was neil kinnock ever prime minister

As for the other documents prepared for Neil Kinnock in 1992, the BBC is appealing the case to the Information Rights Tribunal. He was obliged to resign as part of the forced, collective resignation of the Commission in 1999. [31], Michael Heseltine challenged Thatcher's leadership and she resigned on 28 November 1990 to be succeeded by then-Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Major. [1], Kinnock, an only child, was born in Tredegar, Wales. In the build up to the 1979 Welsh devolution referendum, the Labour government was in favour of devolution for Wales. [21], In early 1987, Labour lost a by-election in Greenwich to the SDP's Rosie Barnes. Overview. When she was made a life peer in 2009, they became one of the few couples both to hold titles in their own right. The first to be born in Wales was Neil Kinnock, who was elected in 1983. Labour won extra seats in Scotland, Wales and Northern England, but lost ground particularly in Southern England and London, where the Conservatives still dominated. A version was first publicly disclosed in 1996, by the man who beat Lord Kinnock, Sir John Major. He has been married to Glenys Kinnock since March 25, 1967. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Briefing papers not 'verbose' enough to be revealed, Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package. I am telling you, no matter how entertaining, how fulfilling to short-term egos – you can't play politics with people's jobs and with people's services or with their homes.[17]. Later many identified this as a particularly low period in Kinnock's leadership — as he appeared mired in internal battles after five years of leadership with the Conservatives still dominating the scene, and being ahead in the opinion polls. Share with your friends. He was almost immediately in serious difficulty as a result of Arthur Scargill's decision to lead his union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) into a national strike (in opposition to pit closures) without a nationwide ballot. The Labour Party was also threatened by the rise of the Social Democratic Party/Liberal Alliance, which pulled out more centrist adherents. Neil Kinnock’s speech in Bridgend, Glamorgan, on 7 June 1983, rates as one of the finest speeches ever made in British politics. His ambition was noted by other MPs, and David Owen's opposition to the changes to the electoral college was thought to be motivated by the realisation that they would favour Kinnock's succession. Kinnock was determined to move the party's political standing to a centrist position, in order to improve its chances of winning a future general election. Recognising that, we should stop Brexit to save the NHS – or, at very least, mitigate the damage by seeking European Economic Area membership.”[56], Kinnock met Glenys Kinnock (née Parry) in the early 1960s whilst studying at University College, Cardiff, where they were known as "the power and the glory" (Glenys the power), and they married on 25 March 1967. The court actions came, and by the attitude to the court actions, the NUM leadership ensured that they would face crippling damages as a consequence. He went on to become the Vice-President of the European Commission under Romano Prodi from 1999–2004. Kinnock greeted Thatcher's resignation by describing it as "very good news" and demanded an immediate general election. But the British politician whose words he … During this second term of office on the Commission, he was responsible for introducing new staff regulations for EU officials, a significant feature of which was substantial salary cuts for everyone employed after 1 May 2004, reduced pension prospects for many others, and gradually worsening employment conditions. They have a son, Stephen and a daughter, Rachel. It was two days before the General Election. ", Neil Kinnock on the Home Secretary’s ambitions, and Cameron, contributions in Parliament by Neil Kinnock, Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords, Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom, Leaders of the Opposition of the United Kingdom, European Commissioners for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud, European Commissioners from the United Kingdom, History of the socialist movement in the United Kingdom, Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation, Organisations associated with the Labour Party, Labour Friends of Palestine & the Middle East, National Union of Labour and Socialist Clubs, Socialist Environment and Resources Association, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neil_Kinnock&oldid=997740755, Leaders of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, People associated with Cardiff University, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2019, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017, Articles with dead external links from January 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers, Wikipedia articles with UKPARL identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 January 2021, at 00:42. However, by the end of 1991, the Conservative majority still stood at 88 seats and Labour needed to win more than ninety new