Jack Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling

John Anderson "Jack" Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling (* August 4, 1939 in Durham ) is a British Labour Party politician.

Life

Cunningham studied chemistry at the College of St Hild and St Bede, University of Durham. In 1962 he completed his studies with a Bachelor, 1967, he received the PhD. He remained until 1968 at the University and was also active in the trade union work. He has been married since 1964 and has with his wife Maureen Appleby one son and two daughters. He lives with his wife near Stocksfield, Northumberland.

Policy

Cunningham was from 1970 to 1983 member of the House of Commons for the electoral district of Whitehaven. From 1983 to 2005 he sat for the successor Copeland constituency in the House. From 1976 to 1979 he was Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Energy and 1979-1983 industry spokesman for the opposition. He then had several shadow positions of the opposition Labour Party holds: 1983-1989 Shadow Minister for the Environment, 1989 to 1992 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, 1992-1994 Shadow Secretary, 1994-1995 Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, 1995-1997 shadow Secretary of National Heritage.

After the victory of the Labour Party in the 1997 General Election he was on May 3, 1997 to July 27, 1998 Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. From 27 July 1998 to 11 October 1999, he was Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He was raised as Baron Cunningham of Felling, Felling of in the County of Tyne and Wear for Life Peer in 2005. In the same year he retired from the House of Commons.

On June 2, 2013, the Sunday Times published an article in which they Cunningham Lord and Lord Laird and Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate accused of being involved in the so-called cash-for- access scandal. The Sunday Times accuses him of having offered undercover reporters for a fee to host a reception at the House of Lords and to arrange there contacts with other members of the House of Lords. At the same time he is accused of Daily Telegraph to have agreed to ask specific questions in Parliament for the payment of £ 12,000 per month and to establish contacts with politicians, just as he for the payment of £ 2000 per month for a company from Fiji in Parliament should act with questions. Opposite the BBC denied Lord Laird the rules of Parliament to have broken or have agreed to accept money for the targeted parliamentary work.