31 Facts About Louise Ellman

Dame Louise Joyce Ellman is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for Liverpool Riverside from 1997 to 2019.

Louise Ellman was Vice-Chair of Lancashire Enterprises and chaired the Transport Select Committee from 2008 to 2017.

Louise Ellman has been actively involved in Jewish and pro-Israel organizations.

Louise Ellman served as Chair of Labour Friends of Israel until February 2020 and was Honorary President of the Jewish Labour Movement.

Louise Ellman Joyce Rosenberg was born in Manchester to an observant Jewish family.

Louise Ellman was educated at the independent Manchester High School for Girls, before studying at the University of Hull where she received a BA in Sociology and History in 1967, and then studied Social Administration at the University of York where she was awarded a MPhil in 1972.

Louise Ellman was elected as a councillor on the Lancashire County Council in 1970, becoming the Labour group leader in 1977 and council leader from 1981 until her election to Parliament.

Louise Ellman unsuccessfully contested the Darwen constituency at the 1979 general election.

Louise Ellman was elected to Parliament at the 1997 general election for the safe seat of Liverpool Riverside.

Louise Ellman held the seat with a majority of 21,799 and has held the seat comfortably at successive general elections.

Louise Ellman was a member of the Transport Committee and its predecessor, Transport, Local Government and the Regions, since she was first elected.

Louise Ellman supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 leadership election.

Louise Ellman was Chair of the Jewish Labour Movement from 2006 to 2016, after which she became its Honorary President.

Louise Ellman was Vice Chair of Labour Friends of Israel and succeeded Joan Ryan as Chair in August 2019.

Louise Ellman said that she intended to remain a member of LFI following her resignation from the Labour Party.

Louise Ellman was the chair of the All-Party Britain-Israel Parliamentary Group.

The Jewish Telegraph said "Doughty Labour MP Louise Ellman is never scared to openly proclaim her Jewish identity and fight for Israel and against Islamic extremism at every Parliamentary opportunity".

In September 2019, Louise Ellman said she "shared the fears" of other Jews living in the UK about the prospect of a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn and understood why they "would seriously consider leaving the country".

In 2016, Louise Ellman said that a small number among the members who joined her constituency Labour party after Corbyn's election as leader seemed "obsessed on Middle East issues", that there had been a "very unpleasant atmosphere" in constituency meetings and that remarks which she considered were antisemitic had been made to her.

Louise Ellman alleged that the local Momentum group was acting as a "party within a party" and asked for her constituency party to be suspended and investigated.

In early October 2019, a motion of no confidence in Louise Ellman, scheduled to take place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, was submitted for discussion at a branch of her constituency Labour Party.

On 16 October 2019, Louise Ellman resigned from the Labour Party, citing concerns that antisemitism had grown under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

Louise Ellman believed Jewish members faced bullying and abuse, while antisemitic views and conspiracy theories had spread.

Louise Ellman accused Corbyn of associating with antisemites and failing to challenge them.

Louise Ellman did not stand for re-election as an MP at the 2019 United Kingdom general election.

On 27 September 2021, Louise Ellman announced she was rejoining the Labour Party.

Louise Ellman has been married since 16 July 1967 to Geoffrey Louise Ellman, a pharmacist.

Louise Ellman lived in Leeds, then moved to Skelmersdale in 1969.

Louise Ellman was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours for parliamentary and political services.

Louise Ellman was the sole Briton on the 50-strong list.

Louise Ellman is a Vice President of the Jewish Leadership Council.