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Conor McGinn

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Conor McGinn
Official portrait, 2017
Member of Parliament
for St Helens North
In office
7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byDavid Watts
Succeeded byDavid Baines
Shadow portfolios
Shadow Cabinet
2021–2022Without Portfolio
2021–2022Deputy Campaign Coordinator
Shadow Frontbench
2020–2021Security
2020–2020Whip
2015–2016Whip
Personal details
BornConor Patrick McGinn
(1984-07-31) 31 July 1984 (age 42)
Camlough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Citizenship
PartyLabour (until 2023)[1]
SpouseKate Groucutt
EducationGoldsmiths, University of London
London Metropolitan University
Websiteconormcginn.co.uk

Conor Patrick McGinn (born 31 July 1984) is a British and Irish politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for St Helens North from 2015 to 2024.

Early life and education

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Conor McGinn was born on 31 July 1984 in Camlough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland,[2] and brought up in the nearby village of Bessbrook. The village was highly militarised during The Troubles.[3] His mother was an NHS clerical officer, and his father was a Sinn Féin councillor.[3][4]

McGinn went to St Paul's High School, Bessbrook.[5] Before going to university, he worked for the African National Congress in South Africa on a fellowship for two months.[4] He studied at Goldsmiths, University of London, but did not initially complete his degree, remaining in London working for a mental health charity for Irish immigrants, Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy,[5] and later for the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas.[3][6] He later completed his history, politics and Irish studies degree part-time at London Metropolitan University.[6][4]

Political career

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McGinn was chair of the Young Fabians from 2006 to 2007, and was also vice-chair of Young Labour.[6] He was a candidate for Islington London Borough Council in 2006 and 2010 without success.[6][7] He has been on the executive of the Fabian Society and until 2012 was chair of the Labour Party Irish Society.[6] In 2011 he represented the socialist societies on the Labour Party National Executive Committee.[6][8]

He worked as a public affairs and government relations consultant,[6][8] before becoming an advisor to shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Vernon Coaker in 2011, and continued to work for Coaker when he became shadow defence secretary.[8][9]

Parliamentary career

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McGinn was elected to Parliament as MP for St Helens North with 57% of the vote and a majority of 17,291.[10][11]

McGinn supported Andy Burnham's bid for the leadership of the Labour Party in 2015.[12][13][14] He nominated Owen Smith in the 2016 leadership election.[15]

In July 2016, he was involved in a Twitter spat with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, in which McGinn claimed that Corbyn "said that he intended to ring my father", a former Sinn Féin councillor.[16][17] Corbyn's spokesman said the claim was "untrue".[18]

Following the October 2016 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, and the replacement of Dame Rosie Winterton as Chief Whip, McGinn resigned as a whip.[19]

At the snap 2017 general election, McGinn was re-elected as MP for St Helens North with an increased vote share of 63.7% and an increased majority of 18,406.[20]

In July 2019, McGinn submitted and moved the successful House of Commons amendment to change the law to extend equal marriage for LGBT people to Northern Ireland.[21]

At the 2019 general election, McGinn was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 52.3% and a decreased majority of 12,209.[22]

In February 2020, McGinn supported the campaign for Helen's Law, working with Marie McCourt to successfully introduce a Private Members Bill and getting the Government to commit to introducing tougher penalties for murderers who refuse to reveal the location of their victims' remains.[23][24]

On 9 April 2020, McGinn was appointed as Shadow Minister for Security.[25] In June 2021, he was appointed as Labour's deputy national campaign coordinator.[26] In December 2021, he was appointed Shadow Minister without Portfolio.[27][28]

McGinn was suspended by the Labour Party in December 2022, following an unspecified complaint. In October 2023, he left the party in order to withdraw from the process; he stated that he had done nothing wrong, that there had been "no finding of any wrongdoing", and that the process was "flawed, protracted and prejudicial".[29][30][1] On 5 May 2023, McGinn announced he would be standing down at the 2024 general election.[31]

