Roy Jenkins

British politician (1920–2003)

Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, OM, PC (11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003) was a British Labour Party, SDP and Liberal Democrat politician, and biographer of British political leaders.


The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead

President of the European Commission
In office
6 January 1977 – 19 January 1981
Preceded byFrançois-Xavier Ortoli
Succeeded byGaston Thorn
Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords
In office
16 July 1988 – 19 December 1997
LeaderPaddy Ashdown
Preceded byThe Baroness Seear (Liberal)
Succeeded byThe Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank
Chancellor of the University of Oxford
In office
14 March 1987 – 5 January 2003
Vice-ChancellorThe Lord Neill
Sir Richard Southwood
Sir Peter North
Sir Colin Lucas
Preceded byThe Earl of Stockton
Succeeded byThe Lord Patten of Barnes
Leader of the Social Democratic Party
In office
7 July 1982 – 13 June 1983
DeputyDavid Owen
Preceded byThe Gang of Four
Succeeded byDavid Owen
Home Secretary
In office
5 March 1974 – 10 September 1976
Prime MinisterHarold Wilson
James Callaghan
Preceded byRobert Carr
Succeeded byMerlyn Rees
In office
23 December 1965 – 30 November 1967
Prime MinisterHarold Wilson
Preceded byFrank Soskice
Succeeded byJames Callaghan
Shadow Home Secretary
In office
25 November 1973 – 5 March 1974
LeaderHarold Wilson
Preceded byShirley Williams
Succeeded byJim Prior
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
In office
8 July 1970 – 10 April 1972
LeaderHarold Wilson
Preceded byGeorge Brown
Succeeded byEdward Short
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office
19 June 1970 – 10 April 1972
LeaderHarold Wilson
Preceded byIain Macleod
Succeeded byDenis Healey
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office
30 November 1967 – 19 June 1970
Prime MinisterHarold Wilson
Preceded byJames Callaghan
Succeeded byIain Macleod
Minister of Aviation
In office
18 October 1964 – 23 December 1965
Prime MinisterHarold Wilson
Preceded byJulian Amery
Succeeded byFred Mulley
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Hillhead
In office
25 March 1982 – 11 June 1987
Preceded byTam Galbraith
Succeeded byGeorge Galloway
Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Stechford
In office
23 February 1950 – 31 March 1977
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded byAndrew MacKay
Member of Parliament
for Southwark Central
In office
29 April 1948 – 23 February 1950
Preceded byJohn Martin
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born
Roy Harris Jenkins

(1920-11-11)11 November 1920
Abersychan, Monmouthshire, Wales
Died5 January 2003(2003-01-05) (aged 82)
East Hendred, Oxfordshire, England
Political partyLabour (Before 1981)
Social Democrats (1981–1988)
Liberal Democrats (1988–2003)
Alma materCardiff University
Balliol College, Oxford
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
RankCaptain
UnitRoyal Artillery
Battles/warsSecond World War

Jenkins was elected to Parliament as a Labour MP in 1948. He served as Home Secretary from 1965 to 1967 and Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1967 and 1970. He was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party on 8 July 1970,[1] but resigned in 1972 because he supported entry to the European Communities, while the party opposed it.

In 1977, he was appointed President of the European Commission, serving until 1981. He was the first British holder of this office, and is likely to be the only such (considering the United Kingdom's decision in June 2016 to leave the European Union).[2]

He was also a known historian, biographer and writer. His A Life at the Centre (1991) is thought to be as one of the best autobiographies of the later 20th century, which "will be read with pleasure long after most examples of the genre have been forgotten".[3]

References change

  1. "Jenkins Labour deputy leader". The Glasgow Herald. 9 July 1970. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  2. Cawood, Ian J. (21 August 2013). Britain in the Twentieth Century. Routledge. p. 437. ISBN 978-1-136-40681-2.
  3. Marquand, David (8 January 2003). "Lord Jenkins of Hillhead". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2014.

Other websites change