Roger Barton (politician)
Encyclopedia
Roger Barton is a British
engineer and politician, who served for ten years as a Member of the European Parliament
(MEP). He was a leading member of the Labour Party
in Sheffield
and served on the City Council
. After losing his seat in European Parliament
he set up an organisation which offers llama
trekking to young people in the city.
and went to Burngreave Secondary Modern School. He went into work as an apprenticed engineering fitter in 1960. In 1965 he obtained an Engineering Technician's Certificate from Granville College. Barton became active in the Labour Party
and in 1971 was elected to Sheffield City Council.
when the party deselected its Member of Parliament, Edward Griffiths
, by 40 votes to 10. When Griffiths claimed he was the victim of a "left-wing coup", Barton gave a list of ten reasons why the constituency association were unhappy with him, including reneging on a promise to move to the constituency.
and Labour Party. During the 1983 leadership election
of the Labour Party, Barton outlined the reason why the Sheffield Labour Party had sold cassettes of the four leadership candidates being cross-examined by Sheffield party members. He insisted that "we really do object to the media editing internal debates", and declared that he did not want to conduct debates through the newspapers because it would keep down the party's standing with the public.
in the 1984 European Parliament election, as a left-wing opponent of British membership of the European Communities
; however he lost out to Bob Cryer
, who had lost his Parliamentary seat the previous year. When Cryer was returned to the House of Commons in the 1987 general election
he stood down from the European Parliament and Barton was selected for the 1989 election.
rally, and signed an advertisement opposing changes to Clause IV
when Tony Blair
proposed to drop it. Barton opposed a proposal from German Commissioner Martin Bangemann
to restrict the sale of superbikes, and persuaded the European Parliament to vote against it.
. As the Labour Party won only three seats, Barton was defeated. For a time he was a Director of Insight Dynamics, an information technology company.
s to local festivals; he commented that many local children thought they were sheep. Barton has noted that although llamas are famous for spitting as a sign of aggression, there was only one occasion when he had intervened in a fight between them that he had been spat at.
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...
engineer and politician, who served for ten years as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP). He was a leading member of 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...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and served on the City Council
Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council is the city council for the metropolitan borough of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors...
. After losing his seat in 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...
he set up an organisation which offers llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
trekking to young people in the city.
Engineering
Barton was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and went to Burngreave Secondary Modern School. He went into work as an apprenticed engineering fitter in 1960. In 1965 he obtained an Engineering Technician's Certificate from Granville College. Barton became active in 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...
and in 1971 was elected to Sheffield City Council.
Party chairman
In 1974 Barton was chairman of Sheffield Brightside Constituency Labour PartyConstituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
when the party deselected its Member of Parliament, Edward Griffiths
Edward Griffiths
Edward Griffiths was a British Labour politician and director of the British Steel Association.Griffiths was elected Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside in a 1968 by-election...
, by 40 votes to 10. When Griffiths claimed he was the victim of a "left-wing coup", Barton gave a list of ten reasons why the constituency association were unhappy with him, including reneging on a promise to move to the constituency.
Local party secretary
In 1981 Barton left his job in engineering to be full time Secretary of Sheffield Trades and Labour CouncilSheffield Trades and Labour Council
The Sheffield Trades and Labour Council, usually known as the Sheffield Trades Council, is a labour organisation uniting trade unionists in Sheffield.-Precursors:...
and Labour Party. During the 1983 leadership election
Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1983
The Labour Party leadership election of 1983 was an election in the United Kingdom for the leadership of the Labour Party. It occurred when former leader Michael Foot resigned after winning only 209 seats at the 1983 general election — a loss of 70 seats compared to their performance at the...
of the Labour Party, Barton outlined the reason why the Sheffield Labour Party had sold cassettes of the four leadership candidates being cross-examined by Sheffield party members. He insisted that "we really do object to the media editing internal debates", and declared that he did not want to conduct debates through the newspapers because it would keep down the party's standing with the public.
European Parliament
Barton offered himself for selection for the Labour nomination for the Sheffield constituencySheffield (European Parliament constituency)
Sheffield was a European Parliament constituency covering the City of Sheffield and parts of Derbyshire in England.Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
in the 1984 European Parliament election, as a left-wing opponent of British membership of the European Communities
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
; however he lost out to Bob Cryer
Bob Cryer
George Robert Cryer, known as Bob Cryer was a politician in the United Kingdom.He was educated at Salt High School, Shipley, and the University of Hull...
, who had lost his Parliamentary seat the previous year. When Cryer was returned to the House of Commons in the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
he stood down from the European Parliament and Barton was selected for the 1989 election.
Political views
After winning the seat easily, Barton became identified with the left-wing in the European Parliament's Labour Group. He led the signatories of a letter calling for support for a Campaign for Nuclear DisarmamentCampaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
rally, and signed an advertisement opposing changes to Clause IV
Clause IV
Clause IV historically refers to part of the 1918 text of the British Labour Party constitution which set out the aims and values of the party. Before its revision in 1995, its application was the subject of considerable dispute.-Text:...
when Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
proposed to drop it. Barton opposed a proposal from German Commissioner Martin Bangemann
Martin Bangemann
Martin Bangemann is a German politician and a former leader of the FDP . He studied Law in Tübingen and Munich, earned a Dr. jur. in 1962, and qualified as an attorney in 1964...
to restrict the sale of superbikes, and persuaded the European Parliament to vote against it.
Defeat
In the 1999 election, Barton was placed in fourth place on the Labour Party's list for Yorkshire and the HumberYorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency)
Yorkshire and the Humber is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
. As the Labour Party won only three seats, Barton was defeated. For a time he was a Director of Insight Dynamics, an information technology company.
Llama trekking
Barton set up the Sheffield and Peak District Llama Trekking project in 2006, aiming to encourage young people from inner-city Sheffield to venture out into the countryside. The project is based in the Mayfield Valley, but Barton brought his llamaLlama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
s to local festivals; he commented that many local children thought they were sheep. Barton has noted that although llamas are famous for spitting as a sign of aggression, there was only one occasion when he had intervened in a fight between them that he had been spat at.