Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson

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Hugh Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson QC (born March 26, 1925 in Denbigh , † February 21, 2012 in Llanidloes ) was a British politician ( Liberal Democrats ) and lawyer .

life and career

He was born in Denbigh to the Welsh-speaking farmer Hugh Hooson and his wife Elsie. Hooson attended Denbigh Grammar School and the University College of Wales of Aberystwyth University , where he graduated in 1948 Law ( Law made). During the Second World War he served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1945 . During this time his interest in politics was aroused.

Legal career

He became a barrister , in 1949 he was admitted to the Gray's Inn Bar Association and in 1960 he became the youngest Crown Attorney to date .

He was from 1960 to 1971 Deputy Chairman ( Deputy Chairman ) of quarterly assizes ( Quarter Sessions ) in Flint , 1962 (according Debretts 1960-1967) in Merioneth and 1967-1971 Chairman ( Chairman ), and member of the Bar Council from 1965.

In 1968 he became presiding judge ( bencher ) at Gray's Inn , 1985 deputy treasurer ( vice-treasurer ) and 1986 treasurer ( treasurer ). As crown attorney, he defended Ian Brady , one of the "bog killers" (along with Myra Hindley ) when he was indicted and convicted of three murders at Chester Crown Court in the spring of 1966 . He took on the defense of numerous other violent criminals, believing that the death penalty would not have deterred them from their actions. When Secretary of Defense Duncan Sandys wanted to reinstate the death penalty amid a surge in murder convictions, Hooson pointed out that it was because the courts were now more ready to pronounce guilty verdicts.

In 1971 he was the recorder of Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea , and from 1972 to 1993 at the Crown Court . From 1971 to 1974 he was Chairman ( Leader ) of the Wales & Chester Circuit .

Start of political activity

In the general election in 1950 and again in the general election in 1951 , he stood unsuccessfully for the constituency of Conway . In 1955 he became chairman ( chairman ) of the Liberal Party of Wales elected and was in 1965 a member of the Board of the Liberal Party.

Membership in the House of Commons

In a by-election in the Montgomeryshire constituency in 1962, caused by the death of Clement Davies , Hooson was elected to the House of Commons.

From 1962 to 1979 he was Liberal Spokesman for Defense, Foreign, Home, Justice, Agriculture and Welsh Affairs.

After four years, after going through Roderic Bowen had remained defeat in the constituency Carmarthen as the only liberal deputy in the lower house, he persuaded the Welsh Liberals to form their own party, the Welsh Liberal Party , in which he 1966-1979 Chairman ( Leader ) was. He ran in 1967 in the election of the chairman of the Liberal Party , but then withdrew his candidacy in favor of Jeremy Thorpe .

After losing the Liberals in the 1970 general election , Hooson told the Liberal Assembly that the public wanted a center party and accused Jo Grimond and Jeremy Thorpe of leaning the party too far to the left.

In 1971, in Westminster, former male model Norman Scott told Hooson, party leader David Steel and Frank Byers (leader of the House of Lords Liberals) that Jeremy Thorpe had a homosexual relationship with him in the early 1960s. Thorpe denied the allegation; Hooson opened an investigation, however, which sparked another internal party investigation. Although this acquitted Thorpe, Hooson suggested that he resign from the party chairmanship and parliamentary mandate. Thorpe was forced to resign in 1976 when the affair became public and he was charged with inciting and conspiring to murder Scott. Liberal MP Peter Bessell testified that Hooson knew of payments up to £ 700 to Scott. The court also heard evidence from a tape recording of a co-defendant, David Holmes, telling Bessell that Hooson was firmly committed to replacing Thorpe. Thorpe was acquitted.

The Wilson administration he was partly skeptical. He demanded that they give up the nationalization of the steel industry .

After the Labor Party lost a majority in March 1977, then Prime Minister James Callaghan approached the Liberals to seek an agreement. Hooson then tried to persuade David Steel to refuse. Hooson's advice was rejected, however. However, Hooson later described the period from 1977 to 1978 as a time when "an honest attempt was made to put the country's interests first". In 1978 he was critical of Margaret Thatcher and her turn to the right and her inability to work with Edward Heath and Peter Walker .

In 1979 he was defeated by the Conservative Party candidate , Delwyn Williams . Apart from the four years after his defeat and again in the 2010 general election , the constituency of Montgomeryshire has elected Liberal or liberal candidates since 1880.

Membership in the House of Lords

Hooson was named a Life Peer as Baron Hooson, of Montgomery in the County of Powys and of Colomendy in the County of Clwyd on July 26, 1979 . He gave his inaugural address in the House of Lords on February 20, 1980. There he represented the Liberal Democrats .

