Philip Hocking
Encyclopedia
Philip Norman Hocking was a British
Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Coventry South from 1959 to 1964.
During his tenure in the House of Commons
he was Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to the Foreign Office. Hocking's victory in Coventry was certainly an achievement as the constituency was seen as a fairly strong Labour Party
area and indeed he remains to this day the only Conservative to have won the seat. He became a close friend of Denys Bullard
, another Conservative MP with agricultural interests whose seat depended on a small and hard-won majority in a difficult constituency. Hocking's most memorable contribution to the politics of the day was when he appeared on BBC Television
following the Profumo Affair
. Hocking was asked if Harold Macmillan
was finished politically, Hocking compared Macmillan to a pheasant once it has been shot. "It may have been shot," he said, "but it is still going to run and run." Having replaced Elaine Burton
at the 1959 general election
with the song "High Hopes" as his anthem, Hocking lost the 1964 election
to William Wilson.
He lived in the Cotswolds
throughout the rest of life, although latterly he had spent much time in America
.
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...
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 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 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 Coventry South from 1959 to 1964.
During his tenure in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
he was 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...
(PPS) to the Foreign Office. Hocking's victory in Coventry was certainly an achievement as the constituency was seen as a fairly strong 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...
area and indeed he remains to this day the only Conservative to have won the seat. He became a close friend of Denys Bullard
Denys Bullard
Denys Gradwell Bullard was a British farmer and politician. Although he was an entertaining speaker, his political career was a precarious one as he was only elected in marginal constituencies.-Farming background:...
, another Conservative MP with agricultural interests whose seat depended on a small and hard-won majority in a difficult constituency. Hocking's most memorable contribution to the politics of the day was when he appeared on BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
following the Profumo Affair
Profumo Affair
The Profumo Affair was a 1963 British political scandal named after John Profumo, Secretary of State for War. His affair with Christine Keeler, the reputed mistress of an alleged Russian spy, followed by lying in the House of Commons when he was questioned about it, forced the resignation of...
. Hocking was asked if Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
was finished politically, Hocking compared Macmillan to a pheasant once it has been shot. "It may have been shot," he said, "but it is still going to run and run." Having replaced Elaine Burton
Elaine Burton, Baroness Burton of Coventry
Elaine Frances Burton, Baroness Burton of Coventry was a politician in the United Kingdom.Burton stood twice to become a Member of Parliament, before being elected on her third candidacy...
at the 1959 general 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...
with the song "High Hopes" as his anthem, Hocking lost the 1964 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 William Wilson.
He lived in the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
throughout the rest of life, although latterly he had spent much time in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.