Frances Morrell
Encyclopedia
Frances Morrell was a British
Labour
politician
who led the Inner London Education Authority
1983-87.
Frances Morrell was brought up in York
and educated at Queen Anne's Grammar School there and at Hull University
. Much later she undertook an MA at Goldsmiths College, London University. She worked as a schoolteacher from 1960 and married Brian Morrell in 1964. In 1970 she became a Press Officer, working for the Fabian Society
and the National Union of Students. This latter role brought her into contact with Tony Benn
, then coming to be seen as the leader of the Labour left, and with whom she then agreed on many important issues.
In 1973 Benn invited Morrell to be his Political Adviser should Labour win the next election. She was Labour candidate for Chelmsford
in the February 1974 general election
, and served as a Special Adviser to Benn at the Departments of Industry and Energy from 1974 to 1979. Benn was increasingly marginalised as the Parliament went on, but Morrell worked to link him with a network of activists outside Parliament. She was unlucky in failing to be selected for several Labour seats in the 1979 general election
(among them Birkenhead
and Manchester Blackley
).
After Labour left office, she helped to create the 'Rank and File Mobilising Committee', through which the left organised to bring changes in the party. In this capacity she was referred to cynically by some in the media: Private Eye
commented "How typical of Tony Benn to have a hatchet-woman". In the run-up to the 1981 Greater London Council
elections, she was chosen to fight Islington South and Finsbury and on election formed part of the left faction in support of Ken Livingstone
.
However, Morrell's background as a teacher led her to spend most time on the Inner London Education Authority
which came with membership of the GLC. She was chosen as Deputy Leader of the new left leadership under Bryn Davies
. She became unsatisfied with his leadership, which she considered weak, and built support for a change through the GLC Women's Group; in April 1983 she challenged him and was elected as the new leader.
Under Morrell, the ILEA became concerned with promoting gender equality. The authority was severely criticized for what the right regarded as propaganda in the schools it administered. Many of the policies of the Davies leadership were continued, which included the high spending: the ILEA deliberately set an illegally high budget for 1985. The government under Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
, which was proposing to abolish the GLC, would have wanted to abolish the ILEA as well but found it was impractical to do so. However, new legislation allowed the Government to limit the ILEA's budget, and it did so. The ILEA was helped by a bail-out from the GLC for one year.
The abolition of the GLC in 1986 also meant something had to be done to provide for future elections to the ILEA. It was first suggested that the ILEA could be made up of delegates from the 12 inner London Boroughs, but the Conservative Group on the ILEA was strongly against this policy and eventually it was decided that there would be direct elections. Morrell led Labour into the campaign, and with London hostile to the abolition of the GLC, Labour won an easy victory. Morrell was re-elected quite narrowly herself, as the SDP
had a strong challenge.
Morrell lost her leadership in 1987 by 23 votes to 22, continuing a tradition of internal deselection established by both her predecessors. She had insisted that teachers who were surplus to requirements at one ILEA school should transfer to another where there was a shortfall, and threatened to dismiss those who refused. She became Secretary of the Speaker of the House of Commons' Commission on Citizenship the next year and a Senior Research Fellow at Queen Mary and Westfield College
briefly in 1991-92, before becoming Executive Director of the Institute for Citizenship Studies. She was lately joint Chief Executive of ArtsInform, which tries to build relationships between schools and colleges and professional artists.
Morrell's husband Brian committed suicide in April 2009, and she herself suffered from increasingly poor health. She died on Sunday, 10 January 2010, aged 72, from cancer. She is survived by her daughter, Daisy, and brother, Peter.
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
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who led the Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
1983-87.
Frances Morrell was brought up in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and educated at Queen Anne's Grammar School there and at Hull University
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
. Much later she undertook an MA at Goldsmiths College, London University. She worked as a schoolteacher from 1960 and married Brian Morrell in 1964. In 1970 she became a Press Officer, working for the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
and the National Union of Students. This latter role brought her into contact with Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
, then coming to be seen as the leader of the Labour left, and with whom she then agreed on many important issues.
In 1973 Benn invited Morrell to be his Political Adviser should Labour win the next election. She was Labour candidate for Chelmsford
Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)
Chelmsford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From the 2010 general election it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in the February 1974 general election
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,...
, and served as a Special Adviser to Benn at the Departments of Industry and Energy from 1974 to 1979. Benn was increasingly marginalised as the Parliament went on, but Morrell worked to link him with a network of activists outside Parliament. She was unlucky in failing to be selected for several Labour seats in 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...
(among them Birkenhead
Birkenhead (UK Parliament constituency)
Birkenhead is a parliamentary 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.-History:...
and Manchester Blackley
Manchester Blackley (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester, Blackley was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
).
After Labour left office, she helped to create the 'Rank and File Mobilising Committee', through which the left organised to bring changes in the party. In this capacity she was referred to cynically by some in the media: Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
commented "How typical of Tony Benn to have a hatchet-woman". In the run-up to the 1981 Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
elections, she was chosen to fight Islington South and Finsbury and on election formed part of the left faction in support of Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
.
However, Morrell's background as a teacher led her to spend most time on the Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
which came with membership of the GLC. She was chosen as Deputy Leader of the new left leadership under Bryn Davies
Bryn Davies
Brinley Howard Davies, usually known as Bryn Davies is a British trade unionist, actuary and politician who was Leader of the Inner London Education Authority in the early 1980s....
. She became unsatisfied with his leadership, which she considered weak, and built support for a change through the GLC Women's Group; in April 1983 she challenged him and was elected as the new leader.
Under Morrell, the ILEA became concerned with promoting gender equality. The authority was severely criticized for what the right regarded as propaganda in the schools it administered. Many of the policies of the Davies leadership were continued, which included the high spending: the ILEA deliberately set an illegally high budget for 1985. The government under Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, which was proposing to abolish the GLC, would have wanted to abolish the ILEA as well but found it was impractical to do so. However, new legislation allowed the Government to limit the ILEA's budget, and it did so. The ILEA was helped by a bail-out from the GLC for one year.
The abolition of the GLC in 1986 also meant something had to be done to provide for future elections to the ILEA. It was first suggested that the ILEA could be made up of delegates from the 12 inner London Boroughs, but the Conservative Group on the ILEA was strongly against this policy and eventually it was decided that there would be direct elections. Morrell led Labour into the campaign, and with London hostile to the abolition of the GLC, Labour won an easy victory. Morrell was re-elected quite narrowly herself, as the SDP
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...
had a strong challenge.
Morrell lost her leadership in 1987 by 23 votes to 22, continuing a tradition of internal deselection established by both her predecessors. She had insisted that teachers who were surplus to requirements at one ILEA school should transfer to another where there was a shortfall, and threatened to dismiss those who refused. She became Secretary of the Speaker of the House of Commons' Commission on Citizenship the next year and a Senior Research Fellow at Queen Mary and Westfield College
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
briefly in 1991-92, before becoming Executive Director of the Institute for Citizenship Studies. She was lately joint Chief Executive of ArtsInform, which tries to build relationships between schools and colleges and professional artists.
Morrell's husband Brian committed suicide in April 2009, and she herself suffered from increasingly poor health. She died on Sunday, 10 January 2010, aged 72, from cancer. She is survived by her daughter, Daisy, and brother, Peter.