John Silkin
Encyclopedia
John Ernest Silkin, PC
(18 March 1923 – 26 April 1987) was an English
Labour politician
and solicitor
.
He was the third son of Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin
, and a younger brother of Samuel Silkin, Baron Silkin of Dulwich
. He was educated at Dulwich College
, the University of Wales
, and Trinity Hall
at the University of Cambridge
. Silkin served in the Royal Navy
(1942-1946). He was commissioned as a sub-Lieutenant
, R.N.V.R. in 1943, serving in East Indies Fleet, Eastern Fleet and British Pacific Fleet aboard and , and ashore at Anderson, Ceylon (FECB). He was promoted to Lieutenant
, R.N.V.R. He was demobilised in 1946 and returned to Cambridge.
Silkin was admitted as a solicitor
in 1950 and worked for his father's law practice in London
.
He contested the seat of St Marylebone
at the General Election
for the Labour Party
in 1950, West Woolwich
in 1951 and South Nottingham
in 1959. He served as a councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone
(1962-1963) and was elected to the House of Commons for the first time in July 1963. He served as the Labour Member of Parliament
for Deptford
(1963-1974) and for Lewisham, Deptford
(1974-1987).
He was elected to the Privy Council
in 1966. He served as a Government Chief Whip (1966-1969) and as the deputy leader
of the House of Commons (1968-1969). He was appointed as the Minister of Public Buildings and Works (1969-1970) and the Minister for Planning and Local Government in the Department for the Environment
(1974-1976). He served as the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
(1976-1979).
In opposition, Silkin was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1980 Labour leadership election
following the resignation of James Callaghan
.
He served as Opposition Spokesman on Industry (1979-1980), Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
(1980-1983), Shadow Defence Secretary (1981-1983) and the Dairy Industry Arbitrator (1986-1987).
He was married to the actress Rosamund John
from 1950 until his early death in 1987. Their son Rory L.F. Silkin was born in 1954.
Silkin's publication Changing Battlefields: The Challenge to the Labour Party appeared posthumously. His papers were given to the Churchill Archives Centre
by his widow in February 1990. These cover his Parliamentary and Ministerial career, as well as his other public interests, such as the Channel Tunnel
, the European Economic Community
and the dairy industry. There is material of particular interest concerning his relationship with his Constituency Labour Party
in Deptford
and on the Labour Party Leadership and Deputy Leadership Elections in 1980 and 1983.
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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...
(18 March 1923 – 26 April 1987) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Labour politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
.
He was the third son of Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin
Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin
Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin CH , was a British Labour Party politician.Silkin worked as a solicitor, before becoming a member of the London County Council in 1925. He chaired the LCC Town Planning and the Housing and Public Health Committees and was a member of the Central Housing Advisory...
, and a younger brother of Samuel Silkin, Baron Silkin of Dulwich
Samuel Silkin, Baron Silkin of Dulwich
Samuel Charles Silkin, Baron Silkin of Dulwich, PC, QC was a British Labour Party politician and cricketer....
. He was educated at Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
, the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
, and Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Silkin served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(1942-1946). He was commissioned as a sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
, R.N.V.R. in 1943, serving in East Indies Fleet, Eastern Fleet and British Pacific Fleet aboard and , and ashore at Anderson, Ceylon (FECB). He was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, R.N.V.R. He was demobilised in 1946 and returned to Cambridge.
Silkin was admitted as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in 1950 and worked for his father's law practice in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
He contested the seat of St Marylebone
St Marylebone (UK Parliament constituency)
St Marylebone was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Marylebone district of Central London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
at the General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
for 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 1950, West Woolwich
Woolwich West (UK Parliament constituency)
Woolwich West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It was based around Eltham, now in the London Borough of Greenwich in south-east London....
in 1951 and South Nottingham
Nottingham South (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham South 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....
in 1959. He served as a councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone
Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone
The Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. It was based directly on the previously existing civil parish of St Marylebone, which was incorporated into the Metropolitan Board of Works area in 1855, retaining a parish vestry, and...
(1962-1963) and was elected to the House of Commons for the first time in July 1963. He served as the Labour 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 Deptford
Deptford (UK Parliament constituency)
Deptford was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Deptford district of South London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
(1963-1974) and for Lewisham, Deptford
Lewisham, Deptford
Lewisham, Deptford is a parliamentary 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.-Constituency profile:...
(1974-1987).
He was elected to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
in 1966. He served as a Government Chief Whip (1966-1969) and as the deputy leader
Deputy Leader
A deputy leader in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to government. In opposition, deputy leaders often lead Question Time sessions when the party leader is...
of the House of Commons (1968-1969). He was appointed as the Minister of Public Buildings and Works (1969-1970) and the Minister for Planning and Local Government in the Department for 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...
(1974-1976). He served as the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The post was originally named President of the Board of Agriculture and was created in 1889...
(1976-1979).
In opposition, Silkin was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1980 Labour leadership election
Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1980
The British Labour Party leadership election of 1980 was held following the resignation of James Callaghan. Callaghan had been Prime Minister 1976—1979 and had stayed on as leader of the Labour Party for eighteen months in order to oversee an orderly transition to his favoured successor, Denis...
following the resignation of 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...
.
He served as Opposition Spokesman on Industry (1979-1980), Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Leader of the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
(1980-1983), Shadow Defence Secretary (1981-1983) and the Dairy Industry Arbitrator (1986-1987).
He was married to the actress Rosamund John
Rosamund John
Rosamund John , born Nora Rosamund Jones, was an English film and stage actress.She was brought up in Tottenham and became a popular film and stage actress who was known for playing gentle mannered women. John was twice married, first to film editor Russell Lloyd, from 1943–1949, and then to the...
from 1950 until his early death in 1987. Their son Rory L.F. Silkin was born in 1954.
Silkin's publication Changing Battlefields: The Challenge to the Labour Party appeared posthumously. His papers were given to the Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill Archives Centre
The Churchill Archives Centre is one of the largest repositories in the United Kingdom for the preservation and study of modern personal papers. It is best known for housing the Churchill Papers, the massive archive of Sir Winston Churchill, as well as the private papers of Baroness Thatcher...
by his widow in February 1990. These cover his Parliamentary and Ministerial career, as well as his other public interests, such as the Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
, the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
and the dairy industry. There is material of particular interest concerning his relationship with his 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...
in Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
and on the Labour Party Leadership and Deputy Leadership Elections in 1980 and 1983.
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