Marie Rimmer
Marie Elizabeth Rimmer, is a British Labour Party politician. She has been the Member of Parliament for St Helens South and Whiston since 8 May 2015.Career
Before entering Parliament, Rimmer had served as a local councillor for over 30 years, including periods as leader of St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2005 Birthday Honours for services to local government.
In 2014, Rimmer was picked from an all-women shortlist as Labour's candidate in the 2015 general election to succeed Shaun Woodward as MP for St Helens South and Whiston. Thirteen years prior, she was blocked from being shortlisted for the same seat ahead of the 2001 general election by Labour's national executive committee, amidst accusations of a "stitch-up" to parachute Woodward into the seat, as he was unlikely to win his Witney seat which he won in 1997 as a Conservative.
On the day of the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, an incident at a polling station in Shettleston, Glasgow, led to her arrest and being charged with assault. Rimmer's case was later found not proven at Glasgow Sheriff Court in November 2016.
She supported Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour Party leadership election.
She was elected as MP for St Helens South and Whiston in the 2015 general election with a majority of 21,243, and subsequently increased to 24,343 in the 2017 general election.
Rimmer was appointed Shadow Minister for Disabled People on 1 February 2017 but decided to step down from the role in October the same year.
Rimmer endorsed Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election.
