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Jim Devine

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For the Sydney gangland figure, see Tilly Devine.

Jim Devine
Member of Parliament
for Livingston
In office
29 September 2005 – 12 April 2010
Preceded byRobin Cook
Succeeded byGraeme Morrice
Personal details
Born
James Devine

(1953-05-21) 21 May 1953 (age 71)
Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland
NationalityBritish
Political partyLabour
SpouseLiz (divorced)
Children2
ResidenceBlackburn, West Lothian

James Devine (born 21 May 1953)[1] is a former Labour Party politician in Scotland. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Livingston from 2005 until 2010 and Chairman of the Scottish Labour Party between 1994 and 1995.

On 16 June 2009, following the 2009 expenses scandal, he was barred by the Labour Party from seeking re-election at the 2010 general election, after reports he claimed expenses for work on his home from a non-existent firm.[2][3] He was convicted of false accounting on 10 February 2011[4] and sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment on 31 March 2011.[5]

Early life

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Devine was born and brought up in Blackburn, West Lothian[6] and was educated in Bathgate. He served as the election agent for Livingston Constituency Labour Party and the local MP Robin Cook from the 1983 general election until Cook died in 2005. From 1994 to 1995 he was the Chairman of the Scottish Labour Party.[7]

Prior to his election, Devine worked as a full-time trade union official for the Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE) and then as Head of Health in the Scottish Region of the public sector union after UNISON was formed in 1993. Before becoming a trade union official Devine was a mental health nurse, having trained and worked at Bangour Village Hospital in Dechmont.[6][8]

Parliamentary career

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He was selected to succeed Robin Cook as the Labour Party candidate in the ensuing 2005 Livingston by-election following Cook's sudden death. He won, defeating his SNP rival though Labour's majority was reduced by more than 10,000 votes.[9] He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 25 October 2005.[10]

He served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Health Minister Rosie Winterton until he resigned in protest at the decision to replace Trident.[11] He was also a member of the Science and Technology as well as the Scottish Affairs Select Committees.[12]

In October 2010, Devine's former office manager Marion Kinley won a complaint of unfair dismissal and breach of contract against him. An employment tribunal ruled that Devine had subjected Kinley to "a course of bullying and harassment". During the hearing, Devine was accused of perpetrating a hoax suggesting that newspapers were investigating the two of them. He was said to have used a friend, Fiona Fox, to pose as an investigative journalist.[13] Compensation of £35,000 was ordered to be paid.[14]

On Devine's failure to pay the compensation of £35,000, bankruptcy proceedings were instituted against him and he was adjudicated bankrupt on 23 February 2011.[15]

MPs' expenses

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See also: United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal

On 2 June 2009, Devine was referred to the Labour Party's 'star committee' with a status of 'urgent' in connection with allegations involving expense claims submitted for a company that never existed.[16] He had gained the backing of his local party members a week prior to the hearing, but the panel unanimously recommended he should be deselected.[17] He was thereafter barred from standing as a candidate for the Labour Party in the next UK general election.[18]

Prosecution and conviction

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On 5 February 2010 it was announced that Devine was to be prosecuted over his expense claims.[19] The former Livingston MP initially faced two charges under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 of false accounting. The first charge alleged that between July 2008 and April 2009 Devine dishonestly claimed £3,240 for cleaning services using false invoices. The second charge alleged that in March 2009 Devine dishonestly claimed £5,505 for stationery using false invoices. He denied the charges, though in a live Channel 4 interview when questioned: "So you got a receipt from somebody you were paying as a member of staff, and submitted it as stationery?" by journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Devine replied: "Yes. This was allowed at the time."[20]

On 27 May 2010 Devine, Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Lord Hanningfield (Paul White) appeared at Southwark Crown Court for a preliminary hearing.[21] They faced charges of false accounting under the Theft Act.[22]

