Debbie Wilcox, Baroness Wilcox of Newport

Deborah Ann Wilcox, Baroness Wilcox of Newport (born 15 June 1957) is a British politician serving as a Member of the House of Lords since 2019. A member of the Labour Party, she served as Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association from 2017 to 2019. Wilcox was Leader of Newport City Council from 2016 to 2019 and served on the Council from 2004 to 2022.

Not to be confused with Debra Willcox.

The Right Honourable
The Baroness Wilcox of Newport
FRSA
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Assumed office
10 September 2019
Shadow portfolios
2021–presentEducation
2021–presentWales
2020–presentWhip
2021–2023Work and Pensions
2020–2021Women and Equalities
Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association
In office
23 June 2017 – 6 December 2019
Preceded byBob Wellington
Succeeded byAndrew Morgan
Leader of Newport City Council
In office
17 May 2016 – 12 September 2019
Preceded byBob Bright
Succeeded byJane Mudd
Member of Newport City Council
for Gaer
In office
1 May 2004 – 5 May 2022
Personal details
Born (1957-06-15) 15 June 1957
Rhondda, Glamorgan, Wales
Political partyLabour
Alma materCentral School of Speech and Drama (BEd)
University of Wales, Cardiff (MA)

Early life

Deborah Ann Wilcox was born on 15 June 1957 in the Rhondda Valley,[1] and brought up in Pontygwaith. She studied for a BEd in Drama and Education at the Central School of Speech and Drama between 1975 and 1979,[2] followed by a MA in Media Studies at University of Wales, Cardiff between 1994 and 1997.

Teaching career

She began her career as a teacher, initially at Hawthorn High School as well as spells teaching in the Newport area for 30 years including at Hartridge High School, Duffryn High School, and Maindee Primary School.

Political career

In 2004 she was appointed Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, a role she held until 2016, as well as a former Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture.

In 2016 she was appointed as the first female Leader of Newport City Council, replacing the outgoing Bob Bright.[3]

In 2017 she became the first female Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association, succeeding Cllr Bob Wellington OBE, the former leader of Torfaen County Borough Council.[4]

As part of her new role, Wilcox spoke to BBC Wales to criticise the "abuse of councillors on social media"[5] prompted by reactions to cuts to public services. She stated that, while councillors should be open to fair criticism and scrutiny, the situation was "becoming unsafe".[5] It came after Bridgend County Borough Councillor Sadie Vidal was told she "would be torn apart by fox hounds"[5] and Flintshire County Council Deputy Leader Bernie Attridge was threatened along with his children after the closure of John Summers High School in the area in 2015.[5] The WLGA stated it is looking at ways to "protect councillors from online and face-to-face abuse, including potential legislation."[5]

Wilcox announced her candidacy in the 2018 Welsh Labour Party deputy leadership election, but withdrew in favor of Julie Morgan.[6]

In 2018, she became a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

In 2019 she was criticised by Conservative councillors for spending £11,397 on "chauffeur driven cars" out of a total Council budget of £81,415 on such vehicles.[7]

Having been announced as a life peer, in September 2019, Wilcox informed a meeting of the full council that she would be stepping down as Council Leader, at least in the short term, in order to focus on her role in the Lords.[8]

House of Lords

In September 2019, it was announced that she would be made a Labour life peer in the 2019 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, and would be stepping down as Council Leader.[8][9][10][11][12][13]

She is referred to widely as Baroness Wilcox,[14] but takes the exact name, style and title of Baroness Wilcox of Newport.[15] On 4 November 2019, she was introduced to the House.[16] Since 2 March 2020, she has served as an opposition whip.[17]

Personal life

Wilcox is openly gay, and was shortlisted by Pride Cymru/Wales Online's Pinc List which "recognises the most influential LGBT+ people in Wales".[18] She was an advocate for the repeal of Section 28, a statute forbidding the promotion of homosexuality by local government and maintained schools.[19] The statute was repealed in September 2003 by the Local Government Act 2003.[18]

References
  1. "Deborah Wilcox". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  2. Povey, Tomos (6 March 2018). "'I want to leave Newport a better place than I found it', says Newport council leader Debbie Wilcox". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  3. Dewey, Philip (17 May 2016). "Newport council elects its first female leader". walesonline. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  4. "WLGA appoints first woman Leader - WLGA". www.wlga.wales. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  5. Flint, Rachel; Hoppe, Joe (24 September 2017). "Council trolling 'getting out of hand'". Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  6. "Newport council leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox withdraws from Welsh Labour deputy leader race to back Julie Morgan". South Wales Argus. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  7. Ferguson, Sam (4 December 2018). "Newport council criticised over 'outrageous' democracy conference cost". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  8. "Newport council leader steps down after peerage". 11 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  9. Mosalski, Ruth (10 September 2019). "The people receiving Honours and becoming members of the House of Lords". WalesOnline. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  10. "Ex-Tory MP and council leader to be made peers". BBC News. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  11. "Newport Council leader Debbie Wilcox and Ex-Tory MP Byron Davies make Theresa May's honours list". ITV News. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  12. "Newport council leader Debbie Wilcox given life peerage". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  13. "Resignation Honours 2019". GOV.UK. Cabinet Office. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  14. "Hesilrige, Arthur George Maynard, (5 Sept. 1863–13 April 1953), Consulting Editor of Debrett since 1935", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u238533
  15. "No. 62800". The London Gazette. 18 October 2019. p. 18716.
  16. LIVE House of Lords - 4 November 2019, retrieved 4 November 2019
  17. "Parliamentary career for Baroness Wilcox of Newport". members.parliament.uk. UK Parliament. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  18. "The Pinc List 2018: The 40 most influential LGBT+ people in Wales". Wales Online. 18 August 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  19. McLaughlin, Daniel (23 June 2021). "'My partner had to hide upstairs in our own home': Baroness Debbie Wilcox of Newport reflects on Section 28 and 'the dark time in our educational history". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
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