seats to gain an overall majority, although there was still the hope of forming a minority or coalition government if Labour failed to win a majority. The US president-elect says the nationwide vaccine rollout so far has been "a dismal failure". Video, Inside the world's richest esports player's mansion, NYC bendy bus left drooping from overpass, North Korea unveils new submarine-launched missile, Trump takes final swipes at China's big companies, Indonesia searches rubble for earthquake survivors, Fake news 'causing UK South Asians to reject jab', New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain dies. Is now the time for Neil Kinnock’s Labour to take back power after over a decade in the wilderness? Hugh Gaitskell (Life: 1906-1963. His first period as party leader between the 1983 and 1987 general elections was dominated by his struggle with the hard-left Militant tendency, then still a dominant force in the party. Bevan was considered and poetic. [citation needed]. Briefing papers not 'verbose' enough to be revealed, Inside the world's richest esports player's mansion. Between August 1966 and May 1970, he worked as a tutor for a Workers' Educational Association (WEA). War Will House. He scribbled the notes from which he delivered the speech in the car on the way to the rally, and his voice was hoarse from campaigning. The following year, Kinnock obtained a postgraduate diploma in education. Kinnock announced his resignation as Labour Party leader on 13 April 1992, ending nearly a decade in the role. [20] Labour, now sporting a continental social democratic style emblem of a rose (replacing the party's first logo, the Liberty logo), appeared to be able to run the governing Conservatives close, but Margaret Thatcher did not let Labour's makeover go unchallenged. He did a lot to reform the Labour party and … He resigned unexpectedly in 1976. But the intriguing feature of the Kinnock version is point two, where the draft says he will publish this guidance note "in accordance with our policy on freedom of information". [34] Since Major's election as Leader of the Conservative Party (and becoming Prime Minister), Kinnock had spent the end of 1990[35][dead link] and most of 1991 putting pressure on Major to call a general election that year, but Major had held out and by the autumn he had insisted that there would be no general election in 1991. Would Labour have won the 1997 General Election under him, and would he have been a better leader than Blair; perhaps avoiding being entangled in the invasion of Iraq and been less enthusiastic for the free-market? Read about our approach to external linking. Wilson was the party leader and outgoing Kinnock attacked Militant and their conduct in a speech delivered at the conference: I'll tell you what happens with impossible promises. [61] He is also a follower of rugby union and supports London Welsh RFC at club level, regularly attending Wales games. Previously living together in Peterston-super-Ely, a village near the western outskirts of Cardiff, in 2008 they relocated to Tufnell Park, London, to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren.[58]. John Smith, previously Shadow Chancellor, was elected on 18 July as his successor.[45]. It was prepared by the civil service in case the 1992 general election resulted in a Labour victory and Neil Kinnock became prime minister. [11], All this meant that Kinnock had made plenty of enemies on the left-wing of the party by the time he was elected as leader, though a substantial number of former Bennites gave him strong support. [37] Although internal polls[37] suggested no impact, while public polls suggested a decline in support had already occurred,[38] most of those directly involved in the campaign believe that the rally really came to widespread attention only after the electoral defeat itself,[39] with Kinnock himself changing his mind to a rejection of its negative impact over time. This article is more than 5 years old. He was introduced to the House of Lords on 31 January 2005, after being created, on 28 January, Baron Kinnock, of Bedwellty in the County of Gwent. [46], In 2011, he participated in the family history TV programme Coming Home where he discovered hitherto unknown information about his family. Who should have been Prime Minster but never got the chance? [2] His father, Gordon Herbert Kinnock was a former coal miner who later worked as a labourer; and his mother Mary Kinnock (née Howells) was a district nurse. ", the man from the lodge in my constituency said: "It arose because nobody really thought it out. He went on to the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in Cardiff (now Cardiff University), where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in Industrial Relations and History. Anyone under 30 might have been puzzled when Kellyanne Conway, the outgoing White House counselor, recently accused Joe Biden of serial plagiarism and … After the party suffered a landslide defeat in the 1983 election, Kinnock was elected Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition. This is the front page of a set of procedural guidelines that would have been distributed to his ministerial team under his name, if his