During his tenure MP, Killen was an active campaigner for LGBT rights issues,[9] men's mental health,[10] and banking reform.[11]
On 13 June 2018, Killen and five other Labour MPs resigned their roles as frontbenchers for the Labour Party in protest at Labour's position on Brexit. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn had instructed his MPs to abstain in a vote which the UK would remain in the single market by joining the European Economic Area (EEA). The MPs resigned and voted in favour of the EEA.[12][13]
At the 2019 general election, a swing of over 5% saw Ferrier regain Rutherglen and Hamilton West from Killen. Killen advocated for his party to back a second Scottish independence referendum after his election defeat, arguing a future referendum was inevitable, but maintained his support for remaining in a "more federal UK".[14]
In anticipation of a by-election resulting from Margaret Ferrier's conduct in office, Killen was re-selected as Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Rutherglen and Hamilton West in January 2021.[18] In May 2023, he was replaced as candidate by Michael Shanks.[19]
Personal life
Killen is gay, and married his husband Peter when they eloped in 2013. They hope to retire to Peter's hometown in Northern Ireland, which has influenced Killen's campaigning to equalise same-sex marriage laws between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.[20][21] Killen is a Roman Catholic.[22]
Notes
^Normally, multi-member wards do not have individual predecessors and successors. However, Killen resigned from his seat before his term expired and triggered a by-election.
^Normally, multi-member wards do not have individual predecessors and successors. However, Higgins' death triggered a by-election won by Killen.
