Audrey Wise
Encyclopedia
Audrey Wise was a British
Labour Party
politician. She was Member of Parliament
for Preston
from 1987 until her death.
Born Audrey Brown in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, she had earlier served as MP for Coventry South West
from the February 1974
to the 1979 general election
. She also stood unsuccessfully in Woolwich in 1983. She was president of the shop staff union USDAW between 1991 and 1997.
Wise was a member of the left-wing Campaign Group of Labour MPs.
During the 1970s Wise was a leading member of the Institute for Workers' Control
.
She was famously arrested on the picket line during the Grunwick dispute
, where Asian women workers were striking for Union recognition.
Wise visited Portugal in 1974 to report on and participate in the Carnation Revolution
. that overthrew the fascist dictatorship, recording her experiences and analysis in 'Eyewitness in Revolutionary Portugal' (published in 1975).
Wise's political position was consistently socialist, feminist and environmentalist, at a time when Labour itself was rapidly retreating from its socialist and working class traditions.
Her daughter Valerie spent time as a councillor in Preston and served as Labour leader of Preston City Council in 1995, but left Labour over the Iraq War. She now leads the Preston Domestic Violence Service.
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. She was 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,...
for Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
from 1987 until her death.
Born Audrey Brown in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, she had earlier served as MP for Coventry South West
Coventry South West (UK Parliament constituency)
Coventry South West was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Coventry. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from the February 1974
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
to the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
. She also stood unsuccessfully in Woolwich in 1983. She was president of the shop staff union USDAW between 1991 and 1997.
Wise was a member of the left-wing Campaign Group of Labour MPs.
During the 1970s Wise was a leading member of the Institute for Workers' Control
Institute for Workers' Control
The Institute for Workers' Control was founded in 1968 by Tony Topham and Ken Coates, the latter then a leader of the International Marxist Group and subsequently professor at the University of Nottingham and a member of the European Parliament from 1989 until 1999.The Institute drew together shop...
.
She was famously arrested on the picket line during the Grunwick dispute
Grunwick dispute
The Grunwick dispute was an industrial dispute involving trade union recognition at the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in Willesden, North London which led to a two-year strike between 1976–1978...
, where Asian women workers were striking for Union recognition.
Wise visited Portugal in 1974 to report on and participate in the Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
. that overthrew the fascist dictatorship, recording her experiences and analysis in 'Eyewitness in Revolutionary Portugal' (published in 1975).
Wise's political position was consistently socialist, feminist and environmentalist, at a time when Labour itself was rapidly retreating from its socialist and working class traditions.
Her daughter Valerie spent time as a councillor in Preston and served as Labour leader of Preston City Council in 1995, but left Labour over the Iraq War. She now leads the Preston Domestic Violence Service.