Phil Willis
Encyclopedia
George Philip Willis, Baron Willis of Knaresborough (born 30 November 1941, Burnley
) is a politician in the United Kingdom
. He is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, and was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Harrogate and Knaresborough
from 1997
until retiring at the 2010 general election. Up to that date he was the chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee.
on Byron Street in Burnley
. He studied at the City of Leeds and Carnegie College (now the Beckett Campus of Leeds Metropolitan University
) where he gained a Cert Ed
in 1963. From 1963-65 he was a teacher at Middleton County Secondary Boys' School; Head of History at Moor Grange County Secondary Boys' School
(closed in the 1980s) from 1965-67; Senior Master at Primrose Hill High School (became Primrose High School
) on Hill Street in Mabgate
from 1967-74; and Deputy Head at West Leeds Boys' Grammar School from 1974-78. In 1978 he gained a BPhil
in Education from the University of Birmingham
. Moving from Leeds to Teesside, he was Head Teacher of Ormesby School on Stockwith Close in Netherfields
, Cleveland from 1978-82, then moved back to Leeds to become Head Teacher of John Smeaton Community High School (now called John Smeaton Community College) in Pendas Fields
from 1983-97.
, and in May 2007 announced his decision to step down as an MP at the next General Election
, although he said that he would have stood again if a snap election had been called.
From 1999 to 2005, Willis was the Liberal Democrat Shadow Education and Skills Secretary, having previously served as Higher Education spokesman and acting spokesman on Northern Ireland
. Following the 2005 general election
, he was appointed chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, succeeding Labour
's Ian Gibson
.
In 2006, he stated that he would force an election for the party leadership
by standing if there would otherwise be only one candidate. As two further candidates came forward to challenge the eventual winner, Sir Menzies Campbell
, Willis did not stand. Campbell's victory left a vacancy for the post of deputy leader. Willis considered running in the deputy leadership election
but did not submit a nomination.
At the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference in Spring 2007 (held in his home seat of Harrogate) he proposed a change to official Liberal Democrat policy on the future of Trident in an amendment to commit the party to getting rid of Britain's nuclear deterrent. The amendment was opposed by the party leadership and, in one of the closest votes in recent years at a Federal Conference, the amendment was defeated by 454 votes to 414.
In September 2008, Mr Willis provoked the resignation of Professor Michael Reiss from his position as Director of Education at the Royal Society (on secondment from the Institute of Education). Professor Reiss, in a speech to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, had commented that in his experience as a teacher, children with creationist views were difficult to persuade otherwise, and that merely silencing them didn’t cause them to change their minds at all. He suggested an alternative approach: that such pupils should be allowed to express their opinions, not as science, but as 'a world view'. This would provide the opportunity for real discussion and science teaching. Mr Willis demanded action by the Royal Society against Professor Reiss, so stimulating a furore which concluded with Reiss' resignation on 17 September.
as Baron Willis of Knaresborough, of Harrogate
in the County of North Yorkshire
and was introduced
in the House of Lords on 7 July 2010.
. He married Heather Sellars in 1974 in Staincliffe
. They have a son (born 1980) and daughter (born 1975). Although from Burnley, he has lived in the Yorkshire area for many years.
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
) is a politician 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...
. He is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, and was 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 Harrogate and Knaresborough
Harrogate and Knaresborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Harrogate and Knaresborough is a 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:...
from 1997
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...
until retiring at the 2010 general election. Up to that date he was the chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee.
Early life
He is the son of George Willis and Hannah Gillespie. He attended Burnley Grammar SchoolBurnley Grammar School
Burnley Grammar School was latterly, a state-funded selective boys grammar School, situated in Byron Street in Burnley, England. However during its long history, it moved between a number of sites in the town.-History:...
on Byron Street in Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
. He studied at the City of Leeds and Carnegie College (now the Beckett Campus of Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University is a British University with three campuses. Two are situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England while the third is situated in Bhopal, India...
) where he gained a Cert Ed
Certificate in Education
The Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
in 1963. From 1963-65 he was a teacher at Middleton County Secondary Boys' School; Head of History at Moor Grange County Secondary Boys' School
Moor Grange County Secondary School
Moor Grange County Secondary School was located in the Leeds postal district of Leeds 16 at the junction of Parkstone Avenue and the West Park section of the Leeds Ring Road . Although it was named Moor Grange it was actually located in the Ireland Wood area with Moor Grange Estate being located...
