candidates/candidates/4/45304.stm|publisher=BBC News|date=2001|access-date=27 August 2018}}</ref> Prentice subsequently married Heather Halliday in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://paulflynnmp.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/09/gordon-prentice-marries-heather-halliday.html|title = Gordon Prentice and Heather Halliday marry|work=Paul Flynn MP|last=Flynn|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Flynn (British politician)|date=10 September 2011|access-date=6 June 2022}}</ref>
Prentice revealed in July 2008 how he had become a victim of credit card fraud two months earlier in Yorkshire, and how he lost £3,500 after his card was copied with the use of a "skimming" device.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3198521.pendle-mp-loses-thousands-credit-card-fraud/|title=Pendle MP loses thousands in credit card fraud|newspaper=lancashiretelegraph.co.uk|date=8 July 2008|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref>
Soon after losing his seat in 2010, Prentice described the moment in 1998 when he was "nearly killed" by a man wielding a sledgehammer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/8174877.Ex_Pendle_MP_Gordon_Prentice__I_thought_I_was_going_to_die/|title=Ex-Pendle MP Gordon Prentice: I thought I was going to die|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=20 May 2010 |access-date=30 March 2017}}</ref>
Following his election defeat, Prentice moved to Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://yorkregion.com/news-story/4296530-people-not-officials-should-shape-town-newmarket-blogger/|title=People, not officials, should shape town: Newmarket blogger|website=www.yorkregion.com|date=2 January 2014|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref> He ran for Deputy Mayor of Newmarket in 2022.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newmarkettoday.ca/2022-municipal-election-news/candidate-questionnaire-gordon-prentice-deputy-mayor-5870431|title=CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE: Gordon Prentice, deputy mayor|author=NewmarketToday Staff|website=newmarkettoday.ca|date=26 September 2022|access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20010517121922/http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-4253,00.html Ask Aristotle: Gordon Prentice MP], Guardian Unlimited Politics * [https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/gordon_prentice/pendle Gordon Prentice MP], TheyWorkForYou.com * [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/453.stm BBC Politics page] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080926084809/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/453.stm |date=26 September 2008 }} * [https://www.shrinkslessorsquare.ca/ Prentice's blog on Newmarket politics]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{succession box | title = Member of Parliament for Pendle | years = 1992 – 2010 | before = John Lee | after = Andrew Stephenson }} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Prentice, Gordon}} Category:1951 births Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Category:Leaders of local authorities in London Category:Living people Category:People educated at George Heriot's School Category:People from Newmarket, Ontario Category:Politicians from Edinburgh Category:Scottish bloggers Category:Scottish emigrants to Canada Category:Scottish republicans Category:UK MPs 1992–1997 Category:UK MPs 1997–2001 Category:UK MPs 2001–2005 Category:UK MPs 2005–2010 Category:Labour Party (UK) councillors Category:Spouses of British politicians