Les Huckfield
Encyclopedia
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.
From 1960 to 1963, Huckfield studied at Keble College, Oxford
, where he was awarded an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. From 1963 to 1966, he worked as a lecturer in economics
at the University of Birmingham
whilst studying for a Master of Commerce degree, specialising in Econometrics and Statistics.
In 1967, at the age of 24, Huckfield was elected to parliament for the constituency of Nuneaton
in a by-election
following the resignation of Frank Cousins
, becoming the youngest MP (the "Baby of the House
"). He was Under-Secretary of State for Industry from 1976 to 1979, serving under Industry Secretary Eric Varley in the government of James Callaghan
. When Labour returned to opposition in 1979, he was opposition spokesperson on industry from 1979 to 1981. He was a founding member of the Socialist Campaign Group
in 1982.
After being re-elected in four general elections, Huckfield did not stand when the constituency boundaries were revised for the 1983 general election
. The Nuneaton seat was then won by the Conservative
Lewis Stevens
, who held it until 1992. Huckfield had been expected to contest the newly created Sedgefield
seat at the 1983 election, but instead Labour selected the then-unknown Tony Blair
as their candidate, who won the seat.
Huckfield was then appointed as Director of the Capital Transport Campaign for the Greater London Council
. In the 1984 elections for the European Parliament
, he was returned as MEP
for the Merseyside East constituency. He was Vice Chair of Parliament's Transport Committee, and stood down in 1989.
He is now based in Auchterarder
, Scotland
, where he runs a funding consultancy called Leslie Huckfield Research International.
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 politician
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...
, who served as 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 Nuneaton
Nuneaton (UK Parliament constituency)
Nuneaton is a county 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.- Pre-2010 :...
from 1967 to 1983 and as an MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
from 1984 to 1989.
From 1960 to 1963, Huckfield studied at Keble College, Oxford
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
, where he was awarded an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. From 1963 to 1966, he worked as a lecturer in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
whilst studying for a Master of Commerce degree, specialising in Econometrics and Statistics.
In 1967, at the age of 24, Huckfield was elected to parliament for the constituency of Nuneaton
Nuneaton (UK Parliament constituency)
Nuneaton is a county 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.- Pre-2010 :...
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....
following the resignation of Frank Cousins
Frank Cousins
Frank Cousins PC was a British trade union leader and Labour politician.He was born in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, and became a full-time official in the road transport section of the Transport and General Workers' Union in July 1938...
, becoming the youngest MP (the "Baby of the House
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...
"). He was Under-Secretary of State for Industry from 1976 to 1979, serving under Industry Secretary Eric Varley in the government 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...
. When Labour returned to opposition in 1979, he was opposition spokesperson on industry from 1979 to 1981. He was a founding member of the Socialist Campaign Group
Socialist Campaign Group
The Socialist Campaign Group is a left-wing democratic socialist grouping of Labour Party Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It was formed in December 1982 as an alternative Parliamentary left-wing group to the Tribune Group...
in 1982.
After being re-elected in four general elections, Huckfield did not stand when the constituency boundaries were revised for the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
. The Nuneaton seat was then won by 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...
Lewis Stevens
Lewis Stevens
Lewis David Stevens is a British Conservative Party politician.On his second attempt, Stevens was elected Member of Parliament for the marginal seat of Nuneaton in 1983, after the retirement of Labour incumbent Les Huckfield...
, who held it until 1992. Huckfield had been expected to contest the newly created Sedgefield
Sedgefield
Sedgefield is a small town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It has a population of 4,534.Sedgefield has attracted particular attention as the Member of Parliament for the wider Sedgefield constituency was the former Prime Minister Tony Blair; he was the area's MP from 1983 to 2008,...
seat at the 1983 election, but instead Labour selected the then-unknown 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...
as their candidate, who won the seat.
Huckfield was then appointed as Director of the Capital Transport Campaign for the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
. In the 1984 elections for the European Parliament
European Parliament election, 1984 (UK)
The European Parliament Election, 1984 was the second European election to be held in the United Kingdom. It was held on 14 June. The electoral system was First Past the Post in England, Scotland and Wales and Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland. The turnout was again the lowest in Europe...
, he was returned as MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the Merseyside East constituency. He was Vice Chair of Parliament's Transport Committee, and stood down in 1989.
He is now based in Auchterarder
Auchterarder
Auchterarder is a small town located north of the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and home to the famous Gleneagles Hotel. The 1.5 mile long High Street of Auchterarder gave the town its popular name of "Lang Toon"....
, Scotland
Scotland
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...
, where he runs a funding consultancy called Leslie Huckfield Research International.