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Alistair Darling
Labour MP for Edinburgh South West
- Also represented Edinburgh Central
- Entered Parliament on 11 June 1987 — General election
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- Voting record
- Topics of interest
- Most recent appearances
- Numerology
- Register of Members’ Interests
- Expenses
Voting record (from PublicWhip)
How Alistair Darling voted on key issues since 2001:
- Voted very strongly for the Iraq war. votes
- Voted strongly against an investigation into the Iraq war. votes
- Voted moderately for more EU integration. votes
- Voted a mixture of for and against automatic enrolment in occupational pensions. votes
- Voted moderately against encouraging occupational pensions. votes
- Voted moderately for replacing Trident. votes
- Voted moderately for a stricter asylum system. votes
- Voted moderately for university tuition fees. votes
- Voted against raising England’s undergraduate tuition fee cap to £9,000 per year. votes
- Voted moderately against greater autonomy for schools. votes
- Voted a mixture of for and against laws to stop climate change. votes
- Voted very strongly for introducing ID cards. votes
- Voted strongly for Labour's anti-terrorism laws. votes
- Voted a mixture of for and against a more proportional system for electing MPs. votes
- Voted strongly against increasing the rate of VAT. votes
- Voted moderately for a smoking ban. votes
- Voted very strongly for allowing ministers to intervene in inquests. votes
- Voted very strongly for introducing foundation hospitals. votes
- Voted strongly for equal gay rights. votes
- Has never voted on the hunting ban. votes
- Voted moderately for removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords. votes
- Voted moderately for a wholly elected House of Lords. votes
- Voted a mixture of for and against a transparent Parliament. votes
Read about how the voting record is decided.
More on well-known issues (from the Guardian) & their full record
- Never rebels against their party in this parliament.
Topics of interest
Asks most questions about
- Departments: Treasury, Defence, Home Department, Transport, Business, Innovation and Skills
- Subjects (based on headings added by Hansard): Military Bases, Identity and Passport Service: Correspondence, Public Expenditure, Military Bases: Edinburgh, Green Investment Bank
(based on written questions asked by Alistair Darling and answered by departments)
Most recent appearances
- Debate on the Address: Jobs and Growth (17 May 2012)
“The Chancellor seems to be setting out quite a significant shift in the Government’s policy on what should be happening in Europe, in particular urging the German Government to do things in relation to promoting growth that many of us have argued for several months. Interestingly, they are not to apply to this country. Will he confirm that this is a significant shift, and will he add to...”
- Debate on the Address: Jobs and Growth (17 May 2012)
“The Chancellor is actually confirming what I thought. It is good that they are saying these things in public, but it does suggest that perhaps there is an opportunity to change direction in Europe. I know we will not agree about what is necessary in this country, but does the Chancellor agree with me that we need to be explicit now that austerity on its own will not work—we need...”
- Previous Business – Commons: Select Committee (15 May 2012)
“Public Administration: Operation of the Honours System.
Witnesses: Lord Jones of Birmingham, and Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP; Graham Smith, CEO, Republic Campaign, and John Lidstone (at 11.30 am)”
More of Alistair Darling's recent appearances
Numerology
Please note that numbers do not measure quality. Also, representatives may do other things not currently covered by this site. (More about this)
- Has spoken in 13 debates in the last year — well below average amongst MPs.
- Has received answers to 12 written questions in the last year — below average amongst MPs.
- Replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a medium number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2008, according to constituents.
- Has voted in 50.36% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — well below average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)
- People have made 68 annotations on this MP’s speeches — well above average amongst MPs.
- This MP's speeches, in Hansard, are readable by an average 17–18 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
- 75 people are tracking this MP — email me updates on Alistair Darling’s activity.
- Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 2464 times in debates — well above average amongst MPs. (Why is this here?)
Register of Members’ Interests
2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc
Contract with Atlantic Books, Ormond House, 26/27 Boswell street, London WC1N 3JW for publication of book. The contract provides for a total advance payment of £75,000 prior to publication.