In January 2026 he was charged with sexual assault,[32] and in February 2026 he plead not guilty for an alleged offence which happened in July 2022. The full trial should take place late 2026.[33]

Personal life

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McGinn has lived in Earlestown, Newton-le-Willows. He currently resides in Lambeth, London.[32] He married Kate Groucutt around 2009 and has a son and a daughter.[5][34] McGinn holds both Irish and British citizenship.[35]

References

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  1. 1 2 Mulligan, Simon (3 October 2023). "MP leaves Labour as he withdraws from investigation process". St Helens Star. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  2. ↑ Hennessy, Mark (8 May 2015). "South Armagh man wins Merseyside seat for Labour". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Kevin Schofield (23 May 2016). "Conor McGinn: "People don't feel Labour listens to them, never mind speaks for them"". PoliticsHome. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Owen Bennett (4 August 2015). "Conor McGinn Interview: My Dad Stood For Sinn Fein But Harriet Harman Is A Hero To Me". Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Hennessy, Mark (21 March 2015). "A Northern Irish candidate for a northern English stronghold". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Carr, Tim; Dale, Iain; Waller, Robert (2015). The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015. Biteback Publishing. ISBN 9781849549240. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  7. ↑ Hennessy, Mark (7 May 2010). "Final hunt for votes in battleground borough". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "Conor McGinn appointed as political adviser to Vernon Coaker". BBC News. 23 November 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Conor McGinn named as St Helens North's candidate". St Helens Reporter. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "St Helens North". BBC News. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  12. ↑ Belger, Tom (15 August 2015). "St Helens North MP urges Labour members not to back Corbyn as he reveals his second preference". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  13. ↑ Moffatt, Andy (27 June 2016). "McGinn tweets support for sacked Hilary Benn". St Helens Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  14. ↑ "Labour 'losing touch with working class' – Conor McGinn". BBC News. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  15. ↑ Belger, Tom (21 July 2016). "This MP's photo perfectly captures the awful state Labour is in right now". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  16. ↑ "Corbyn faces 'bully' accusations from Labour MP". ITV News. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  17. ↑ McCaffrey, Darren (22 July 2016). "Labour MP: Corbyn Tried To 'Bully Me'". Sky News. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  18. ↑ Simpson, Fiona (22 July 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn 'threatened to ring Labour MP's father over criticism'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  19. ↑ Syal, Rajeev (9 October 2016). "Two Labour MPs resign as whips after Rosie Winterton sacking". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  20. ↑ "St Helens North parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  21. ↑ "Abortion and same-sex marriage moves for NI backed by MPs". BBC News. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  22. ↑ "Statement of persons nominated" (PDF).
  23. ↑ "Conor McGinn's passionate speech to parliament about the importance of Helen's Law". St Helens Star. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  24. ↑ "Justice Secretary confirms plans for 'Helen's Law'". GOV.UK. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  25. ↑ Rodgers, Sienna (9 April 2020). "Shadow ministers appointed as Starmer completes frontbench". LabourList. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  26. ↑ Rodgers, Sienna (22 June 2021). "Top team reshuffle continues as Jenny Chapman removed as political director". LabourList. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  27. ↑ "Conor McGinn - Parliamentary career". UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  28. ↑ Wingate, Sophie (5 May 2024). "MP Conor McGinn announces exit at next general election". The Independent. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  29. ↑ "Labour MP suspended from party pending investigation". BBC News. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  30. ↑ Crerar, Pippa (7 December 2022). "Labour MP Conor McGinn has whip suspended over complaint". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  31. ↑ "St Helens North MP Conor McGinn will not stand at the next election". St Helens Star. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  32. 1 2 Wareing, Dan (27 January 2026). "Former MP Conor McGinn charged with sexual assault". BBC News. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
  33. ↑ "Former MP denies groping woman on night out". BBC News. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
  34. ↑ "MP Conor McGinn delivers daughter on living room floor". BBC News. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  35. ↑ "EU Nationals in the UK – Hansard Online". hansard.parliament.uk.
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