(11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003) was a British politician
.
The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II
. Elected to Parliament as a Labour
member in 1948, he served in several major posts in Harold Wilson's First Government. As Home Secretary
from 1965–1967, he sought to build what he described as "a civilised society", with measures such as the effective abolition in Britain of capital punishment and theatre censorship, the decriminalisation of homosexuality, relaxing of divorce law, suspension of birching
and the legalisation of abortion
.
There has been a lot of talk about the formation of a new Centre Party. Some have even been kind enough to suggest that I might lead it. I find this idea profoundly unattractive...I do not believe that such a grouping would have any coherent philosophical base...I cannot be indifferent to the political traditions in which I was brought up...the Labour Party is and always has been an instinctive part of my life.
I do not think you can push public expenditure significantly above 60 per cent and maintain the values of a plural society with adequate freedom of choice. We are here close to one of the frontiers of social democracy
I therefore believe that the politics of the left and centre of this country are frozen in an out-of-date mould which is bad for the political and economic health of Britain and increasingly inhibiting for those who live within the mould. Can it be broken?
Many of the early nationalisation measures were right. They have remained part of the social fabric. I favour measures of that type.