John Ryan (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
John Ryan was a British
politician, businessman and University Lecturer.
and went to Lanark Grammar School followed by Glasgow University
where he obtained an Honours degree in Economic History. He joined the Labour Party
in 1958, and was a member of the National Association of Labour Students Organisations from 1958 to 1962. He also joined the Fabian Society
in 1961.
At the 1964 general election
Ryan was Labour candidate for South Buckinghamshire; at the age of 24, he was one of the youngest candidates. He was on the Executive Committee of Paddington North Constituency Labour Party
from 1964.
, and managed to win the seat in the 1966 general election
. He was the youngest Member of Parliament
elected in the election, and held the title until Les Huckfield
was elected in a byelection the following year.
In Parliament Ryan was distinguished by his rebelliousness over issues such as the Vietnam War
, House of Lords
reform and any accommodation with the Rhodesia
n government. He allied with the left-wing Tribune Group and was a Director of Tribune Publications from 1969.
. He became a Management Consultant and associate member of the Market Research Society, and later took up a position as a Lecturer. At the time of his death he was Senior Lecturer in Management Studies at Napier University
in Edinburgh
.
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, businessman and University Lecturer.
Student political career
Ryan was born in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and went to Lanark Grammar School followed by Glasgow University
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
where he obtained an Honours degree in Economic History. He joined the 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...
in 1958, and was a member of the National Association of Labour Students Organisations from 1958 to 1962. He also joined 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...
in 1961.
At 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...
Ryan was Labour candidate for South Buckinghamshire; at the age of 24, he was one of the youngest candidates. He was on the Executive Committee of Paddington North Constituency Labour Party
Constituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
from 1964.
Parliament
Ryan was selected as candidate for UxbridgeUxbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Uxbridge was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system, from 1885 until it was abolished at the 2010 general election....
, and managed to win the seat in the 1966 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
. He was the youngest Member of Parliament
Baby of the House
Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of a parliamentary house. The term is most often applied to members of the British parliament.-Australia:In Australia the term is rarely used...
elected in the election, and held the title until Les Huckfield
Les Huckfield
Leslie John Huckfield is a British Labour politician, who served as Member of Parliament for Nuneaton from 1967 to 1983 and as an MEP from 1984 to 1989....
was elected in a byelection the following year.
In Parliament Ryan was distinguished by his rebelliousness over issues such as the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
reform and any accommodation with the Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
n government. He allied with the left-wing Tribune Group and was a Director of Tribune Publications from 1969.
Subsequent career
Ryan was defeated at the 1970 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
. He became a Management Consultant and associate member of the Market Research Society, and later took up a position as a Lecturer. At the time of his death he was Senior Lecturer in Management Studies at Napier University
Napier University
Edinburgh Napier is one of the largest higher education institutions in Scotland with over 17,000 students, including nearly 5,000 international students, from more than 100 nations worldwide.-History:...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.