Dame Angela Eagle DBE has represented the Wallasey constituency in Parliament since 1992. Since Labour's victory in the General Election in July, she has also served as Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum.
I was keen to find out more about our local MP, so I sat down with Dame Angela at her constituency offices in Wallasey to ask a few questions.
Did you always want to go into politics?
‘’I always took an interest in the news, which was on three times a day, and as a family we always talked about current affairs a lot’’
What advice would you give a young person who wants to go into politics in the future?
“Think of it as a vocation, not a job. Politics is not about self-grandeur, but about doing the best you can for society"
You have been the MP for Wallasey for over 30 years, What do you want to do for Wallasey as a constituency?
“I help small businesses who want to set up in the area and, represent people in meetings”
How do you feel about you and your twin sister, Maria, both being MPs for Merseyside?
“I am proud of my sister, I believe that we are the only pair of twins to both be in Parliament at the same time… my sister and I are close”
As one of the first openly lesbian politicians, do you feel that you are an inspiration for any young LGBTQ individuals?
“I feel that in modern society people should feel free to express themselves and not hide parts of them. I am the second out minister to be in the House of Commons after Maureen Colquhoun, who was a strong character that didn’t hide from controversy”
In 2016 you put yourself forward to replace Jeremy Corbyn as the leader of the Labour Party. Could you ever see yourself running for Leader again?
“I think that I am a bit too old to run for the role now. However, I am not sorry that I did it.”
How do you think Labour’s policies will benefit my generation?
“The Labour Party wants to get prosperity in the economy growing again. Some of this money will be used to invest in schools and to provide more opportunities for training or leisure”
Donald Trump was elected to be President of the USA a few days ago. Were you surprised at this, and what do you think it will mean for the UK?
“The leader of a country such as the US will always affect other countries; their leader is a choice that must be respected. In a democratic society it is hard to feel unspoken for when voting for a new leader… Donald Trump is discussing adding a tariff onto US products being imported by other countries, which would affect our economy.”
You have always been a great champion of social mobility, how do you feel Labour's policies reflect this?
“Labour’s Opportunity Mission can be found in The Labour Manifesto. It describes how we want to give everybody access to opportunities that will help them progress in life. I don’t think that where you came from should define your opportunities.”
How do you feel Wallasey has changed over the 30 years you’ve been MP?
“Wallasey has changed a lot. There is much more technology around, mobile phones were not around when I was growing up and computers were black and white. 24 hour news cycles are a benefit of this as they make it easier to keep up to date with what’s going on. Yet there is a rise in bad websites, like pages telling young girls to starve themselves, bullying, and porn. I believe it is more dangerous to be young now. I have also seen a loss of factories, but they have been replaced with more businesses.”
What does your average day in the life as an MP look like?
“I go to Parliament to answer questions on Monday and Wednesday. As my constituency is not near London, I have to travel a lot. My job does not jot have a set hour to hour time frame, I can be called at any time of the week. My role is more Ministry than Parliamentary.
