Mark Lazarowicz (/ləˈzʊrəvɪ/ lə-ZUURR-ə-vitch;[2][3] born Marek Lazarowicz; 8 August 1953) is a British Labour Co-operative politician and lawyer who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Edinburgh North and Leith from 2001 to 2015.

Mark Lazarowicz
Member of Parliament
for Edinburgh North and Leith
In office
7 June 2001 – 30 March 2015
Preceded byMalcolm Chisholm
Succeeded byDeidre Brock
Personal details
Born
Marek Jerzy Lazarowicz[1]

(1953-08-08) 8 August 1953 (age 70)
Romford, Essex, England, UK
Political partyLabour
Children4
Alma mater
  • University of St Andrews
  • University of Edinburgh
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life edit

Lazarowicz was born in Romford. He graduated from the University of St Andrews, where he had been Chairman of the St Andrews University Labour Club with an MA in Medieval History and Moral Philosophy in 1976, and the University of Edinburgh with an LLB in Law in 1992. He served as a Labour councillor on the City of Edinburgh District Council from 1980 to 1996, and was Leader of the Council from 1986 to 1993.[4] He began practising law as an advocate at the Scottish bar in 1996.[5] From 1999 to 2001, he was a member of the unitary City of Edinburgh Council, serving as Executive Member for Transport.[6]

Parliamentary career edit

Lazarowicz stood for the House of Commons, unsuccessfully, for Edinburgh Pentlands at the 1987 general election and again in 1992, but was defeated by Malcolm Rifkind on both occasions. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith in June 2001 and was re-elected in May 2005 and May 2010,[7] for the now expanded Edinburgh North and Leith constituency.

Lazarowicz was a member of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee.[8] He previously served on the Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, the Scottish Affairs Committee and the Modernisation Committee.[8] Between October 2010 and 2011 he was Labour's shadow Minister for International Development. Lazarowicz succeeded in having two Private Member's Bills passed. In 2002 he piloted the Employee Share Schemes Bill through Parliament,[8][9] and in 2006 the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill.[10][11] He won the PRASEG Parliamentarian of the Year Award in 2006 for his work in promoting renewable energy.

In 2008, Lazarowicz lodged a further Private Member's Bill to restrict ship-to-ship oil transfers, with the aim of preventing spillages in the Firth of Forth.[12] In response, the government introduced regulations to restrict such transfers in April 2010[13] which were then delayed,[14] but were brought into force in December 2010.[15]

In October 2008, Lazarowicz was made the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Global Carbon Markets and his report on the issue, Global Carbon Trading: a framework for reducing emissions was published in July 2009.[16]

In the 2009 MP expenses scandal, the independent investigation by Sir Thomas Legg reported that Lazarowicz had no issues with his claims. He was therefore not required by Legg to make any repayments of his expenses.[17]

He rebelled against the Labour government on the Iraq war vote in 2003. He also opposed the Conservative government's Immigration Bill and retrospective legislation on workfare.[18]

Lazarowicz was defeated at the 2015 general election by the Scottish National Party's Deidre Brock.[19]

Later career edit

Following his defeat in 2015, Lazarowicz returned to legal practice.[5] His legal specialisms include public law, judicial review and human rights, immigration and asylum, personal injury, and planning and environmental law. He is the joint author of The Scottish Parliament: An Introduction, published in 1999 with new editions in 2000, 2003 and 2010. This was published as a revised work in a new edition in 2018, with the title "The Scottish Parliament: Law and Practice."[20]

Personal life edit

Lazarowicz is married with four children.[21] He has been a supporter of many environmental causes, and in 2015 he was elected as an Honorary Fellow of Scottish Environment Link.[22]

References edit

  1. ^ "LAZAROWICZ, Marek Jerzy, (Mark)". Who's Who. Vol. 2023 (online ed.). A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "Mark Lazarowicz, MP, on rebuilding society in a more sustainable Way". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  3. ^ "#GE2015 Mark Lazarowicz". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Lazarowicz gives up his leadership". Herald Scotland. 29 March 1993. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Mark Lazarowicz rejoins Westwater Advocates". Scottish Legal News. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Broughton bye election" (PDF). Broughton Spurtle. October 2001. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  7. ^ "General Election 2010: Lib Dem Challenge is seen off by Labour in city seats". The Scotsman. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  8. ^ a b c "Employee Share Schemes Bill". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  9. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 18 January 2002 (pt 1)". Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. 18 January 2002.
  10. ^ "Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill". Publications.parliament.uk. 12 May 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  11. ^ Coughlan, Sean (9 March 2006). "Power from the people". BBC News. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  12. ^ "Lazarowicz to introduce bill on ship-to-ship oil transfers". The Scotsman. 3 December 2007.
  13. ^ "Early day motion 308 - MARINE POLLUTION (S.I., 2010, No. 1228) (No. 2)". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  14. ^ "Lazarowicz in call to end oil transfer safety delays". The Scotsman. 4 October 2010.
  15. ^ "Lazarowicz hails tough new laws on oil transfers in Forth". The Scotsman. 13 December 2010.
  16. ^ "Global Carbon Trading, a framework for reducing emissions". DECC. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Mark Lazarowicz: MPs' expenses verdicts from Sir Thomas Legg". STV. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Mark Lazarowicz". They Work for You. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  19. ^ "General Election 2015 Results: Edinburgh North & Leith". BBC News Online. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  20. ^ "Mark J. Lazarowicz". Faculty of Advocates. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  21. ^ "Your MP for Edinburgh North and Leith". STV. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  22. ^ "Link Board & Honorary Positions". Scottish Environment Link. 22 November 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.

External links edit

Civic offices
Preceded by Leader of Edinburgh City Council
1986 – 1993
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith
20012015
Succeeded by