Michael Cliffe
Encyclopedia
Michael Cliffe was a British
clothing industry worker and politician, who was a Member of Parliament
in inner London for six years. He was a constituency-focused member whose commitment was respected both in his constituency and at Westminster.
and went to Holliscroft School, leaving to go into the clothing industry as a tailor's presser. He was active in the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers
and was elected to the Union's National Executive. He moved to London to live in Finsbury
where he became active in local politics as a member of the Labour Party
; in 1949 he was elected to Finsbury Borough Council
from West Finsbury ward, at the top of the poll in a six-member ward.
(his wife Sophia, née Whitesman, followed him onto the council); he remained an Alderman until his death. He was chairman of the Housing Committee, and when the building work was completed he was allocated a flat in the Golden Lane Estate
. He was chosen as Mayor of Finsbury for the year 1956-1957 and was then Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee (the unofficial Leader of the Council).
when the local Member of Parliament Victor Collins
took a life peerage in the first appointments in 1958, Cliffe was selected as his successor as Labour candidate for the constituency of Shoreditch and Finsbury
. Despite a rumbustious campaign in which the police had to be called to one of his meetings and arrested four men, Cliffe comfortably retained the seat on a low turnout in the byelection.
, Cliffe was active in supporting his constituents. He joined a delegation to the Home Secretary from the Street Bookmakers' Federation in 1960, saying he wanted to be better informed of their views in advance of the debate on a Gambling Bill. He was Chairman of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Memorial Committee and in 1961 called attention to increasing votes for fascist candidates, declaring "anything that spells Fascism must be rooted out and destroyed".
When tension grew over the Berlin Wall in 1961, Cliffe was one of four Labour MPs who demanded the recall of Parliament, and later wrote a letter to President Kennedy and Nikita Khruschev urging hasty negotiations and a moratorium on nuclear testing. He had been intending to continue his Parliamentary career, but was taken ill and died in St Bartholomew's Hospital
in August 1964. Finsbury Metropolitan Borough Council named a 25-storey block of flats after him on the Finsbury Estate
simply named Michael Cliffe House.
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...
clothing industry worker and politician, who was a 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,...
in inner London for six years. He was a constituency-focused member whose commitment was respected both in his constituency and at Westminster.
Working life
Cliffe, was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and went to Holliscroft School, leaving to go into the clothing industry as a tailor's presser. He was active in the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers
National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers
The National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded as the Tailors and Garment Workers' Union in 1920 with the merger of the Scottish Operative Tailors and Tailoresses' Association and the United Garment Workers' Union...
and was elected to the Union's National Executive. He moved to London to live in Finsbury
Finsbury
Finsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district...
where he became active in local politics as a member of 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 1949 he was elected to Finsbury Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury
The Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury was a Metropolitan borough within the County of London from 1900 to 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Islington to form the London Borough of Islington.- Boundaries :...
from West Finsbury ward, at the top of the poll in a six-member ward.
Municipal experience
After local ward boundary changes, Cliffe was elected in Central ward from 1953, but then was elected an AldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
(his wife Sophia, née Whitesman, followed him onto the council); he remained an Alderman until his death. He was chairman of the Housing Committee, and when the building work was completed he was allocated a flat in the Golden Lane Estate
Golden Lane Estate
The Golden Lane Estate is a 1950s council housing complex in the City of London. It was built on the northern edge of the City, in an area devastated by bombing during World War II.-Origins:...
. He was chosen as Mayor of Finsbury for the year 1956-1957 and was then Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee (the unofficial Leader of the Council).
Byelection
As Chairman of Shoreditch and Finsbury Constituency Labour PartyConstituency 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...
when the local Member of Parliament Victor Collins
Victor Collins, Baron Stonham
Victor John Collins, Baron Stonham PC was a British Labour Party politician.Born in Whitechapel, London, he was elected at the 1945 general election as Member of Parliament for Taunton, in Somerset. He lost his seat at the 1950, to the Conservative Henry Hopkinson...
took a life peerage in the first appointments in 1958, Cliffe was selected as his successor as Labour candidate for the constituency of Shoreditch and Finsbury
Shoreditch and Finsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Shoreditch and Finsbury was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Shoreditch district of the East End of London and the adjacent Finsbury area...
. Despite a rumbustious campaign in which the police had to be called to one of his meetings and arrested four men, Cliffe comfortably retained the seat on a low turnout in the byelection.
Parliamentary life
A quiet and rare speaker in the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, Cliffe was active in supporting his constituents. He joined a delegation to the Home Secretary from the Street Bookmakers' Federation in 1960, saying he wanted to be better informed of their views in advance of the debate on a Gambling Bill. He was Chairman of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the Jewish resistance that arose within the Warsaw Ghetto in German occupied Poland during World War II, and which opposed Nazi Germany's effort to transport the remaining ghetto population to Treblinka extermination camp....
Memorial Committee and in 1961 called attention to increasing votes for fascist candidates, declaring "anything that spells Fascism must be rooted out and destroyed".
When tension grew over the Berlin Wall in 1961, Cliffe was one of four Labour MPs who demanded the recall of Parliament, and later wrote a letter to President Kennedy and Nikita Khruschev urging hasty negotiations and a moratorium on nuclear testing. He had been intending to continue his Parliamentary career, but was taken ill and died in St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
in August 1964. Finsbury Metropolitan Borough Council named a 25-storey block of flats after him on the Finsbury Estate
Finsbury Estate
Finsbury Estate is a large-scale housing estate in the Finsbury area of London, England, comprising four purpose-built blocks of flats located on a level site, providing 451 residences. Patrick Coman House and Michael Cliffe House are high-rise blocks of 9 and 25 storeys respectively, while Joseph...
simply named Michael Cliffe House.