Tony Wright (Cannock Chase MP)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Anthony Wayland Wright (born 11 March 1948) is a British
Labour Party
politician and author
, who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Cannock Chase
from 1997
to 2010. He was first elected in 1992
for Cannock and Burntwood
.
(now known as the Tresham Institute although the old building has been recently knocked down) on Windmill Avenue in Kettering
. Wright was educated at the London School of Economics
(gaining a First class honours BSc
in Government in 1970), Harvard University
(where he was a Kennedy Scholar from 1970-1), and Balliol College, Oxford
, gaining a DPhil
in 1973.
He was a lecturer in politics at the University College of North Wales, Bangor
from 1973-5. He was a lecturer in politics from 1975-92 at the University of Birmingham
(School of Continuing Studies), where he is now an honorary professor.
seat in 1979. He has a keen interest in constitutional affairs, and since 1999 he has been Chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee
. He has written or edited 21 books.
On 21 July 2008 Wright announced that, for health reasons, he would not stand again at the 2010 general election. Susan Woodward stood as the Labour Party Candidate for Cannock Chase at the 2010 election but lost to the Conservative candidate Aidan Burley
.
On 10 May 2010, University College London
announced that Wright had been appointed Professor
of Government and Public Policy.
political correspondent Ben Wright. He has had leukaemia.
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...
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...
politician and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, who was the 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 Cannock Chase
Cannock Chase (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Notes and references:...
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...
to 2010. He was first elected in 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
for Cannock and Burntwood
Cannock and Burntwood (UK Parliament constituency)
Cannock and Burntwood was a parliamentary constituency in Staffordshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until it was abolished for the 1997 general election.- History :...
.
Early life
Wright was educated at Desborough County Primary School, then Kettering Grammar SchoolKettering Grammar School
Kettering Grammar School was a boys grammar school that had a number of homes in Kettering, Northamptonshire throughout its history.-History:...
(now known as the Tresham Institute although the old building has been recently knocked down) on Windmill Avenue in Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
. Wright was educated at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(gaining a First class honours BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Government in 1970), Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(where he was a Kennedy Scholar from 1970-1), and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, gaining a DPhil
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1973.
He was a lecturer in politics at the University College of North Wales, Bangor
Bangor University
Bangor University is a university based in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales-United Kingdom.It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales...
from 1973-5. He was a lecturer in politics from 1975-92 at 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...
(School of Continuing Studies), where he is now an honorary professor.
Parliamentary career
He contested the KidderminsterKidderminster (UK Parliament constituency)
Kidderminster was a parliamentary constituency in Worcestershire, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.-History:...
seat in 1979. He has a keen interest in constitutional affairs, and since 1999 he has been Chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee
Public Administration Select Committee
The Public Administration Select Committee is a Select Committee appointed by the British House of Commons to examine the reports of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and to consider matters relating to the quality and standards of administration provided by civil service departments,...
. He has written or edited 21 books.
On 21 July 2008 Wright announced that, for health reasons, he would not stand again at the 2010 general election. Susan Woodward stood as the Labour Party Candidate for Cannock Chase at the 2010 election but lost to the Conservative candidate Aidan Burley
Aidan Burley
Aidan Burley is a British Conservative Party politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for Cannock Chase in 2010.-Early life:...
.
Return to academia
He joined the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College as a Professorial Fellow on 1 September 2010.(See http://www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/news/dr-tony-wright-appointed-as-professorial-fellow-in-british-politics-in-the-department-of-politics)On 10 May 2010, University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
announced that Wright had been appointed Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Government and Public Policy.
Personal life
He married Moira Phillips in 1973 in Oxford, and they have three sons, one of whom is BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
political correspondent Ben Wright. He has had leukaemia.
Works
- Restating the State? (Blackwell, 2004) ISBN 1-4051-2454-7
- British Politics: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford Paperbacks, 2002) ISBN 0-19-285459-3
- The British Political Process: An Introduction edited by Tony Wright (Routledge, 1999) ISBN 0-415-04965-2
- New Social Democracy edited by Tony Wright and Andrew GambleAndrew GambleAndrew Gamble FBA, AcSS, FRSA is a British author and academic. Since January 2007 he has been Professor of Politics at the University of Cambridge...
(Blackwell, 1999) ISBN 0-631-21765-7 - The People's Party: the History of the Labour Party with Matt CarterMatt CarterMatthew John Carter is Chief Executive Officer, Burson-Marsteller UK and Chairman, Penn Schoen Berland, Europe Middle East and Africa...
(Thames and Hudson, 1997) ISBN 0-500-01768-9 - Why Vote Labour? (Penguin, 1997) ISBN 0-14-026397-7
- Who Wins Dares: New Labour - New Politics (Fabian Society, 1997) ISBN 0-7163-0579-8
- Socialisms: Old and New (Routledge, 1996) ISBN 0-415-15179-1
- Power to the Back Benches? Restoring the Balance Between Government and Parliament by Stuart Weir, Tony Wright (Charter 88, 1996) ISBN 1-873311-36-2
- Values, Visions and Voices edited with Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
(Mainstream, 1995) ISBN 1-85158-731-4 - Beyond the Patronage State (Fabian Society, 1995) ISBN 0-7163-0569-0
- Contemporary Political Ideologies edited by Roger Eatwell, Anthony Wright (Pinter, 1993) ISBN 0-86187-096-4
- Citizens and Subjects (Routledge, 1993) ISBN 0-415-04964-4
- Political Thought Since 1945: Philosophy, Science, Ideology edited by Leonard Tivey, Anthony Wright (Edward Elgar, 1992) ISBN 1-85278-311-7
- Consuming Public Services by Nicholas Deakin, Anthony Wright (Routledge, 1990) ISBN 0-415-03208-3
- Matters of Death and Life: a Study of Bereavement Support in NHS Hospitals in England (King's Fund, 1988) ISBN 1-870551-84-2
- R.H. Tawney (Manchester University, 1987) ISBN 0-7190-1998-2
- Socialisms: Theories and Practices (Oxford University Press, 1986) ISBN 0-19-219188-8
- Socialism and Decentralisation (Fabian Society, 1984) ISBN 0-7163-0496-1
- Worlds of Labour: Essays in Birmingham Labour History edited by Anthony Wright, Richard Shackleton (University of Birmingham, 1983) ISBN 0-7044-0673-X
- G.D.H.Cole and Socialist Democracy (Oxford University, 1979) ISBN 0-19-827421-1
External links
- Staff profile at University College London
- www.tonywright.org - official site
- Tony Wright photos on Flickr
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Tony Wright MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Tony Wright MP
- BBC Politics page