Peter Griffiths
Encyclopedia
Peter Harry Steve Griffiths (born 24 May 1928) is a retired English
Conservative Party
politician. He is best known for controversially gaining the Smethwick seat in the 1964 general election
against the national trend.
and Birmingham
Universities before entering a teaching career. In 1955 he was elected to Smethwick Borough Council.
He served as a councillor until 1963 when he resigned to fight the Smethwick parliamentary seat in the forthcoming general election
against the sitting Labour
Member of Parliament
(MP) Patrick Gordon Walker
. Labour were expected to win the 1964 election, and Gordon Walker was Foreign Secretary designate. Smethwick had been a focus of immigration from the Commonwealth
during the years of economic and industrial growth following World War II
. It was perhaps for these reasons that race and nationality featured prominently in what became an increasingly ill-tempered local election campaign in 1964.
In criticism of both government and opposition immigration policy, Griffiths ran an anti-immigration campaign, benefiting from the infamous slogan "If you want a nigger for a neighbour, vote Labour". It is a common misconception that this was Griffith's campaign slogan. In fact, posters with the racist slogan were erected around the area, although it is unclear as to who was responsible for them. His defeat of Gordon Walker shocked the establishment; Harold Wilson
stated in the House of Commons that Griffiths should "serve his term here as a parliamentary leper". Griffiths wrote his own account of the election in 1966.
Griffiths was in turn defeated by Labour candidate Andrew Faulds
in the 1966 general election
and returned to a career in education. He unsuccessfully fought the Portsmouth North constituency in February 1974 general election
, but did not stand in the October 1974 election
. However, he stood again at the 1979 general election
, defeating the sitting Labour MP Frank Judd. He held the seat until the Labour landslide at the 1997 election
.
He is married to Jeannette, née Rubery, and they have one son and one daughter.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
politician. He is best known for controversially gaining the Smethwick seat in the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
against the national trend.
Life
Griffiths attended West Bromwich Grammar School, Leeds Teacher Training College and LondonUniversity of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
Universities before entering a teaching career. In 1955 he was elected to Smethwick Borough Council.
He served as a councillor until 1963 when he resigned to fight the Smethwick parliamentary seat in the forthcoming general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
against the sitting Labour
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) Patrick Gordon Walker
Patrick Gordon Walker
Patrick Chrestien Gordon Walker, Baron Gordon-Walker CH, PC was a British Labour Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament for nearly thirty years, and served twice as a Cabinet minister...
. Labour were expected to win the 1964 election, and Gordon Walker was Foreign Secretary designate. Smethwick had been a focus of immigration from the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
during the years of economic and industrial growth following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was perhaps for these reasons that race and nationality featured prominently in what became an increasingly ill-tempered local election campaign in 1964.
In criticism of both government and opposition immigration policy, Griffiths ran an anti-immigration campaign, benefiting from the infamous slogan "If you want a nigger for a neighbour, vote Labour". It is a common misconception that this was Griffith's campaign slogan. In fact, posters with the racist slogan were erected around the area, although it is unclear as to who was responsible for them. His defeat of Gordon Walker shocked the establishment; 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...
stated in the House of Commons that Griffiths should "serve his term here as a parliamentary leper". Griffiths wrote his own account of the election in 1966.
Griffiths was in turn defeated by Labour candidate Andrew Faulds
Andrew Faulds
Andrew Matthew William Faulds was a British actor and politician.Born in Isoko, Tanganyika , to missionary parents, Faulds married Bunty Whitfield in 1945...
in the 1966 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
and returned to a career in education. He unsuccessfully fought the Portsmouth North constituency in February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
, but did not stand in the October 1974 election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
. However, he stood again at the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
, defeating the sitting Labour MP Frank Judd. He held the seat until the Labour landslide at the 1997 election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
He is married to Jeannette, née Rubery, and they have one son and one daughter.