Judith Kirton-Darling

Judith Kirton-Darling
Judith Kirton-Darling at a joint press conference with Belgian union leaders Rohnny Champagne and Hillal Sor (ABVV-FGTB) and American UAW president Shawn Fain in solidarity with Audi Brussels workers, 2024
Member of the European Parliament
for North East England
In office
1 July 2014 – 31 January 2020
Preceded byStephen Hughes
Succeeded byconstituency abolished
Personal details
Born (1977-06-02) 2 June 1977 (age 47)
Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania
NationalityBritish
Political partyLabour

Judith "Jude" Kirton-Darling (born 2 June 1977) is a British politician who served as Member of the European Parliament for the North East England region for the Labour Party between 2014 and the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU.

Early life

Kirton-Darling was born on 2 June 1977 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.[1] She was educated in Middlesbrough, England, at Hall Garth Secondary School and Acklam Sixth Form College.[2] In 1996, she matriculated into the University of Sheffield where she studied history and politics. In 1999, she graduated with an upper second class Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. From 2000 to 2001, she studied at the University of Bath (with study abroad at the University of Pavia) and completed a Master of Science (MSc) degree in European Social Policy Analysis.[1]

Political career

Kirton-Darling began her political career as a programme assistant with the Quaker Council for European Affairs from 1999 to 2000.[1] On 18 May 2011, she was elected Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation.[3]

European Parliament

Kirton-Darling stood in the 2014 European Parliament election as a Labour Party candidate for the North East England region.[4] With Labour having won the most votes in the region, she was elected a Member of the European Parliament.[5] On 1 July 2014, she was elected to the Committee for International Trade and the Committee on Petitions.[6]

She was re-elected as MEP in the 2019 European elections and then elected as whip of the Labour party MEPs. However, with the passing of the Brexit accords, her membership ended on 30 January 2020.

Winner of the International Trade Award, MEP Awards 2017.[7]

Personal life

Kirton-Darling is a practising Quaker.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Judith Kirton-Darling – Confederal Secretary". European Trade Union Confederation. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  2. ^ "Kirton-Darling, Judith". Who's Who 2019. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2018. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U281979. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Quaker elected confederal secretary of ETUC". The Friend. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Labour and UKIP claim victory in North East Euro vote". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  5. ^ "North East". Vote 2014. BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Home | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  7. ^ "MEP Awards 2017 - Winners". MEP Awards. Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd. Retrieved 8 May 2017.