Harold Lever, Baron Lever of Manchester
Encyclopedia
Harold Lever, Baron Lever of Manchester, PC (15 January 1914 – 6 August 1995) was a barrister
and Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom.
Born in Manchester
, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School
and Manchester University. He was called to the Bar of the Middle Temple
in 1935. During World War II
he served in the Royal Air Force
.
Lever was elected Member of Parliament
for Manchester Exchange
at the 1945 general election
, then Manchester, Cheetham
from 1950-74. His brother, Leslie Lever
, was elected MP for the neighbouring Manchester Ardwick
seat. He promoted the Private Member's Bill
that became the Defamation Act 1952
.
He was Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs in 1967; Financial Secretary to the Treasury
, September 1967-69; Paymaster General, 1969–70, a Member of the Shadow Cabinet
from 1970–74 and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, 1970-73. His seat changed again, becoming Manchester Central
from 1974-79. On Labour's return to power after the February 1974 general election
, he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
from 1974-79.
Lever held a number of business appointments in the banking and journalism sectors. He was Governor of the London School of Economics
from 1971, and of the English Speaking Union 1973-86. He was a Trustee of the Royal Opera House
from 1974–82, and a Member of the Court of Manchester University from 1975-87. He was an Honorary Fellow, and Chairman of the Trustees of the Royal Academy
from 1981-87. He held Honorary doctorates in Law, Science, Literature and Technology and was awarded the Grand Cross, Order of Merit, Germany, 1979.
He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1969 and created a life peer
as Baron Lever of Manchester, of Cheetham in the City of Manchester in 1979. As a Peer and elder statesman he successfully arbitrated the 1980 Steel Strike, one of the UK's longest industrial disputes. In 1983 he served on the Franks Committee, a committee of inquiry by six Privy Counsellors into the Falklands War. In 1984 he was Chairman of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' commission into the Developing World Debt Crisis. The following year, 1985 he co-wrote "Debt and Danger" which advocated excusing the Developing World a debt burden which was crippling their fragile economies.
He died in August 1995, aged 81.
His policy was adopted by the G7 in 2005, a decade after his death.
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Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and 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 in the United Kingdom.
Born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
and Manchester University. He was called to the Bar of the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1935. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
Lever was elected 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 Manchester Exchange
Manchester Exchange (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Exchange was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
at the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, then Manchester, Cheetham
Manchester Cheetham (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Cheetham was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
from 1950-74. His brother, Leslie Lever
Leslie Lever, Baron Lever
Leslie Maurice Lever, Baron Lever was a British Labour politician. He was Member of Parliament for Manchester Ardwick from 1950 to 1970, when he retired. Subsequently, he was given a life peerage as Baron Lever, of Ardwick in the City of Manchester in 1975.He was educated at Manchester Grammar...
, was elected MP for the neighbouring Manchester Ardwick
Manchester Ardwick (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Ardwick was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
seat. He promoted the Private Member's Bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
that became the Defamation Act 1952
Defamation Act 1952
The Defamation Act 1952 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.This Act implemented recommendations contained in the Report of the Porter Committee...
.
He was Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs in 1967; Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury is a junior Ministerial post in the British Treasury. It is the 4th most significant Ministerial role within the Treasury after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and the Paymaster General...
, September 1967-69; Paymaster General, 1969–70, a Member of the Shadow Cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
from 1970–74 and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, 1970-73. His seat changed again, becoming Manchester Central
Manchester Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Central 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. The constituency has always been a safe Labour seat...
from 1974-79. On Labour's return to power after 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,...
, he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
from 1974-79.
Lever held a number of business appointments in the banking and journalism sectors. He was Governor of the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
from 1971, and of the English Speaking Union 1973-86. He was a Trustee of the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
from 1974–82, and a Member of the Court of Manchester University from 1975-87. He was an Honorary Fellow, and Chairman of the Trustees of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
from 1981-87. He held Honorary doctorates in Law, Science, Literature and Technology and was awarded the Grand Cross, Order of Merit, Germany, 1979.
He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1969 and created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Lever of Manchester, of Cheetham in the City of Manchester in 1979. As a Peer and elder statesman he successfully arbitrated the 1980 Steel Strike, one of the UK's longest industrial disputes. In 1983 he served on the Franks Committee, a committee of inquiry by six Privy Counsellors into the Falklands War. In 1984 he was Chairman of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' commission into the Developing World Debt Crisis. The following year, 1985 he co-wrote "Debt and Danger" which advocated excusing the Developing World a debt burden which was crippling their fragile economies.
He died in August 1995, aged 81.
His policy was adopted by the G7 in 2005, a decade after his death.
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