Tommy McAvoy is Shadow spokesperson for Labour in the Lords on both Scotland and Northern Ireland issues, and also a Senior Whip. He was made a life Peer in 2010.
Tommy is an experienced Member of Parliament, having served as MP for Glasgow Rutherglen from 1987 to 2010, and is one of the longest serving Whips in British political history. He was a critical member of the Labour Whips Office in the Commons from 1990, becoming a 'pairing Whip' from 1996 until 2007, then Deputy Chief Whip from 2007 to 2010. In 2003, he was appointed to the Privy Council.
Tommy started his working life as a store man at the Hoover factory in Cambuslang on the outskirts of Glasgow, and while there was elected as a senior steward, servinged as a delegate to the Labour Party. He was an active member of the Amalgamated Engineering Union and remains a member of its successor union, Unite. Prior to entering Parliament, Tommy was a councillor on Strathclyde Regional Council (1982-1987).
Tommy lives in Rutherglen with his family and enjoys reading political biographies and watching football.
For more information, read Tommy's Parliamentary biography - available here.
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