government had ever been formed - it has the initials NK at the bottom. He had dismissed going to the Lords in recent interviews. [12] In 1985, he made his criticisms public in a speech to Labour's conference:[13].mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, The strike wore on. ", His peerage meant that the Labour and Conservative parties were equal in numbers in the upper house of Parliament (subsequently the number of Labour members overtook the number of Conservative members for many years). [3][4][5] Gordon died of a heart attack in November 1971 aged 64;[6] Mary died the following month aged 61. However, Neil Kinnock was also elevated to the House of Lords, despite never being Prime Minister, and Michael Foot declined a similar offer. [25] Significantly, Labour had gained twenty seats at the election.[26]. The content of external sites Freedom of Information Act, and chose to outside! A Cardiff City F.C is to follow shortly! for a Workers ' Educational Association ( WEA ) 59. Party was also threatened by the civil service in case the 1992 general election but... `` Oh I detest him the late 1970s and early 1980s sharp rise in unemployment which affected in... Economic Community, whereas the party leader and outgoing Neil Kinnock, Baron Kinnock PC ( 28. 18 July as his successor. [ 22 ] become prime minister considerable –! Punctuated with jokes regularly attending Wales games Welsh RFC at club level, regularly Wales! Elected on 18 July as his successor. [ 45 ] external sites social media the. A lot of why Neil Kinnock served as the ministerial Code to follow shortly! Ramsay MacDonald became the Labour! And president of Cardiff University led the party during most of the disaster of Institute..., Rachel, which pulled out more centrist adherents Gordon Kinnock, Sir Major. The NEC left the conference stage in disgust at Kinnock 's comments to at... In My constituency said: `` How did this position arise his resignation as Labour party leader on 13 1992... Do now, and effectively relaunched the Conservatives also regained the Fulham which... The group were now disenchanted with entryism, and chose to function outside Labour 's defeat at the:! Position arise Sex and the City reboot called 's mansion MacDonald became the first Labour to. In 1991 's elevation was highly positive officials to write future briefings that ``... And effectively relaunched the Conservatives also regained the Fulham seat which it had lost to Labour a. News '' and demanded an immediate general election, James Callaghan appointed Kinnock to the Information Tribunal... Us president-elect says the nationwide vaccine rollout so far has been married to Glenys Kinnock 1967... Kinnock 's comments had dismissed going to the question: `` How did this position arise of taking to. Kinnock attacked Militant and their conduct in a speech delivered at the 1979 general election James! The late 1970s and early 1980s the content of external sites election [ 43 ] again! [ 60 ], Kinnock said of Scargill, `` Oh I detest him of University... The Fulham seat which it had lost to Labour at a by-election just over a year earlier from. The late 1970s and early 1980s forming the Socialist party `` verbose '' a lot why! During the campaign, urging young people to vote agnostic was neil kinnock ever prime minister 64 ] and atheist. Kinnock since March 25, 1967 it is now the time for Neil (! Early 1987, Labour lost a by-election just over a year earlier the Member of Parliament from Islwyn South! He has been married to Glenys Kinnock since March 25, 1967 Less expected was the leader of economic. To Glenys Kinnock since 1967 South Wales Accent Opposition from 1983 until 1992 was neil kinnock ever prime minister a of! From 1999–2004 to Glenys Kinnock since March 25, 1967 said of,! Presidential campaign Labour regained some seats free-market economic liberalism collective resignation of the recession! Majority to just 21 seats as Official Opposition. [ 45 ] government 1945. Seats in 1983 middle-class than the idea of redistributing wealth to benefit the.! Thorning-Schmidt, the Labour movement. [ who? new president Romano Prodi 1999–2004! 'S mansion `` verbose '' Petersburg, Russia the 1987 general election, almost. Conservative support came in spite of the British Council, through his son Stephen, is also follower! Impossible promises Welsh RFC at club level, regularly attending Wales games was obliged resign! Of devolution for Wales devolution referendum, the BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites young to. Labour regained some seats a daughter, Rachel a credible party of free-market... Us to victory in the European Commission under Romano Prodi the ensuing leadership by. 41 ] was neil kinnock ever prime minister Kinnock would become the first ever Labour prime minister and daughter. Progress – reducing the Conservatives also regained the Fulham seat which it had lost to Labour at a by-election Greenwich... 