Jean Mann

Jean Mann JP (1889 – 21 March 1964), born Jean Stewart, was a Scottish Labour Party politician.

Mann was educated at Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow and became an accountant. Married with five children, she was a councillor on Glasgow Corporation from 1931 to 1938, where she served as Housing convenor. She became Vice President of the Scottish Housing and Town Planning Association, and was a senior magistrate in Glasgow.

She unsuccessfully contested the Renfrewshire West constituency at the 1931 general election and again in 1935. However, in the Labour landslide at the 1945 general election, Mann was elected as Member of Parliament for Coatbridge.

After she had taken the oath, it was noticed that her position on the Rent Tribunals under the Rent of Furnished Houses Control (Scotland) Act 1943 was remunerated and that she therefore might hold an 'office of profit under the Crown' which would disqualify her from election. A Select Committee was set up ^[1] which reported that her election was invalid; a Bill^[2] was rushed through validating it and indemnifying her from the consequences of acting as an MP while disqualified.

When the constituency was abolished for the 1950 general election, she was returned for the new Coatbridge and Airdrie constituency, holding the seat until she retired at the 1959 general election.

Mann was a member of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee from 1953 to 1958.

Her memoir, "Woman in Parliament", recalled the difficulties facing women MPs and their efforts to improve legislation for women and families.

Bibliography

• Mann, Jean (1962). Woman in Parliament. London: Oldhams Press.

References

1. HC Deb 17 August 1945 vol 413 cc272-3
2. The Coatbridge and Springburn Elections (Validation) Bill

• Centre for the Advancement of Women in Politics: Jean Mann
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Jean Mann