Preceded by Allen Adams Name Irene Baroness Role Life peer | Nationality British Spouse Allen Adams (m. 1968) Political party Labour Party Labour Party | |
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Born 27 September 1947 (age 76) ( 1947-09-27 ) | ||
Succeeded by Constituency Abolished | ||
Katherine Patricia Irene Adams, Baroness Adams of Craigielea (born 27 December 1947) is a Scottish Labour Party peer, who served as Member of Parliament in the constituency of Paisley North from 1990 to 2005.
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Early life
She was educated at Stanley Green High School in Paisley. In 1970 she was on Paisley Town Council and by 1972 was appointed Justice of the Peace. In 1974 she became a councillor in her local Renfrew District Council and in 1979 went on to Strathclyde Regional Council (succeeding her husband, Allen Adams).
Parliamentary career
Allen Adams was MP for Paisley North, and for the earlier seat of Paisley from 1979 until his death in 1990, whereupon Irene (who had served as his secretary during his time as MP) won the subsequent by-election. While she had a record of loyalty to the party, she was seen as clearly on its left wing, and as one of the more pro-devolution Scottish Labour members.
Her constituency was absorbed into that of Paisley and Renfrewshire North and she was persuaded to stand down with the promise of a peerage, in order to allow sitting West Renfrewshire MP Jim Sheridan to be selected to fight in the May 2005 election.
On 13 May 2005 it was announced that she would be created a life peer as Baroness Adams of Craigielea, of Craigielea in the County of Renfrewshire, on 28 June.
Expenses
On 4 February 2010 the BBC reported that Irene Adams had been told by Sir Thomas Legg to repay an amount of 5050 pounds. The Sunday Post reported in November 2014 that Adams had claimed £53,000 of expenses during a period when she did not speak in debate or submit any written questions.
Personal life
Lady Adams of Craigielea is widowed and has one son and two daughters. She married Allen Adams on 24 February 1968. She lives in a converted mill in Paisley.
Baroness Adams of Craigielea received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 2011.