David Marquand
Encyclopedia
David Ian Marquand FBA, FRHistS, FRSA (born September 20, 1934) is a British
academic and former Labour Party
Member of Parliament
(MP).
Born in Cardiff
, Marquand was educated at Emanuel School
, Magdalen College, Oxford
, St. Antony’s College, Oxford, and at the University of California, Berkeley
. His father was Hilary Marquand
, also an academic and former Labour MP, and a younger brother was the film maker Richard Marquand
.
Marquand’s writings are broadly based upon issues surrounding British politics and social democracy. He is widely linked to the term “progressive politics” and the concept of a “progressive dilemma” in British politics, although he has since distanced himself from the term (if not the ideas it represents).
He was the MP for Ashfield
from 1966 to 1977, when he resigned his seat to work as Chief Advisor (from 1977 to 1978) to his mentor Roy Jenkins
who had been appointed President of the European Commission
.
During the 1970s split between “Croslandite
” and “Jenkinsite” social democrat
s within the Labour Party, Marquand was part of the Jenkins group and joined the Social Democratic Party
(SDP) upon its founding. Marquand sat on the party’s national committee from 1981 to '88. When the SDP merged with the Liberal Party
to form the Liberal Democrats
, Marquand remained with the successor party until rejoining the Labour Party following the election of Tony Blair
as Labour leader.
Marquand has written extensively on the future of the European Union
and the need for constitutional reform
in the United Kingdom.
Marquand’s academic career began as lecturer in politics at the University of Sussex
and included the occupancy of two chairs in politics, first at Salford
and then at Sheffield
and finally as Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford
. Marquand is currently a Visiting Fellow, department of politics, University of Oxford
and Honorary Professor of Politics, University of Sheffield
. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
in 1998. He is recognised by the newly opened Marquand Reading Room at his old school, Emanuel School
in London.
Originally a tentative supporter of Blair’s New Labour, he has since become a trenchant critic, arguing that “New Labour has ‘modernized’ the social-democratic tradition out of all recognition”, even while retaining the over-centralization and disdain for the radical intelligentsia
of the old “Labourite” tradition. He is one of 20 signatories to the founding statement of the democratic Left group Compass
.
In August 2008 Marquand published an article in the Guardian
newspaper which was seen by some as being complimentary about Conservative Party
leader David Cameron
. Marquand called Cameron not a crypto-Thatcherite but a Whig and argued that Cameron “offers inclusion, social harmony and evolutionary adaptation to the cultural and socionomic changes of his age.…”
Marquand was among 30 people to put his name to a letter to The Guardian – 'Lib Dems Are The Party of Progress' – in support of the Liberal Democrats in the May 2010 election but withdrew this support less than a month after the election.
Marquand is currently a member of the Labour Party
and has come out in full support of Ed Miliband
.
He has subsequently written in support of David Cameron's 'Big Society' vision in Prospect Magazine making him an inpiration behind www.theprincipledsociety.com
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
academic and former Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP).
Born in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Marquand was educated at Emanuel School
Emanuel School
Emanuel School is a co-educational independent school in Battersea, south-west London. The school was founded by Lady Dacre and Elizabeth I in 1594. Today it has some 710 pupils, aged between ten and eighteen.-History:...
, Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, St. Antony’s College, Oxford, and at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. His father was Hilary Marquand
Hilary Marquand
Hilary Adair Marquand was a British Labour Party politician.He was educated at Cardiff High School and at University College, Cardiff where he studied history and economics...
, also an academic and former Labour MP, and a younger brother was the film maker Richard Marquand
Richard Marquand
Richard Marquand was a Welsh film director best known for directing the 1983 blockbuster Star Wars film, Return of the Jedi.-Early life:...
.
Marquand’s writings are broadly based upon issues surrounding British politics and social democracy. He is widely linked to the term “progressive politics” and the concept of a “progressive dilemma” in British politics, although he has since distanced himself from the term (if not the ideas it represents).
He was the MP for Ashfield
Ashfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Ashfield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
from 1966 to 1977, when he resigned his seat to work as Chief Advisor (from 1977 to 1978) to his mentor Roy Jenkins
Roy Jenkins
Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM, PC was a British politician.The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II. Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, he served in several major posts in...
who had been appointed President of the European Commission
President of the European Commission
The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...
.
During the 1970s split between “Croslandite
Anthony Crosland
Charles Anthony Raven Crosland , otherwise Tony Crosland or C.A.R. Crosland, was a British Labour Party politician and author. He served as Member of Parliament for South Gloucestershire and later for Great Grimsby...
” and “Jenkinsite” social democrat
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
s within the Labour Party, Marquand was part of the Jenkins group and joined the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
(SDP) upon its founding. Marquand sat on the party’s national committee from 1981 to '88. When the SDP merged with the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
to form the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, Marquand remained with the successor party until rejoining the Labour Party following the election of Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
as Labour leader.
Marquand has written extensively on the future of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and the need for constitutional reform
Constitution of the United Kingdom
The constitution of the United Kingdom is the set of laws and principles under which the United Kingdom is governed.Unlike many other nations, the UK has no single core constitutional document. In this sense, it is said not to have a written constitution but an uncodified one...
in the United Kingdom.
Marquand’s academic career began as lecturer in politics at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
and included the occupancy of two chairs in politics, first at Salford
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
and then at Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
and finally as Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford
Mansfield College, Oxford
Mansfield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Of the colleges that accept both undergraduate and graduate students Mansfield College is one of the smallest, comprising approximately 210 undergraduates, 130 graduates, 35 visiting students and 50...
. Marquand is currently a Visiting Fellow, department of politics, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Honorary Professor of Politics, University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 1998. He is recognised by the newly opened Marquand Reading Room at his old school, Emanuel School
Emanuel School
Emanuel School is a co-educational independent school in Battersea, south-west London. The school was founded by Lady Dacre and Elizabeth I in 1594. Today it has some 710 pupils, aged between ten and eighteen.-History:...
in London.
Originally a tentative supporter of Blair’s New Labour, he has since become a trenchant critic, arguing that “New Labour has ‘modernized’ the social-democratic tradition out of all recognition”, even while retaining the over-centralization and disdain for the radical intelligentsia
Intelligentsia
The intelligentsia is a social class of people engaged in complex, mental and creative labor directed to the development and dissemination of culture, encompassing intellectuals and social groups close to them...
of the old “Labourite” tradition. He is one of 20 signatories to the founding statement of the democratic Left group Compass
Compass (think tank)
Compass is a left wing pressure group, aligned with the UK Labour Party describing itself as 'An umbrella grouping of the progressive left whose sum is greater than its parts'...
.
In August 2008 Marquand published an article in the Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper which was seen by some as being complimentary about Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
leader David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
. Marquand called Cameron not a crypto-Thatcherite but a Whig and argued that Cameron “offers inclusion, social harmony and evolutionary adaptation to the cultural and socionomic changes of his age.…”
Marquand was among 30 people to put his name to a letter to The Guardian – 'Lib Dems Are The Party of Progress' – in support of the Liberal Democrats in the May 2010 election but withdrew this support less than a month after the election.
Marquand is currently a member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and has come out in full support of Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
.
He has subsequently written in support of David Cameron's 'Big Society' vision in Prospect Magazine making him an inpiration behind www.theprincipledsociety.com