Guy Barnett (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
Nicolas Guy Barnett was a British
Labour Party
politician and Member of Parliament
.
and St Edmund Hall, Oxford
. He taught at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield
from 1953 to 1959 and at Friends' School, Kamusinga
, Kenya from 1960 to 1961. He then worked for various development charities, until 1962.
in November 1962 after the Conservative
MP Victor Montagu
succeeded to the peerage as the Earl of Sandwich
, but was defeated in the 1964 general election
.
He was returned to parliament as MP for Greenwich
in a by-election
in July 1971, upon the resignation of the Labour incumbent Richard Marsh
to become chairman of British Rail, and retained the seat until his death on Christmas Eve 1986. The subsequent by-election in February 1987
was won by the SDP
candidate Rosie Barnes
.
, Department of the Environment
, under Peter Shore
, from 1976 to 1979 (when Labour lost the General Election) and Joint Secretary of the Parliamentary Group on Overseas Development from 1984 to 1986.
He was a Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Race Relations and Immigration from 1972 to 1974 and of the Public Accounts Committee in 1975.
He was a Member of the European Parliament
from 1975 to 1976, as an appointed delegate of the UK Parliament
.
from 1973 to 1976. He was on the Board of Christian Aid
from 1984 to 1986. He was a Governor of the Institute of Development Studies
from 1984 to 1986 and a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum
, Greenwich from 1974 to 1976. He was a Justice of the Peace
.
In 1965, Cambridge University press published his book, By the Lake, about Kenyan culture.
In 1967, he married Daphne Anne Hortin. They had two children, a son and a daughter. He died on Christmas Eve 1986, aged 57.
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 and 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,...
.
Education and teaching and development work
He was educated at Highgate SchoolHighgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
and St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
. He taught at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School is an independent school in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. QEGS is distinct from most other schools in that it was founded by Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I in 1591 at the request of leading citizens in Wakefield 75 in total and some of whom formed the...
from 1953 to 1959 and at Friends' School, Kamusinga
Friends' School, Kamusinga
Friends School Kamusinga is a school located in Kimilili on the slopes of Mount Elgon in Western Kenya, near Kimilili boys' high school. The school has about 1200 students and a staff of about 75 teachers...
, Kenya from 1960 to 1961. He then worked for various development charities, until 1962.
Parliamentary career
Guy Barnett was elected MP for South Dorset in a by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in November 1962 after the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP Victor Montagu
Victor Montagu
Alexander Victor Edward Paulet Montagu, 10th Earl of Sandwich , known as Viscount Hinchingbrooke from 1916 to 1962, as the Earl of Sandwich from 1962 to 1964 and as Victor Montagu from 1964 to 1995, was a British Conservative Member of Parliament and right-wing politician.Montagu was the eldest...
succeeded to the peerage as the Earl of Sandwich
Earl of Sandwich
Earl of Sandwich is a 17th century title in the Peerage of England, nominally associated with Sandwich, Kent. It was created in 1660 for the prominent naval commander Admiral Sir Edward Montagu. He was made Baron Montagu, of St Neots in the County of Huntingdon, and Viscount Hinchingbrooke, at the...
, but was defeated in the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
.
He was returned to parliament as MP for Greenwich
Greenwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Greenwich was a parliamentary constituency in South-East London, which returned Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1997 by the first past the post system.-History:...
in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in July 1971, upon the resignation of the Labour incumbent Richard Marsh
Richard Marsh
Richard Marsh may refer to:* Richard Marsh , the pseudonym of author Richard Heldman* Richard Marsh, Bishop of Durham , Lord Chancellor of England and Bishop of Durham* Richard Marsh , British Touring Car Championship racer...
to become chairman of British Rail, and retained the seat until his death on Christmas Eve 1986. The subsequent by-election in February 1987
Greenwich by-election, 1987
The Greenwich by-election of 1987 was a closely fought by-election often credited with boosting the SDP-Liberal Alliance shortly before the 1987 general election...
was won by 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...
candidate Rosie Barnes
Rosie Barnes
Rosemary Susan Barnes OBE, née Allen, usually known as Rosie Barnes, is an English charity organiser and former politician...
.
Parliamentary offices
Guy Barnett was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of StateParliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
, Department of the Environment
Secretary of State for the Environment
The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Department of the Environment . This was created by Edward Heath as a combination of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Building and Works on 15...
, under Peter Shore
Peter Shore
Peter David Shore, Baron Shore of Stepney PC was a British Labour politician and former Cabinet Minister, noted in part for his opposition to the United Kingdom's entry into the European Economic Community. His idiosyncratic left-wing nationalism led to comparison with the French politician...
, from 1976 to 1979 (when Labour lost the General Election) and Joint Secretary of the Parliamentary Group on Overseas Development from 1984 to 1986.
He was a Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Race Relations and Immigration from 1972 to 1974 and of the Public Accounts Committee in 1975.
He was a Member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
from 1975 to 1976, as an appointed delegate of the UK Parliament
Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 1973-1979
In this period, Members of the European Parliament were not directly elected, but were chosen by the House of Commons and House of Lords as delegates. The total size of the United Kingdom delegation was 36 but the Labour Party refused to name its delegates because of the party's then policy of...
.
Other roles
He was a Member of the General Advisory Council of BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
from 1973 to 1976. He was on the Board of Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...
from 1984 to 1986. He was a Governor of the Institute of Development Studies
Institute of Development Studies
The Institute of Development Studies based at the University of Sussex is a global organisation for research, teaching and communications on international development....
from 1984 to 1986 and a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
, Greenwich from 1974 to 1976. He was a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
In 1965, Cambridge University press published his book, By the Lake, about Kenyan culture.
In 1967, he married Daphne Anne Hortin. They had two children, a son and a daughter. He died on Christmas Eve 1986, aged 57.