John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon
Encyclopedia
John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon, KG, PC, QC
(born 5 November 1931) is a retired British
politician
. He was a Labour
Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1959 to 2001 and Secretary of State for Wales
from 1974 to 1979.
, Aberystwyth
in the County of Ceredigion
. He was educated at Ardwyn School, the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
.
and was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn
in 1954. He practised at 2 Bedford Row Chambers, took silk in 1973 and was made a Bencher of Gray's Inn
in 1984. Between 1982 and 1997 Morris was a Recorder of the Crown Court.
as its Labour MP
from 1959 and was the longest serving Welsh MP until his retirement in 2001, when he was succeeded by Hywel Francis
.
He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Transport
, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence
, Secretary of State for Wales
between 5 March 1974 and 4 May 1979 and returned to Government as the Attorney General for England and Wales
and Northern Ireland
between 1997 and 1999. As such, he was one of only a small handful of Labour ministers to hold office under Harold Wilson
, James Callaghan
and Tony Blair
.
as Baron Morris of Aberavon, of Aberavon in the County of West Glamorgan
and of Ceredigion in the County of Dyfed
, in 2001, made Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed
a year later and created a Knight of the Order of the Garter
in 2003.
Lord Morris has been Chancellor
of the University of Glamorgan
since 2002, succeeding fellow Labour politician Lord Merlyn-Rees. Lord Morris was President of the London Welsh Trust, which runs the London Welsh Centre
, Gray's Inn Road
, from 2001 until 2008. He is also a council member of The Prince's Trust
.
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Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 5 November 1931) is a retired 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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was a 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...
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,...
(MP) from 1959 to 2001 and Secretary of State for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
from 1974 to 1979.
Background and education
Morris was born in Capel BangorCapel Bangor
Capel Bangor is a small village in Ceredigion, in Wales. It is approximately five miles from the seaside and university town of Aberystwyth.-Facilities:The size of the village of Capel Bangor decreased during the twentieth century, and facilities are limited...
, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
in the County of Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
. He was educated at Ardwyn School, the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
.
Professional career
Morris was a barristerBarrister
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 was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1954. He practised at 2 Bedford Row Chambers, took silk in 1973 and was made a Bencher of Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1984. Between 1982 and 1997 Morris was a Recorder of the Crown Court.
Political career
He represented AberavonAberavon (UK Parliament constituency)
Aberavon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system.-History:...
as its Labour MP
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...
from 1959 and was the longest serving Welsh MP until his retirement in 2001, when he was succeeded by Hywel Francis
Hywel Francis
Dr Hywel Francis is a Welsh Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Aberavon since 2001.-Background:...
.
He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, Secretary of State for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
between 5 March 1974 and 4 May 1979 and returned to Government as the Attorney General for England and Wales
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
and Northern Ireland
Attorney General for Northern Ireland
The Attorney General for Northern Ireland is the chief legal adviser to the Northern Ireland Executive for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Northern Ireland Assembly....
between 1997 and 1999. As such, he was one of only a small handful of Labour ministers to hold office under Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
, James Callaghan
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...
and Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
.
Honours
He was created a life peerLife 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 Morris of Aberavon, of Aberavon in the County of West Glamorgan
West Glamorgan
West Glamorgan is a preserved county and former administrative county of Wales, one of the divisions of the ancient county of Glamorgan.West Glamorgan was created on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972 from the county borough of Swansea, the municipal boroughs of Neath and Port Talbot,...
and of Ceredigion in the County of Dyfed
Dyfed
Dyfed is a preserved county of Wales. It was created on 1 April 1974 under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972, and covered approximately the same geographic extent as the ancient Principality of Deheubarth, although excluding the Gower Peninsula and the area west of the River Tawe...
, in 2001, made Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed
Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant for Dyfed. The office was created on 1 April 1974, replacing the Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.*The Hon...
a year later and created a Knight of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 2003.
Lord Morris has been Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of Glamorgan
University of Glamorgan
The University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
since 2002, succeeding fellow Labour politician Lord Merlyn-Rees. Lord Morris was President of the London Welsh Trust, which runs the London Welsh Centre
London Welsh Centre
The London Welsh Centre is a community and arts centre on Gray's Inn Road, in the London Borough of Camden. The Centre is owned and run by the London Welsh Trust....
, Gray's Inn Road
Gray's Inn Road
Gray's Inn Road, formerly Gray's Inn Lane, is a major road in central London, in the London Borough of Camden. It is named after Gray's Inn, one of the main Inns of Court. The road starts in Holborn, near Chancery Lane tube station and the boundaries of the City of London and the London Borough...
, from 2001 until 2008. He is also a council member of The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales to help young people. They run a range of training programmes, provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people...
.
External links
- Profile on the University of Glamorgan website
- Downing Street press notice September 2002
- They Work for You.com
Offices held
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