John Edwards (Labour politician)
Encyclopedia
Lewis John Edwards, OBE
(27 May 1904 – 23 November 1959) was a British university lecturer, trade union
leader and Labour Party
politician.
Lewis John Edwards (later known solely as "John Edwards") was born in Aylesbury
, the son of a railwayman, and educated at the Aylesbury Grammar School
. After working for a bank, he studied for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield
, but decided he had no vocation. He then completed a degree in Economics at Leeds University.
He became a staff tutor at the University of Leeds
and lectured in economics for the Workers Educational Association. He was elected to Leeds City Council
, and after working in a university appointment in Birmingham
, he became secretary for adult education at Liverpool University.
While at Liverpool, he was elected general secretary of the Post Office Engineering Union
. He was elected as Member of Parliament
for Blackburn
in the United Kingdom
general election of 1945
. He became Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Stafford Cripps
at the Board of Trade
, and then in 1947 he was made Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health
. He carried through Parliament the National Assistance Act 1948
, which abolished the remaining parts of the Poor Law
, an achievement of which he was particularly proud.
In 1949 he returned to the Board of Trade as second in command to the President, Harold Wilson
. In the election of 1950
he lost his Blackburn seat, but shortly after was elected in a by-election to the Yorkshire seat of Brighouse and Spenborough
. In the reshuffle caused by the resignation of Sir Stafford Cripps
as Chancellor of the Exchequer
, he was appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury
, and held the post until the government lost the election of 1951
.
In opposition he became Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, and a member of the British parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe
from 1955, where he was elected in 1957 as vice-president and in April 1959 as President of the Consultative Assembly.
.
on Council of Europe business, he died suddenly of heart disease, aged 55. Then Labour leader, Hugh Gaitskell
, was quoted as saying that "his notable administrative gifts would have ensured him an important post in any future Labour government".
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(27 May 1904 – 23 November 1959) was a British university lecturer, trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader and 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...
politician.
Lewis John Edwards (later known solely as "John Edwards") was born in Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
, the son of a railwayman, and educated at the Aylesbury Grammar School
Aylesbury Grammar School
Aylesbury Grammar School is a single-sex male grammar school in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, which educates 1,250 pupils.-Admissions:As a selective state school, its entry requirements are dictated by the exam taken at the age of 10-11...
. After working for a bank, he studied for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield
College of the Resurrection
The College of the Resurrection, popularly known as Mirfield, is an Anglo-Catholic theological college of the Church of England at Mirfield, West Yorkshire, England, founded in 1903. The college has close links to the Community of the Resurrection...
, but decided he had no vocation. He then completed a degree in Economics at Leeds University.
He became a staff tutor at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
and lectured in economics for the Workers Educational Association. He was elected to Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council is the local authority for the City of Leeds metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England.-History:The city council was established in 1974, with the first elections being held in advance in 1973...
, and after working in a university appointment in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, he became secretary for adult education at Liverpool University.
While at Liverpool, he was elected general secretary of the Post Office Engineering Union
Post Office Engineering Union
The Post Office Engineering Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom. It represented engineering staff in the Post Office, mostly working in telecommunications....
. He was elected as 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,...
for Blackburn
Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)
Blackburn is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The town currently elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has elected Labour MPs since its re-creation in 1955.-Boundaries:The constituency...
in the United Kingdom
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...
general election of 1945
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
. He became Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to Stafford Cripps
Stafford Cripps
Sir Richard Stafford Cripps was a British Labour politician of the first half of the 20th century. During World War II he served in a number of positions in the wartime coalition, including Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Minister of Aircraft Production...
at the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
, and then in 1947 he was made Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health was a junior ministerial office in the United Kingdom Government.The Ministry of Health was created in 1919 as a reconstruction of the Local Government Board...
. He carried through Parliament the National Assistance Act 1948
National Assistance Act 1948
The National Assistance Act 1948 was an Act of Parliament passed in the United Kingdom by the Labour government of Clement Attlee.-Overview:It formally abolished the Poor Law system which had existed since the reign of Elizabeth I, and established a social safety-net for those who didn’t pay...
, which abolished the remaining parts of the Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
, an achievement of which he was particularly proud.
In 1949 he returned to the Board of Trade as second in command to the President, Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
. In the election of 1950
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
he lost his Blackburn seat, but shortly after was elected in a by-election to the Yorkshire seat of Brighouse and Spenborough
Brighouse and Spenborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Brighouse and Spenborough was a parliamentary constituency in the West Riding of Yorkshire, comprising the areas of the two municipal boroughs of Brighouse and Spenborough...
. In the reshuffle caused by the resignation of Sir Stafford Cripps
Stafford Cripps
Sir Richard Stafford Cripps was a British Labour politician of the first half of the 20th century. During World War II he served in a number of positions in the wartime coalition, including Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Minister of Aircraft Production...
as Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, he was appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury is the fifth most senior ministerial post in the UK Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Paymaster-General and the Financial Secretary...
, and held the post until the government lost the election of 1951
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
.
In opposition he became Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, and a member of the British parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
from 1955, where he was elected in 1957 as vice-president and in April 1959 as President of the Consultative Assembly.
Personal life
He married in 1931 and had two daughters, one of whom married the Labour MP John RoperJohn Roper, Baron Roper
John Francis Hodgess Roper, Baron Roper is a British politician.John Roper was educated at William Hulme's Grammar School , Reading School, Magdalen College, Oxford and the University of Chicago....
.
Death
In November 1959, in StrasbourgStrasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
on Council of Europe business, he died suddenly of heart disease, aged 55. Then Labour leader, Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
, was quoted as saying that "his notable administrative gifts would have ensured him an important post in any future Labour government".