Walter Harrison (politician) explained

Walter Harrison
Party:Labour
Nationality:British
Death Date:19 October 2012 (aged 91)
Birth Date:2 January 1921
Primeminister:Harold Wilson
James Callaghan
Term End:4 May 1979
Term Start:4 March 1974
Term Start2:15 October 1964
Term End2:18 May 1987
Office:Treasurer of the Household and Deputy Chief Whip
Office2:Member of Parliament
for Wakefield
Predecessor2:Arthur Creech Jones
Successor2:David Hinchliffe

Walter Harrison PC (2 January 1921 – 19 October 2012) was a British Labour politician that served as Member of Parliament of Wakefield from October 1964 to May 1987.[1]

Biography

Harrison was educated at Dewsbury Technical College and School of Art. He was a foreman electrician and was active in the Electrical Trades Union. He served as a councillor on West Riding County Council and as an alderman of Castleford Borough Council.

Elected Labour MP for Wakefield in 1964, Harrison served as a Government whip from 1966 to 1970 and as deputy Chief Whip from 1974 to 1979. On one occasion in 1968, Harrison was whipping on two bills simultaneously, trapping his leg in the door of a division lobby on the second vote; famously ruling that most of Harrison's body was in the lobby, the chairman of the bill committee declared the vote passed 22¾–22 in Labour's favour.[2] In the Conservative landslide at the 1983 general election, he held his seat - which had undergone substantial boundary changes - with a majority of only 360 votes over the Conservative candidate.

Harrison retired from parliament in 1987. He died on 19 October 2012, aged 91.

Role in 1979 vote of no confidence

See main article: 1979 vote of no confidence in the Callaghan ministry. On 28 March 1979, Harrison played a critical role in the defeat of the Labour government in the vote of confidence. As the vote loomed, Harrison approached Conservative MP Bernard Weatherill to enforce the convention and "gentlemen's agreement" that if a sick MP from the Government could not vote, an MP from the Opposition would abstain to compensate. The Labour MP Sir Alfred Broughton was on his deathbed and could not vote, meaning the Government would probably lose by one vote.[3]

Weatherill said that the convention had never been intended for Matter of Confidence and it would be impossible to find a Conservative MP who would agree to abstain. However, after a moment's reflection, he offered that he himself would abstain, because he felt it would be dishonourable to break his word with Harrison. Harrison was so impressed by Weatherill's offer – which would have effectively ended his political career – that he released Weatherill from his obligation and so the Government fell by one vote on the agreement of gentlemen.[4]

This episode was dramatised in James Graham's 2012 play This House (which opened one month before Harrison's death). When the play was first performed at the National Theatre, the part of Harrison was played by Philip Glenister.[5] [6]

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Labour whip Harrison dies . PoliticsHome . 21 October 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20130131162522/http://www.politicshome.com/uk/story/30242/former_labour_whip_harrison_dies.html . 31 January 2013 . dmy-all .
  2. News: 2012-10-22. Walter Harrison. The Daily Telegraph. en-GB. 2020-06-04. 0307-1235.
  3. News: 28 March 1979. Early election as Callaghan defeated. BBC News. live. 2 June 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090627165324/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/28/newsid_2531000/2531007.stm. 27 June 2009.
  4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bbc_parliament/3565551.stm The Night the Government Fell
  5. Web site: Everything you need to know about This House on National Theatre at Home. Finnis. Alex. 29 May 2020. iNews. en. 2020-05-30.
  6. Web site: 22 October 2012. Former Wakefield MP Walter Harrison dies aged 91. 2020-06-03. www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk. en.