Meg Hillier

Meg Hillier
Name	Meg Hillier
Birth name	Margaret Olivia Hillier
Birth date	1969-11-08
Birth place	Paddington, London, England
Nationality	British
Party	Labour Party
Alma mater	Jesus College, Cambridge
Occupation	Politician
Office	Member of Parliament for Hackney South and Shoreditch
Term start	2015
Predecessor	Glenda Jackson

Meg Hillier is a British Labour Party politician who has represented Hackney South and Shoreditch in the House of Commons since 2015. She previously served as the MP for the London Assembly and as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee from 2017 to 2024. Hillier has held roles across local and national institutions including Islington London Borough Council, London Borough of Hackney, HM Treasury oversight, and engagement with bodies such as the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Commission.

Early life and education

Hillier was born in Paddington and raised in Westminster and Tower Hamlets, with family ties to Ealing and Harrow. She attended local state schools before securing a place at Jesus College, Cambridge where she read History and became involved with student branches of the Labour Party and National Union of Students. During her university years she engaged with community organisations in Camden and maintained contacts with national figures in the Labour movement including members of the Social Democratic Party and veterans of the Trade Union Congress.

Career before Parliament

After graduation Hillier worked in the City of London sector and held posts with several public bodies including Islington London Borough Council where she served as a councillor, later becoming Leader of Islington Council and Chair of council committees that interfaced with London Councils, Greater London Authority, and Department for Communities and Local Government. She gained experience with financial oversight through roles touching on budget scrutiny connected to Her Majesty's Treasury responsibilities and collaborated with the NHS locally on commissioning and public health projects. Hillier also worked with voluntary organisations and trade unions linked to the Co-operative Party and participated in governance reviews that referenced practices from the National Audit Office and Audit Commission.

Parliamentary career

Hillier's election to the London Assembly preceded her candidacy for the House of Commons, where she succeeded a high-profile predecessor in Hackney South and Shoreditch at the 2015 United Kingdom general election. In Parliament she has served on influential select committees including the Public Accounts Committee and engaged with cross-party groups that include members from the Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats, and Scottish National Party (SNP). Her parliamentary interventions have addressed matters debated in the Treasury, discussed at question sessions in the House of Commons chamber, and reviewed in reports by the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Commission.

Roles and responsibilities

Hillier chaired the Public Accounts Committee where she oversaw inquiries into public spending, working closely with the National Audit Office and summoning ministers from departments such as Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry of Defence, Home Office, and Department for Education to provide evidence. She has been a member of the Select Committees and served as a trustee or patron for charitable and civic organisations connected to London constituencies. Hillier has represented constituents in local institutions like the London Fire Brigade and in national discussions with bodies including the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

Political views and positions

Hillier is aligned with mainstream Labour Party positions on fiscal accountability and public services, advocating for transparency through institutions such as the National Audit Office and supporting reforms proposed in reports by the Public Accounts Committee. She has voiced positions on housing linked to policies in Hackney, debated welfare measures tied to Department for Work and Pensions, and taken stances on healthcare funding that engage with the NHS and Care Quality Commission. On international matters she has participated in parliamentary groups addressing links with the European Union and bilateral relations involving United States, France, and Germany, reflecting constituency interests in multicultural London boroughs.

Personal life and honours

Hillier lives in Hackney and has been involved with local cultural institutions including collaborations with museums and arts organisations in East London, and civic groups in Shoreditch. She has received recognition in the form of parliamentary appointments and committee chairships and has been acknowledged by bodies such as the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Commission for her oversight work. Hillier maintains memberships and affiliations with organisations tied to the Labour movement, local government networks like London Councils, and civic charities operating in Greater London.

Category:1969 births Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs Category:People from Paddington