Margaret McKay

Margaret McKay (22 Jan 1911 – 1 March 1996) was a British Labour Party Member of Parliament for Clapham from 1964 to 1970.

Born in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, McKay's family moved to New Bedford, Connecticut in her youth, but then returned to England. McKay joined the Independent Labour Party's Guild of Youth, then the Young Communist League, graduating to the Communist Party of Great Britain. She left the party in 1932, joining the Labour Party. She also became general secretary of the National Union of Domestic Workers.^[1]

After holding various trade union posts, McKay stood unsuccessfully for Labour in Walthamstow East at the 1959 UK general election.^[1] At the 1964 general election, she defeated the sitting Conservative MP Alan Glyn, taking the seat with a majority of only 556.^[2]. At the 1966 election she increased her majority to over 4,000 against the Conservative Ian Gow^[3], but she stood down at the 1970 general election, when the seat was won by the Conservative William Shelton.^[4]

While in Parliament, McKay became a supporter of Arab interests, creating a mock Palestinian refugee camp in Parliament Square and wearing Arab robes during debates. Jordan issued a postage stamp in her honour. After retiring from politics, McKay moved to Abu Dhabi.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2. ^ Not updated: UK General Election results: October 1964
3. ^ Not updated: UK General Election results: March 1966
4. ^ Not updated: UK General Election results 1970

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Margaret McKay

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Alan Glyn	Member of Parliament for Clapham 1964–1970	Succeeded by William Shelton

Persondata
Name	Mackay, Margaret
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1911
Place of birth
Date of death	1 March 1996
Place of death