Role British Politician Nationality British Party Labour Party | Political party Labour Succeeded by Marcus Jones Name Bill Olner | |
Born 9 May 1942Atherstone, Warwickshire ( 1942-05-09 ) Education North Warwickshire and Hinckley College |
Bill Olner wins
William John Olner (born 9 May 1942- 18 May 2020) was a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nuneaton from 1992 until 2010. Previously, he had been Leader of Nuneaton Borough Council (which subsequently merged with Bedworth to form Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council).
Contents
- Bill Olner wins
- Bill Olner
- Education and early career
- Local government
- House of Commons
- Committees
- Performance attendance and questions
- Overseas visits
- Parliamentary expenses
- Offices
- Labour Party and Trade Union
- Announcement of retirement as MP
- Return to local politics
- Personal life
- Death
- References
Bill Olner
Education and early career
Olner was educated at Nuneaton Technical College and trained as an engineer. He became a shop steward, and later area secretary for the AEEU (now Unite trade union).
Local government
Olner was a Councillor for the Labour group on Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council for 21 years, and was the council leader from 1982–87. In 1987 he became Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth, serving a 1-year term
House of Commons
Olner was first elected to the House of Commons in 1992, as the Member of Parliament for Nuneaton. He was re-elected in the 1997 general election (majority 13,540), 2001 general election (majority 7,535) and 2005 general election (majority 2,280).
Committees
From 2005–2009 he was a member of the Communities and Local Government Committee and was a member of the Chairmen's Panel Committee. From 1997 he was Chairman of the Associate Parliamentary Engineering Group, a group that seeks to promote the contribution of engineering. Previously he was a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and of the Select Committee on Environment, Transport and the Regions and chairman of the Transport, Telematics and Cable and satellite Parliamentary Group.
Performance; attendance and questions
Olner was very loyal to the Labour Party during his time in Parliament, although he did not often speak on radio, TV or in the House of Commons he did have a good attendance record. His voting record from 2001–2010 was:
He most frequently asked questions about: Mercury, The European Union (Public Information), Funerals, Satellite dishes, and Skills Councils. He most frequently asked questions to, and received answers to questions from, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Health, and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Overseas visits
Parliamentary expenses
As a member of parliament, Olner received a salary of £60,277 (with effect from 1 November 2006) He is also entitled to claim expenses that are incurred as a member of parliament, these cover costs such as Cost of staying away from main home, Office running costs, Staffing Allowance, Members' Travel, Members' Staff Travel, Stationery, Computer Equipment etc. For the year 2005/06 he claimed a total of £119,013, in the previous year he claimed £114,610.
Offices
As in common with most members of parliament, Olner maintained two offices: one at the House of Commons, the other in his constituency. His constituency office was in Queens Road, Nuneaton.
Labour Party and Trade Union
Olner was a member of the AEEU and the Co-operative Party. He was Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party Employment Committee from 1992 until 1997.
Announcement of retirement as MP
Olner declared his retirement as MP for Nuneaton on 25 March 2007, he served until the 2010 General Election where Labour's new candidate, Jayne Innes, was defeated by Conservative Marcus Jones.
Return to local politics
Olner decided 3 years after leaving parliament to stand in the 2013 Warwickshire County Council Elections for the Arbury and Stockingford constituency in Nuneaton. Olner duly won the seat with 2092 votes, which keeps him in office until May 2017.
Personal life
Olner lives with his wife Jill and has a pet dog, who in the past has been a School Governor.
Death
Olner died from complications of COVID-19 at George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton on 18 May 2020, at age 78.