7 July 2011, I received a payment of £25,000 being the second instalment of an advance in respect of contract. Hours: 600 hrs approx. (Registered 8 July 2011)
15 September 2011, I received a payment of £25,000 being the third instalment of an advance. Hours: 400 hrs approx. (Registered 2 October 2011)
13 October 2011, I received a payment of £10,000 as VAT due in respect of the second and third instalments of advance. (Registered 4 November 2011)
In respect of the contract with Atlantic Books I have attended the following events . No fee was paid to me but transport and accommodation costs were met as follows:
11 September 2011, Dun Laoghaire Literary Festival, 137 Hillside, Co Dublin, Ireland. Transport costs of £616.30 for myself and my wife met by Atlantic Books. Accommodation paid for by the festival organisers; cost £105. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 2 October 2011)
16 September 2011, Woodstock Literary Festival, 301 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 3NY. Transport costs for myself and my wife of £132.60 paid by festival organisers and £43 paid for by Atlantic Books. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 2 October 2011)
19 September 2011, book signing organised by the Edinburgh Bookshop, 219 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh EH10, who met costs of £109.50. Additional cost of £48 met by Atlantic Books. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 2 October 2011)
21 September 2011, Ely Book Festival. Transport costs £264.72 paid by Atlantic Books. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 2 October 2011)
30 September 2011, Henley Festival. Transport costs £264.65 paid by Atlantic Books. Festival organisers paid for additional transport and a gift of wine; total cost £82. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 2 October 2011)
5 October 2011, Wimbledon Book Festival, 1 Archway Mews, 241 Putney Bridge Road, London SW15 2PE. Transport costs of £58.15 plus VAT for my wife and me paid by festival organisers. Flights Edinburgh to London paid by Atlantic books; cost £138. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 15 October 2011)
8 October 2011, Cheltenham Book Festival. 109/11 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7LS. Transport and accommodation costs of £183.15 for my wife and me paid by festival organisers. Hours: 24 hrs. (Registered 15 October 2011)
13 October 2011, event organised by City Books, 23 Western Road, Hove BN3. Event costs of £770 (plus VAT) plus transport and refreshment costs of £69 for my wife and me paid by Atlantic Books. I also received a book token worth £50. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 15 October 2011)
22 October 2011, Durham Book Festival. The cost of return transport for my wife and me from Edinburgh to Durham; estimated cost £159, and our overnight accommodation; estimated cost £109, was paid for by East Coast Trains and Radisson Blu Hotels respectively, in their capacity as festival sponsors. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 4 November 2011)
28 October 2011, Hebridean Book Festival, Stornaway. Air transport from Edinburgh to Stornoway for my wife and me provided by Atlantic Books; cost £426.12. No accommodation costs. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 4 November 2001)
4 November 2011, Lennoxlove Book Festival, Lennoxlove House, Haddington, East Lothian. Accommodation provided for my wife and me; value £225. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 4 November 2011)
27 November 2011, Cambridge Wordfest Winter 2011, 7 Downing Place, Cambridge CB2 3EL. Transport costs from Edinburgh to Cambridge and on to London were paid by Atlantic Books at a cost of £185 for myself and my wife. Overnight accommodation was provided; value £205. (Registered 28 November 2011)
3 February 2012, Winter Words Book Festival, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Pitlochry, Perthshire. Accommodation provided for my wife and me; value £104. This was met jointly by the festival and Atlantic Books. Hours: approx. 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 5 February 2012)
11 March 2012, Aldeburgh Book Festival, 42 High Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Transport costs for me and my wife of £94 were met by Atlantic Books and £60 by the festival. Hours: approximately 2 hours plus travel. (Registered 26 March 2012)
25 March 2012, Oxford Book Festival; transport costs for me and my wife, total £65, paid by Atlantic Books. Hours: approximately 2 hrs plus travel. (Registered 26 March 2012)
