Geoffrey Lofthouse, Baron Lofthouse
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Lofthouse, Baron Lofthouse of Pontefract, JP, (born 18 December 1925, Featherstone
), popularly known in his former constituency as Geoff Lofthouse, is a British
Labour
politician.
, and Emma Fellows. His father died at the age of 35 when he was four. At the age of 14, he went down the pit at Ackton Hall Colliery in Featherstone
. At the age of 29, he was the President of the local branch of the NUM. He went to the University of Leeds
, gaining a BA
in Political Studies in 1957, when he was 32. In 1962, he became a councillor on Pontefract Borough Council. He was mayor of Pontefract
in 1967, and leader of the council from 1969-73.
for Pontefract and Castleford
from a 1978 by-election
until his retirement at the 1997 general election
, when he was given a life peerage
as Baron Lofthouse of Pontefract, of Pontefract
in the County of West Yorkshire
. In the House of Commons
, he served from 1992 until his retirement as a Deputy Speaker of the House to Betty Boothroyd
.
He became a Peer on 11 June 1997.
As well as covering much of Lofthouse's time as an MP, the book also provides an insight on local politics in Pontefract
and the Wakefield
district in the 1960s and 1970s. Lofthouse was a Labour councillor
and union official in an area of the country which was and still is dominated politically by the Labour Party to a unique degree. Lofthouse's readable account points to the peculiar social and cultural factors which bring about such a situation and the political machinations which support it and were typical of that era in politics.
Featherstone
Featherstone is a town and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies south-west of Pontefract and has a population of 14,175.Featherstone railway station is on the Pontefract Line.-History:...
), popularly known in his former constituency as Geoff Lofthouse, is a 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...
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.
Early life
He was born to Ernest Lofthouse, a farm labourer in MicklefieldMicklefield
Micklefield is a village and civil parish east of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It neighbours Garforth, Aberford and Brotherton and is close to the A1 Motorway. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. It has a population of 1,852.-Geography:...
, and Emma Fellows. His father died at the age of 35 when he was four. At the age of 14, he went down the pit at Ackton Hall Colliery in Featherstone
Featherstone
Featherstone is a town and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies south-west of Pontefract and has a population of 14,175.Featherstone railway station is on the Pontefract Line.-History:...
. At the age of 29, he was the President of the local branch of the NUM. He went to the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, gaining a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Political Studies in 1957, when he was 32. In 1962, he became a councillor on Pontefract Borough Council. He was mayor of Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
in 1967, and leader of the council from 1969-73.
Parliamentary career
He was MPMember 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 Pontefract and Castleford
Pontefract and Castleford (UK Parliament constituency)
Pontefract and Castleford was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 2010 general election. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
from a 1978 by-election
Pontefract and Castleford by-election, 1978
A by-election was held for the British House of Commons parliamentary constituency of Pontefract and Castleford on 26 October 1978 following the death of Labour Member of Parliament Joseph Harper on 24 June. It was one of two UK parliamentary by-elections held on that day.The result was a Labour...
until his retirement at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, when he was given a life peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Lofthouse of Pontefract, of Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
in the County of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
. In the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, he served from 1992 until his retirement as a Deputy Speaker of the House to Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd, OM, PC is a British politician, who served as Member of Parliament for West Bromwich and West Bromwich West from 1973 to 2000, initially for the Labour Party and, from 1992 to 2000, as Speaker of the House of Commons...
.
He became a Peer on 11 June 1997.
Publications
His autobiography A Very Miner MP is available from a local publisher, Yorkshire Art Circus. The title is an obvious pun on Lord Lofthouse's background as a coal miner and colliery manager.As well as covering much of Lofthouse's time as an MP, the book also provides an insight on local politics in Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
and the Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
district in the 1960s and 1970s. Lofthouse was a Labour councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
and union official in an area of the country which was and still is dominated politically by the Labour Party to a unique degree. Lofthouse's readable account points to the peculiar social and cultural factors which bring about such a situation and the political machinations which support it and were typical of that era in politics.