Des Wilson
Encyclopedia
Des Wilson is a New Zealand
born British
campaigner, political activist, businessman, sports administrator, author and Poker player. He was instrumental in the 1960s as a founder of the pivotal British homelessness charity Shelter
and was for a while an activist in, and President of, the British Liberal Party
. He is now most well known for his writing on Poker.
, leaving at 15 to become a reporter on the local newspaper. After spells working for the Otago Daily Times
and the Evening Star
in Dunedin
, and the Melbourne Star in Melbourne, Australia, Wilson moved to the United Kingdom in 1960, aged 19.
He spent a few years taking a range of jobs before becoming a journalist. Following the 1966 BBC Wednesday Play, "Cathy Come Home
", he became the founding director of the housing charity Shelter
, and then became a columnist for The Observer
newspaper. He also spent two years as director of public affairs for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He edited the magazine Social Work Today for the British Association of Social Workers. He then returned to campaigning, running Friends of the Earth
and the campaigns for freedom of information and lead-free petrol.
In many ways an anti-establishment radical, he joined the Liberal Party
in order to stand in the Hove by-election, 1973
. Although unsuccessful, he stayed involved in the Liberal Party and in 1986 he became its President, a position which allowed him to act as its Campaign Director in the 1987 General Election
. He later wrote a book, "The Battle For Power," about the strained relationship between the Liberals and their partners the Social Democratic Party
(SDP) during that campaign. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the merger between the two parties in 1988 and became Campaign Manager for the new party the Liberal Democrats
under Paddy Ashdown
in the 1992 General Election
.
Somewhat disillusioned with party politics after that campaign, Wilson then moved on to become Director of Corporate and Public Affairs for BAA plc
. He became chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board
's corporate affairs and marketing committee in 2003, but resigned in 2004 over the controversy related to England touring Zimbabwe.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
born British
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...
campaigner, political activist, businessman, sports administrator, author and Poker player. He was instrumental in the 1960s as a founder of the pivotal British homelessness charity Shelter
Shelter (charity)
Shelter is a registered charity in England and Scotland that campaigns to end homelessness and bad housing. It gives advice, information and advocacy to people in need, and tackles the root causes of bad housing by lobbying government and local authorities for new laws and policies to improve the...
and was for a while an activist in, and President of, the British Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. He is now most well known for his writing on Poker.
Background
From a working-class family in New Zealand, Wilson attended Waitaki Boys' High SchoolWaitaki Boys' High School
Waitaki Boys' High School is a secondary school for boys located in the northern part of the town of Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand, with day and boarding facilities, and was founded in 1883. It currently has a school roll of just over 530....
, leaving at 15 to become a reporter on the local newspaper. After spells working for the Otago Daily Times
Otago Daily Times
The Otago Daily Times is a newspaper published by Allied Press Ltd in Dunedin, New Zealand.-History:Originally styled The Otago Daily Times, the ODT was first published on November 15, 1861. It is New Zealand's oldest surviving daily newspaper - Christchurch's The Press, six months older, was a...
and the Evening Star
Evening Star (Dunedin)
The Evening Star was a daily evening newspaper published in Dunedin, New Zealand from June 1863. Second-longest lasting of Dunedin's newspapers, it was the only rival to the Otago Daily Times to survive beyond the first few years of the twentieth century.The Star - as the paper was originally...
in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, and the Melbourne Star in Melbourne, Australia, Wilson moved to the United Kingdom in 1960, aged 19.
He spent a few years taking a range of jobs before becoming a journalist. Following the 1966 BBC Wednesday Play, "Cathy Come Home
Cathy Come Home
Cathy Come Home is a 1966 BBC television play by Jeremy Sandford, produced by Tony Garnett and directed by Ken Loach, about homelessness. An industry poll rated it as the best British television drama ever made. Filmed in a gritty, realistic drama documentary style, it was first broadcast on 16...
", he became the founding director of the housing charity Shelter
Shelter (charity)
Shelter is a registered charity in England and Scotland that campaigns to end homelessness and bad housing. It gives advice, information and advocacy to people in need, and tackles the root causes of bad housing by lobbying government and local authorities for new laws and policies to improve the...
, and then became a columnist for The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper. He also spent two years as director of public affairs for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He edited the magazine Social Work Today for the British Association of Social Workers. He then returned to campaigning, running Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
and the campaigns for freedom of information and lead-free petrol.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
in order to stand in the Hove by-election, 1973
Hove by-election, 1973
The Hove by-election was held on 8 November 1973 for the British House of Commons constituency of Hove in East Sussex.The by-election was caused by the death of Conservative Party Member of Parliament Martin Maddan....
. Although unsuccessful, he stayed involved in the Liberal Party and in 1986 he became its President, a position which allowed him to act as its Campaign Director in the 1987 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
. He later wrote a book, "The Battle For Power," about the strained relationship between the Liberals and their partners the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
(SDP) during that campaign. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the merger between the two parties in 1988 and became Campaign Manager for the new party the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
under Paddy Ashdown
Paddy Ashdown
Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC , usually known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician and diplomat....
in the 1992 General Election
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...
.
Somewhat disillusioned with party politics after that campaign, Wilson then moved on to become Director of Corporate and Public Affairs for BAA plc
BAA plc
BAA Ltd. is the Spanish-owned operator of six British airports and Naples Airport in Italy, making the company one of the largest transport companies in the world. BAA stems from British Airports Authority and is owned by a consortium led by Grupo Ferrovial, a Spanish firm specialising in...
. He became chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
's corporate affairs and marketing committee in 2003, but resigned in 2004 over the controversy related to England touring Zimbabwe.
External links
- Official website
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2205454,00.htmlPoker: The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
] Nov 5 - http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2191115,00.htmlPoker: The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Dec 15] - http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/artsandentertainment/0,,1794726,00.html
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1803982,00.html