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Maria Eagle
British Labour politician / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maria Eagle (born 17 February 1961) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Minister of State for Defence Procurement in the Ministry of Defence since 2024.[1] She has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Garston and Halewood, now Liverpool Garston, since 1997. She served in the Shadow cabinets of Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn.
Maria Eagle | |||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Official portrait, 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of State for Defence Procurement | |||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 8 July 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | James Cartlidge | ||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of State for Justice and Equalities[lower-alpha 1] | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office 2 July 2007 – 6 May 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Gordon Brown | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gerry Sutcliffe | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Crispin Blunt | ||||||||||||||||||||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children in Northern Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office 6 May 2006 – 28 June 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jeff Rooker | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Office abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office 17 June 2005 – 6 May 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Margaret Hodge | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Beverley Hughes | ||||||||||||||||||||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office 11 June 2001 – 17 June 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Margaret Hodge | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Anne McGuire | ||||||||||||||||||||
Member of Parliament for Liverpool Garston Garston and Halewood (2010–2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 1 May 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Eddie Loyden | ||||||||||||||||||||
Majority | 20,104 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1961-02-17) 17 February 1961 (age 63) Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||
Relatives | Angela Eagle (sister) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | |||||||||||||||||||||
The twin sister of Angela Eagle, also a Labour MP, Eagle was born in the East Riding of Yorkshire to a working-class family and raised in Merseyside. She studied Philosophy, politics and economics at Pembroke College, Oxford and Law at the College of Law, London. After graduating with her law degree, she worked as an articled clerk and solicitor in both London and Liverpool. After unsuccessfully contesting Crosby in 1992, she was elected as MP for Liverpool Garston at the 1997 general election.
Under Tony Blair, Eagle was a junior minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education and Skills and Northern Ireland Office. She was Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice and Government Equalities Office under Gordon Brown. Following the 2010 general election, Eagle became Shadow Solicitor General for England and Wales. She served in the Shadow cabinet as Shadow Transport Secretary, Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, Shadow Defence Secretary and finally Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary. She resigned from the Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet in June 2016. She returned to the frontbench as Shadow Minister for Procurement in 2023.