Payments from News International Trading Ltd, 3 Thomas More Square, London E98 1TT:
8 July 2011, I received a fee of £600 for an article for The Times. Hours: 3-4 approx. (Registered 8 July 2011)
20 February 2012, I received a fee of £600 for an article for The Times. Hours: 3 hrs approx. (Registered 2 March 2012)
Fees for speeches paid by JLA Associates, 80 Great Portland Street, London W1W 7NW:
23 June 2011, I received a fee of £15,300 for speaking at an event organised by Bloombergs in London. Hours: 6-7 approx. (Registered 8 July 2011)
16 November 2011, I received a fee of £10,500 for speaking at an event organised by the Bank of New York Mellon/Pershing, in London. Hours: approx 5-6 hrs. (Registered 28 November 2011)
24 January 2012, I received a fee of £15,300 for speaking at an event organised by Grant Thornton accountants in London. Hours: approx 5-6 hrs. (Registered 5 February 2012)
16 February 2012, I received a fee of £20,400 for speaking at an event organised by Thompson Reuters in Hong Kong. Thompson Reuters, 30 South Colonnade, the Reuters Building, London E14 5EP paid for my return flight from London to Hong Kong; cost £2,942.43, and hotel accommodation including transfer from airport to the hotel, return, for myself and my wife; cost £713.10. I met the cost of my wife’s travel. Hours: 4 days, including travel, preparation and the event. (Registered 2 March 2012)
27 March 2012, I received a fee of £15,300 for speaking at an event organised by Linklaters, solicitors, in London. Hours: approx 4 hrs. (Registered 13 April 2012)
6. Overseas visits
Name of donor: Meridiam
Address of donor: 5 Allee Scheffer, L-2520 Luxembourg
Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): train fare and accommodation in Paris; total value £937.61
Destination of visit: Paris
Date of visit: 26 April 2011
Purpose of visit: attending seminar
(Registered 17 May 2011)
Register last updated: 30 Apr 2012. More about the Register
View the history of this MP's entries in the Register
Expenses
Figures in brackets are ranks.Data from parliament.uk (source). Read 2004/05 – 2008/09 and 1st quarter 2009/10 receipts.
| Type | 2008/09 (ranking out of 647) | 2007/08 (ranking out of 645) | 2006/07 (ranking out of 645) | 2005/06 | 2004/05 (ranking out of 659) | 2003/04 (ranking out of 658) | 2002/03 (ranking out of 657) | 2001/02 (ranking out of 657) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staying away from main home | £10,626 (497th) | £9,837 (554th) | £20,675 (364th) | £19,436 | £15,341 (481st) | £15,406 (459th) | £14,792 (525th) | £15,756 (229th) |
| London costs | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £1,618 (joint 1st with 118 others) | £1,574 (joint 1st with 101 others) | £1,527 (joint 1st with 101 others) | £1,227 (joint 1st with 81 others) |
| Office running costs | £12,848 (510th) | £19,085 (291st) | £19,137 (425th) | £20,919 | £17,591 (378th) | £16,151 (551st) | £16,113 (joint 513th with 1 other) | £10,259 (518th) |
| Staffing costs | £97,284 (263rd) | £90,933 (158th) | £81,725 (409th) | £83,991 | £65,468 (532nd) | £62,983 (540th) | £52,399 (610th) | £27,874 (636th) |
| Communications Allowance | £9,960 (joint 243rd with 1 other) | £7,579 (354th) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Members' Travel | £8,504 (267th)1 | £11,367 (164th)2 | £12,045 (133rd)3 | £12,360 | £13,253 (208th) | £13,633 (188th) | £14,575 (156th) | £11,375 (159th) |
| Members' Staff Travel | £327 (223rd) | £591 (178th) | £362 (256th) | £39 | £0 | £257 (344th) | £0 | £0 |
| Members' Spouse Travel | £5,781 (4th) | £5,283 (4th) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Members' Family Travel | £1,232 (13th) | £4,391 (2nd) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Centrally Purchased Stationery | £1,882 (530th) | £423 (joint 534th with 1 other) | £251 (621st) | £595 | £992 (297th) | £399 (562nd) | £580 (535th) | £87 (644th) |
| Stationery: Associated Postage Costs | £1,394 (491st) | £1,745 (454th) | £1,032 | £1,964 (410th) | £914 (576th) | N/A | N/A | |
| Centrally Provided Computer Equipment | £1,021 (562nd) | £914 (550th) | £733 | £1,412 (598th) | £1,412 (587th) | £1,412 (571st) | £1,018 (558th) | |
| Other Costs | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Total | £148,444 (345th) | £151,904 (240th) | £136,854 (341st) | £139,105 | £117,639 (446th) | £112,729 (471st) | £101,398 (527th) | £67,596 (614th) |
1 Regular journeys between home/constituency/Westminster: Rail £1,956 (357th). Air £6,548 (59th).
2 Regular journeys between home/constituency/Westminster: Mileage £248 (575th). Rail £1,086 (428th). Air £10,033 (39th).