Peter Michael Kirk
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter Michael Kirk, (18 May 1928 – 17 April 1977) was a British Conservative
politician and a junior minister in the governments of Alec Douglas-Home
and Edward Heath
.
The elder son of Kenneth Escott Kirk
(later Bishop of Oxford
), he was educated at Marlborough
and at Trinity College, Oxford
, where he was President of the Union
.
At the 1955 general election
, he was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Gravesend
, defeating outgoing MP Sir Richard Acland
, who had left the Labour Party
to stand as an independent candidate
. Kirk was re-elected in Gravesend at the 1959 election
, but lost his seat at the 1964 general election
to Labour
's Albert Murray
.
In February 1965, the former Conservative Chancellor
and Deputy Prime Minister
Rab Butler
was elevated to the peerage and thereby gave up his parliamentary seat in Saffron Walden
. Kirk was the successful candidate at the March 1965 by-election, and retained the seat until his death.
Under Alec Douglas-Home
's premiership, Kirk was Under-Secretary of State for War
from 1963 to 1964. When the Conservatives regained power in 1970, Prime Minister
Edward Heath
appointed him as Under-Secretary for Defence
for the Royal Navy
from 1970 to 1973. He led the first Tory delegation to the European Parliament
in 1973.
He was married in August 1950 to Elizabeth Mary, daughter of Richard Brockbank Graham and Gertrude née Anson. They had 3 sons, including Matthew Kirk
, who was later the British Ambassador to Finland.
Kirk was knighted in 1976. After his death in 1977 at the age of 48, the by-election
for his Saffron Walden seat was won by the Conservative candidate Alan Haselhurst
.
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 and a junior minister in the governments of Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
and Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
.
The elder son of Kenneth Escott Kirk
Kenneth E. Kirk
Kenneth Escott Kirk was the Bishop of Oxford in the Church of England from 1937–1954. He was also an influential moral theologian, serving for five years as Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Oxford....
(later Bishop of Oxford
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...
), he was educated at Marlborough
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
and at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, where he was President of the Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
.
At the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
, 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,...
(MP) for Gravesend
Gravesend (UK Parliament constituency)
Gravesend was a county constituency centred on the town of Gravesend, Kent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
, defeating outgoing MP Sir Richard Acland
Richard Acland
Sir Richard Thomas Dyke Acland, 15th Baronet was one of the founding members of the British Common Wealth Party. He had previously been a Liberal Member of Parliament and joined the Labour Party in 1945...
, who had left 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...
to stand as an independent candidate
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. Kirk was re-elected in Gravesend at the 1959 election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, but lost his seat at 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...
to 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...
's Albert Murray
Albert Murray, Baron Murray of Gravesend
Albert James Murray, Baron Murray of Gravesend was a British Labour Party politician.At the 1964 general election he was elected as Member of Parliament for Gravesend in Kent, a marginal seat which was normally won by the party forming the government...
.
In February 1965, the former Conservative Chancellor
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...
and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Richard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
was elevated to the peerage and thereby gave up his parliamentary seat in Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden (UK Parliament constituency)
Saffron Walden is a parliamentary 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 system of election.- Boundaries :...
. Kirk was the successful candidate at the March 1965 by-election, and retained the seat until his death.
Under Alec Douglas-Home
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , known as The Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 and as Sir Alec Douglas-Home from 1963 to 1974, was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964.He is the last...
's premiership, Kirk was Under-Secretary of State for War
Under-Secretary of State for War
The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean . In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies...
from 1963 to 1964. When the Conservatives regained power in 1970, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
appointed him as Under-Secretary for Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
from 1970 to 1973. He led the first Tory delegation to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 1973.
He was married in August 1950 to Elizabeth Mary, daughter of Richard Brockbank Graham and Gertrude née Anson. They had 3 sons, including Matthew Kirk
Matthew Kirk
Matthew John Lushington Kirk is a British diplomat. He was the British Ambassador to Finland from August 22, 2002 until he resigned from the Diplomatic Service in 2006 to take up a position as Director of External Relationships for Vodafone.The youngest son of Sir Peter Michael Kirk MP, Kirk was...
, who was later the British Ambassador to Finland.
Kirk was knighted in 1976. After his death in 1977 at the age of 48, the by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for his Saffron Walden seat was won by the Conservative candidate Alan Haselhurst
Alan Haselhurst
Sir Alan Gordon Barraclough Haselhurst is a British Conservative politician who is the Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden and was Chairman of Ways and Means from 14 May 1997 to 8 June 2010.-Early life, education and career:...
.