Devine's trial began on 2 February 2011. The indictment he faced ultimately included three counts of false accounting under the Theft Act 1968.[23][24] On 10 February 2011 he was found guilty on two counts of false accounting (relating to false claims for a total of £8,385) but not guilty on another count (relating to £360). Sentencing was adjourned for four weeks.[4] On 31 March 2011 Devine was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment.[5] He was released from prison on 1 August 2011 after serving a quarter of his sentence.[25] He was freed under the home detention curfew scheme, under which prisoners who are deemed to pose a low risk are tagged and released early after serving at least a quarter of their sentence.[26] His release was met with anger from groups including the TaxPayers' Alliance.[27]

As a result of his conviction and sentence, Devine was automatically expelled from the Labour Party.[28]

Personal life

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Devine used to live in Blackburn, West Lothian.[8] He is divorced from his wife Liz, and has a daughter and a son.[1][6][29] In 2005, Devine admitted to a number of affairs and a conviction for drink driving.[6][7] After his release from prison, Devine moved to Killarney, Ireland to start a new life.[30]

See also

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Other Members of Parliament found guilty of fraud during the 2009 expenses scandal:

  • David Chaytor – Labour MP for Bury North from 1997 to 2010
  • Eric Illsley – Labour MP for Barnsley Central from 1987 to 2011
  • Denis MacShane – Labour MP for Rotherham from 1994 to 2012
  • Margaret Moran – Labour MP for Luton South from 1997 to 2010
  • Elliot Morley – Labour MP for Glanford and Scunthorpe from 1987 to 1997 and then Scunthorpe from 1997 to 2010

References

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  1. ^ a b "Jim Devine (Ex-MP)". Westminster Parliamentary Record. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  2. ^ "Expenses row MP dropped by Labour". BBC News. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  3. ^ "Devine denied candidacy in general election". Edinburgh Evening News. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Former MP Jim Devine guilty over expenses". BBC News. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Former MP Jim Devine jailed for 16 months over expenses". BBC News. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d "Preparing to pick up the torch PROFILE JIM DEVINE". 3 September 2005. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Profile: Jim Devine". BBC News. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  8. ^ a b Johnson, Simon (5 February 2010). "Jim Devine 'astonished' at expenses prosecution". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  9. ^ Carrell, Severin (2 June 2009). "Jim Devine MP to be investigated by Labour expenses star chamber". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  10. ^ "Parliamentary business-25 Oct 2005". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  11. ^ Lyons, James. "Devine quits in nuke protest". Daily Record.
  12. ^ "Jim Devine, former MP, Livingston". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  13. ^ "Tribunal hears of bizarre events". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010.
  14. ^ "Former MP Jim Devine 'bullied' office manager". BBC News. 14 October 2010.
  15. ^ "Former MP Jim Devine declared bankrupt". BBC News. 23 February 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  16. ^ "MP Devine in Labour expenses probe". press association. Retrieved 1 June 2009.[dead link]
  17. ^ "Scottish MP 'devastated' by deselection over expenses". The Herald. 17 June 2009.
  18. ^ "Jim Devine becomes fifth Labour MP barred from standing at election". The Times. 16 June 2009.[dead link]
  19. ^ "Three MPs and one peer to be charged over expenses". BBC. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  20. ^ "Devine: I have done nothing wrong". Channel 4 News. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original on 8 February 2010.
  21. ^ "Four in court over expenses". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012.
  22. ^ "Dates set for six Parliamentary expenses fraud trials". BBC News. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  23. ^ Gunn, David (2 February 2011). "Ex-MP Jim Devine 'used false invoices in claims for expenses'". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016.
  24. ^ "Full list of charges facing Jim Devine, Lord Hanningfield, Elliot Morley and David Chaytor in relation to expense claims". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original on 8 February 2010.
  25. ^ "Former Livingston MP Jim Devine leaves prison". BBC News. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  26. ^ "Shamed MP freed after four months". The Herald. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  27. ^ "Anger as expenses cheat MP Jim Devine is freed from jail". The Scotsman. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  28. ^ Sulieman, Cara (31 March 2011). "Former Livingston MP Jim Devine jailed for 16 months". STV News. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012.
  29. ^ "Jim Devine profile: A colourful political figure with an eye for the ladies". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 11 February 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  30. ^ Swanson, Ian (15 July 2013). "Jim Devine 'starting new life' in Ireland". The Scotsman. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
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