Roger Godsiff
Encyclopedia
Roger Duncan Godsiff is a British
Labour
politician
, who was the Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath from 1992
to 2010, when he became Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Hall Green.
and educated at the Catford
Comprehensive School
. He was a bank
clerk for five years from 1965, joining the Labour Party in 1966. He was a political
officer from 1970 with the trade union
Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff
(APEX) and then from 1990 with its successor the GMB Union
until his election to Parliament
in 1992. During his time as a trade union official he was a leading member of the St Ermins Group, a secret caucus of moderate trade unionists who moved the Labour Party back towards the political centre by organising slates for elections to the party's National Executive Committee
.
in 1971, he became the Mayor
of Lewisham
in 1977, before quitting the council at the 1990 London Borough elections. He unsuccessfully contested Birmingham Yardley at the 1983 general election
where he finished in third place behind the sitting Conservative
MP David Gilroy Bevan
. He was subsequently elected to the House of Commons
for Birmingham
Small Heath at the 1992 general election
following the retirement of Denis Howell
. Godsiff held Small Heath with a majority of 13,989 votes and has remained an MP since. His constituency was abolished in 1997 and aided by the retirement of Birmingham Sparkbrook
MP Roy Hattersley
, Godsiff was elected for the newly combined constituency of Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath at the 1997 general election
. At the 2001 general election
, six of his seven opponents were Asian Muslim
s.
The Sparkbrook and Small Heath seat was abolished at the 2010 election, with its constituent parts moving into neighbouring seats. Godsiff was selected for the redrawn Birmingham Hall Green seat in 2008, which includes some of his existing constituency and wards which were formerly in the two Birmingham constituencies of Hall Green and Selly Oak.
In Parliament he was a special adviser to the former Minister of Sport Richard Caborn
on cricket
and is the chairman of the All Party Japan
Group. In October 2006, Godsiff was one of 12 Labour MPs to back Plaid Cymru
and the Scottish National Party
's call for an inquiry into the Iraq War. He also rebelled against the government in November 2005 on legislation permitting the detention of terrorist suspects for 90 days without trial.
Andy McSmith
's book Faces of Labour (1996), contends that Godsiff obtained selection for his seat in 1992 by dubious means, which although accepted by the Labour Party, were too late to act upon. In 2005, Tribune
made similar allegations about his successful bid to stave off deselection, which was only thwarted by the local votes of his former employer, the GMB Union
. Godsiff had angered many in his local party by his calls for curbs on immigration.
Godsiff also attracted controversy in the 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal, where he was reported as using office expenses for extensive roofing work, rewiring, replacement guttering and even clock repair at a property he owns.
Further controversy followed when he used images of convicted child sex offender and nursery worker Vanessa George in a campaign to smear the Liberal Democrats by association. The local campaign was later scrapped.
He refuses to take any part in hustings meetings and has attended less than 50% of parliamentary debates during his time in office.
He incurred the 2nd highest expenses of all 647 MPs' for 2008/2009 with claims for £189,338.
He was again elected at the May 2010 general election.
He is a lifelong supporter of Charlton Athletic F.C.
and is presently chairman of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust which oversees the club's community work.
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
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who was the 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 Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath from 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
to 2010, when he became 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 Birmingham Hall Green.
Early life
Roger Godsiff was born in LondonLondon
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...
and educated at the Catford
Catford
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
Comprehensive School
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
. He was a bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
clerk for five years from 1965, joining the Labour Party in 1966. He was a political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
officer from 1970 with the trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff
Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff
The Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff was a British trade union which was formed in 1890 as the Clerks Union and later was renamed as the National Union of Clerks...
(APEX) and then from 1990 with its successor the GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
until his election to Parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
in 1992. During his time as a trade union official he was a leading member of the St Ermins Group, a secret caucus of moderate trade unionists who moved the Labour Party back towards the political centre by organising slates for elections to the party's National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
.
Political career
Elected as a councillor in the London Borough of LewishamLondon Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
in 1971, he became the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
in 1977, before quitting the council at the 1990 London Borough elections. He unsuccessfully contested Birmingham Yardley at 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...
where he finished in third place behind the sitting 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...
MP David Gilroy Bevan
David Gilroy Bevan
Andrew David Gilroy Bevan, commonly known as David Gilroy Bevan, was a British Conservative politician....
. He was subsequently elected to the House of Commons
British 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...
for Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
Small Heath at the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
following the retirement of Denis Howell
Denis Howell
Denis Herbert Howell, Baron Howell was a British Labour Party politician.Born in Birmingham, Howell was educated at Handsworth Grammar School, Birmingham and became a clerk and chairman of the Clerical and Administrative Workers Union standing orders committee. He was a Football League referee and...
. Godsiff held Small Heath with a majority of 13,989 votes and has remained an MP since. His constituency was abolished in 1997 and aided by the retirement of Birmingham Sparkbrook
Birmingham Sparkbrook (UK Parliament constituency)
Birmingham, Sparkbrook was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
MP Roy Hattersley
Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.-Early life:...
, Godsiff was elected for the newly combined constituency of Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. At the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, six of his seven opponents were Asian Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s.
The Sparkbrook and Small Heath seat was abolished at the 2010 election, with its constituent parts moving into neighbouring seats. Godsiff was selected for the redrawn Birmingham Hall Green seat in 2008, which includes some of his existing constituency and wards which were formerly in the two Birmingham constituencies of Hall Green and Selly Oak.
In Parliament he was a special adviser to the former Minister of Sport Richard Caborn
Richard Caborn
Richard George Caborn PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central from 1983 to 2010...
on cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and is the chairman of the All Party Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Group. In October 2006, Godsiff was one of 12 Labour MPs to back Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
and the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
's call for an inquiry into the Iraq War. He also rebelled against the government in November 2005 on legislation permitting the detention of terrorist suspects for 90 days without trial.
Andy McSmith
Andy McSmith
Andy McSmith has been a senior writer at The Independent newspaper since April 2007, having previously been a political correspondent on the same paper, and political editor of the Independent on Sunday and chief political correspondent of The Daily Telegraph and The Observer...
's book Faces of Labour (1996), contends that Godsiff obtained selection for his seat in 1992 by dubious means, which although accepted by the Labour Party, were too late to act upon. In 2005, Tribune
Tribune (magazine)
Tribune is a democratic socialist weekly, founded in 1937 published in London. It is independent but supports the Labour Party from the left...
made similar allegations about his successful bid to stave off deselection, which was only thwarted by the local votes of his former employer, the GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
. Godsiff had angered many in his local party by his calls for curbs on immigration.
Godsiff also attracted controversy in the 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal, where he was reported as using office expenses for extensive roofing work, rewiring, replacement guttering and even clock repair at a property he owns.
Further controversy followed when he used images of convicted child sex offender and nursery worker Vanessa George in a campaign to smear the Liberal Democrats by association. The local campaign was later scrapped.
He refuses to take any part in hustings meetings and has attended less than 50% of parliamentary debates during his time in office.
He incurred the 2nd highest expenses of all 647 MPs' for 2008/2009 with claims for £189,338.
He was again elected at the May 2010 general election.
Personal life
Godsiff has been married to Julia Brenda Morris since 1977 and they have a son and a daughter.He is a lifelong supporter of Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and is presently chairman of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust which oversees the club's community work.