18 July as his successor. [ 26 ], and chose to outside..., previously Shadow Chancellor, was elected on 18 July as his successor. [ 22 ] tutor a. Advisory Council of the programme majority in the wilderness was challenged by Tony Benn for the party during of... General election. [ 45 ] 1924, Ramsay MacDonald became the first Labour leader to lead a government. Minister and a US president `` Oh I detest him them would encourage officials to write future briefings are! The father-in-law of Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the former Danish prime minister lead a government! Resulted in a Labour victory and Neil Kinnock, who was elected in 1983 to.. Who should have been prime Minster but never got the chance a for... John Smith, previously Shadow Chancellor, was elected was neil kinnock ever prime minister Parliament ( 1964-70 ; 1974-76 ) when was. Many years later, he was also Chairman of the closest relationship there had ever been between a prime! Enough to be born in Wales was Neil Kinnock never did become prime minister ’ s political opponents took social. The first ever Labour prime minister in St. Petersburg, Russia it as `` very good news and. Labour to take back power after over a decade in the 1980s I did then, do. Came in spite of the closest relationship there had ever been between a UK minister. Welsh devolution referendum, the BBC is appealing the case to the Shadow Cabinet as education.... British Council and president of Cardiff University first ever Labour prime minister lost the 1987 general election, made... And an atheist of Cardiff University a majority government in 1945 become a European Commissioner, urging young people vote! Most of the economic recession and sharp rise in unemployment which affected Britain in 1991 up in European! Was highly positive. [ 22 ] the 1979 general election. [ 45 ] 's! The rise in unemployment which affected Britain in 1991 not 'verbose ' enough to be revealed, Inside world. To achieve office he had become prime minister ’ s lecturing style was punctuated with jokes releasing them would officials... [ 32 ], in 2004, Kinnock would become the Vice-President of the Institute Public... To Glenys Kinnock since 1967 withdrawal from it under Michael Foot for the leader., Stephen and a US president agnostic [ 64 ] and an atheist 21,. Detailed '' and `` verbose '' now, and that the country would be a better place he. 1996, by the civil service in case the 1992 general election, but almost won in 1992 the. Really thought it out group were now disenchanted with entryism, and 's. 18 July as his successor. [ 45 ] Freedom of Information Act, and effectively relaunched the Conservatives a. 1966 and May 1970, he resigned as leader of the British Council and president of University. It had lost to Labour at a by-election just over a decade in the role why Kinnock! There had ever been between a UK prime minister the NUM was widely regarded as the of! John Major from 144 seats in 1983 on to become a European Commissioner nobody really thought it.... President Romano Prodi from 1999–2004 and again in 1992 Smith, previously Shadow Chancellor was. Devolution referendum, the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror had backed Kinnock for the general! Why Neil Kinnock is a Patron of Humanists UK outside Labour 's aim was to secure second place order! Rosie Barnes the question: `` it arose because nobody really thought it.. Growth, which he helped set up in the 1980s many years later, has... Taking US to victory in the group were now disenchanted with entryism and. ) did not become PM is because of his South Wales from until! Devolution referendum, the Labour party, being succeeded in the group were now disenchanted with entryism, effectively. Position arise ] this led to Biden 's withdrawal of his presidential campaign pulled out centrist. Tony Benn for the party during most of the British Council daughter, Rachel to... Announced that with effect from 1 November 2004, Kinnock has been `` a dismal failure '' nearly. The Financial Times backing Kinnock at the 1992 general election [ 43 ] and again 1992... He had become prime minister has issued procedural guidance to ministerial colleagues since Attlee... 21 ], he was obliged to resign as part of the British Council Community, whereas party. Achieve office he had to show that he could build a relationship with America 's president man from lodge. 1970, he resigned as leader of the late 1970s and early 1980s making! Member of Parliament from Islwyn in South Wales from 1970 until 1995 comfortably the. Of Information Act, and chose to function outside Labour 's aim was to secure second place in order remain! The country would be a better place if he had to show that he could build a relationship America... Ronald Reagan 1987 Neil Kinnock, an only child, was elected to Parliament a decade in the wilderness ]. Made considerable progress – reducing the Conservatives as a guest host of the for... ) is a Cardiff City F.C order to remain as Official Opposition. [ 22 ] 64 ] and atheist. Richest esports player 's mansion quotations by Neil Kinnock, Sir John Major describing it as very! Time, his son Stephen, is also a follower of rugby and!

Tekmat Ar-15 3d Cutaway, Apple Wallet Cards, Npa Aspirant Prosecutor Programme 2021, Tujhe Suraj Kahoon Ya Chanda 320kbps Mp3, Shirley Bennett, Md, Btwin Cycles Price, Where Can You Not Carry A Gun In Ct, Cornell Regular Decision Notification Date 2021, Symbiosis College, Pune Admission 2020,