(closed in the 1980s) from 1965-67; Senior Master at Primrose Hill High School (became Primrose High School
Primrose High School
The Co-operative Academy of Leeds is a comprehensive school in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The school is part of the Central Leeds Learning Federation along with City of Leeds School and Shakespeare Primary School, which means they share an executive head teacher and a board of governors.The...
) on Hill Street in Mabgate
Mabgate
Mabgate is an inner city area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The name Mabgate comes from Mable-gate, Mable being a middle English reference to 'loose women'...
from 1967-74; and Deputy Head at West Leeds Boys' Grammar School from 1974-78. In 1978 he gained a BPhil
Bachelor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy is the title of an academic degree. The degree usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects...
in Education from the University of 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...
. Moving from Leeds to Teesside, he was Head Teacher of Ormesby School on Stockwith Close in Netherfields
Netherfields
Netherfields is a housing estate in Ormesby, within the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. Located in the TS3 Postcode area, it has three schools: Ormesby Comprehensive School, Priory Woods School and Pennyman Primary School...
, Cleveland from 1978-82, then moved back to Leeds to become Head Teacher of John Smeaton Community High School (now called John Smeaton Community College) in Pendas Fields
Pendas Fields
Pendas Fields is a private, suburban housing estate in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is considered part of Cross Gates, as is Manston. Swarcliffe is close, and Cock Beck runs nearby....
from 1983-97.
Parliamentary career
He was first elected in 1997, beating Norman Lamont, the former Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor 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 in May 2007 announced his decision to step down as an MP at the next General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, although he said that he would have stood again if a snap election had been called.
From 1999 to 2005, Willis was the Liberal Democrat Shadow Education and Skills Secretary, having previously served as Higher Education spokesman and acting spokesman on Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Following the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, he was appointed chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, succeeding 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 Ian Gibson
Ian Gibson (politician)
Ian Gibson is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich North from 1997 to 2009...
.
In 2006, he stated that he would force an election for the party leadership
Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2006
In the 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election, Sir Menzies Campbell was elected to succeed Charles Kennedy as Leader of the Liberal Democrats, the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom....
by standing if there would otherwise be only one candidate. As two further candidates came forward to challenge the eventual winner, Sir Menzies Campbell
Menzies Campbell
Sir Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, CBE, QC, MP is a British Liberal Democrat politician and advocate, and a retired sprinter. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Fife, and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.Campbell held the British record...
, Willis did not stand. Campbell's victory left a vacancy for the post of deputy leader. Willis considered running in the deputy leadership election
Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election, 2006
The 2006 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election began on March 2, 2006, when the sitting Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell, was elected leader of the party. Campbell had been deputy leader since February 2003....
but did not submit a nomination.
At the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference in Spring 2007 (held in his home seat of Harrogate) he proposed a change to official Liberal Democrat policy on the future of Trident in an amendment to commit the party to getting rid of Britain's nuclear deterrent. The amendment was opposed by the party leadership and, in one of the closest votes in recent years at a Federal Conference, the amendment was defeated by 454 votes to 414.
In September 2008, Mr Willis provoked the resignation of Professor Michael Reiss from his position as Director of Education at the Royal Society (on secondment from the Institute of Education). Professor Reiss, in a speech to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, had commented that in his experience as a teacher, children with creationist views were difficult to persuade otherwise, and that merely silencing them didn’t cause them to change their minds at all. He suggested an alternative approach: that such pupils should be allowed to express their opinions, not as science, but as 'a world view'. This would provide the opportunity for real discussion and science teaching. Mr Willis demanded action by the Royal Society against Professor Reiss, so stimulating a furore which concluded with Reiss' resignation on 17 September.
Peerage
On 18 June 2010, Willis was created a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Willis of Knaresborough, of Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
in the County of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
and was introduced
Introduction (House of Lords)
Introduction is a ceremony in the House of Lords whereby new members are "introduced" to the existing membership. Introductions in the Lords are more elaborate than those in the House of Commons.-Origins:...
in the House of Lords on 7 July 2010.
Personal life
He is a keen supporter of Burnley Football ClubBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
. He married Heather Sellars in 1974 in Staincliffe
Staincliffe
Staincliffe is a cross-over district of both Batley, West Yorkshire, England and Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England; the name is believed to derive from staine, meaning stone and cliffe, cliff...
. They have a son (born 1980) and daughter (born 1975). Although from Burnley, he has lived in the Yorkshire area for many years.
External links
- Phil Willis MP official site
- Phil Willis MP profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
- ePolitix.com - Phil Willis MP
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Phil Willis MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Phil Willis MP
- The Public Whip - Phil Willis MP voting record
- BBC News - Phil Willis profile 10 March 2006