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Lewis George Moonie, Baron Moonie (born 25 February 1947 in Dundee) is a Labour Co-operative politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kirkcaldy from 1987 to 2005.

Early life

He attended the Grove Academy in Dundee. He studied medicine at the Bute Medical School, University of St Andrews graduating with a MB ChB in 1970. In 1981 he graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a MSc in community medicine. He also became DPM in 1975, MRCPsych in 1979 and MFCM in 1984. From 1982-6, he was a councillor on Fife Regional Council.

Medical career

From 1973-5 he was a trainee registrar in psychiatry. From 1975-80 he was a research clinical pharmacologist and a medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Edinburgh. From 1980-4, he was a trainee in community medicine for the Fife Health Board, becoming a Community Medicine Specialist from 1984-7.

Parliamentary career

He was elected at the 1987 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kirkcaldy, and served until he retired from the House of Commons at the 2005 general election. He served as a junior minister at the Ministry of Defence.

On 13 May 2005 it was announced that he would be created a life peer, and on 22 June 2005 the peerage was gazetted as Baron Moonie, of Bennochy in Fife.

The 'Cash for Influence' Scandal

In late-January 2009 The Sunday Times involved Lord Moonie in a classic 'sting operation'. Along with three other Labour peers, Lord Moonie was approached by a reporter. Of the four, Lord Moonie was the only one subsequently cleared by the House of Lords Sub-committee on Lords' Interests.

In the newspaper sting, "Moonie said he would contact Healey and offered to identify people who could put down an amendment." He quoted an annual fee for his assistance of £30,000. Lord Moonie is quoted as saying "I did not agree to amend the legislation. I agreed to seek to help to find a way of trying to amend the legislation."

The House of Lords Sub-committee on Lords' Interests was asked to report on the matter. It found that "on the standard of proof that we have set, we do not find that Lord Moonie expressed a clear willingness to breach the Code by promoting amendments on behalf of lobbyists in return for payment."

The Lords' Privileges Committee considered the sub-committee's report. It published its findings on 14 May 2009. It agreed that Lord Moonie had not breached the code.

Personal life

He married Sheila Ann Burt on 28 December 1971. They have two sons.

References

1. "No. 57685". The London Gazette. 27 June 2005. p. 8317.
2. Whispered over tea and cake: price for a peer to fix the law, Sunday Times, 25 January 2009
3. Lords Sub-Committee on Lords Interests Report
4. The Conduct of Lord Moonie, Lord Snape, Lord Truscott and Lord Taylor of Blackburn Lords Privileges Committee Report

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lewis Moonie
• They Work For You
• Ask Aristotle

News items

• Accused of misleading MPs in July 2000
• Becoming a junior minister in February 2000

• Labour Co-operative MPs for Scottish constituencies
• Labour Co-operative life peers
• Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Fife constituencies
• UK MPs 1987–92
• UK MPs 1992–97
• UK MPs 1997–2001
• UK MPs 2001–05
• People from Dundee
• 1947 births
• Living people
• Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
• Alumni of the University of St Andrews
• Clinical pharmacologists
• Scottish Labour Party councillors
• Scottish psychiatrists
• People educated at Grove Academy