The House of Lords website listed Law, Constitutional, Agriculture, Defense, Wales , Europe and International Affairs as subjects of political concern. He named the states of Europe, the USA , Canada and South Africa as states of interest . He was Liberal Democrats' spokesman for Justice, Agriculture and European Policy from 1979 to 1996, and from 1996 to 2001 for Welsh affairs. From 1983 to 1986 he was president of the Welsh Liberal Party .

When the Liberals merged with the SDP in 1988 , Hooson supported Alan Beith's candidacy for party chairman against Paddy Ashdown .

He rejected far-reaching reforms proposed by the conservative Lord Chancellor James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern . He campaigned for an improvement in the Mental Health Bill , called for reforms in the police force and spoke on legal reform and drugs. He also campaigned for smaller companies in Wales. In 2004 he assisted Roger Roberts in introducing it to the House of Lords.

In the period from 2001 onwards, Hooson was initially present regularly on meeting days. Later, however, his presence subsided more and more. As of October 2010, he was no longer present. He last spoke up on December 15, 2005. He last took part in a vote on July 13, 2010. Hooson had been on leave of absence from the House of Lords since April 4, 2011 .

Working in public

Hooson was chairman ( chairman ) of the Parliamentary Groups for World Government . He was the only liberal to vote against joining the European Economic Community . He drove the devolution , among other things with the Government of Wales Bill 1966, which provides for a completely Welsh Senate of 88 members. Later supported the National Assembly for Wales and the promotion of the Welsh language .

Hooson was against the Vietnam War and the Falklands War . At first he was Eurosceptic and tried to get the Liberal Party , from 1988 the Liberal Democrats, to adopt a less pro-European stance. In later years he fought against the influence of Eurosceptics among the Conservatives.

Other offices

Hooson was a British delegate to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from 1962 to 1979 . During this period he was a member of the Political Committee of North Atlantic Assembly and was its vice-chair from 1975 to 1979 . From 1974 to 1979 he was rapporteur ( Raporteur ) of the Working Party on East-West relations .

1985 Hooson was non-executive director of Laura Ashley plc (until 1996) and from 1995 to 1996, its chairman ( Chairman ). From 1986 to 1997 he was already Chairman of the Trustees . In 1990 he was involved in a rescue operation of the economically troubled group, which was supported by the Bank of England and 15 other banks.

Since 1985 he was Vice-President ( Vice-President ) of Peace Through NATO . From 1987 to 1993 Hooson was President of the International Eisteddfod , a music festival that was held annually in Llangollen . He was President of the Royal National Eisteddfod in 1965 and 2001 , and Honorary White Bard of the Gorsedd in 1966 .

From 1989 to 1993 he was a member of the Governing Body of the Institute of Grass and Environmental Research . From 1991 to 2000 he was the Non-Executive Chairman of Severn River Crossing plc . He was President of Wales International and was a member of the ITV Advisory Council .

Honors

Hooson became an Honorary Professorial Fellow of the University College of Wales in 1971 .

The University of Wales honored Hooson in 2003 for his achievements as a politician and his contribution to legal and public life in Wales . In 2008 he became an Honorary Burgess of Denbigh .

family

Hooson was a member of an old farming family in North Wales. Hooson was also a farmer himself . He was the cousin and political opponent of Tom Hooson , a Conservative MP who died in 1985.

He was married to Shirley Hamer since 1950 who was the daughter of a Lord Lieutenant . They had two daughters. Hooson died on February 21, 2012 at the age of 86 after a long illness.

Web links

literature

  • The Times Guide to the House of Commons , Times Newspapers Ltd, 1950 & 1966, ISBN both unknown

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Tributes after former MP Lord Hooson dies  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Article in southshropshirejournals on February 24, 2012@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.southshropshirejournals.com  
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Lord Hooson obituary Obituary in: The Guardian of February 26, 2012
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Lord Hooson Obituary of the Telegraph of February 22, 2012
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Lib Dem peer Emlyn Hooson dies, aged 86 obituary on BBC News on February 22, 2012
  5. ↑ a b Chester Crown Court tribute for Lord Emlyn Hooson article on BBC News on February 27, 2012
  6. ↑ House of Lords: Members 'expenses Members' expenses on the House of Lords website , accessed February 27, 2012
  7. ↑ Minutes of Proceedings of Monday 4 April 2011 Minutes of the House of Lords meeting of April 4, 2011
personal data
SURNAME Hooson, Emlyn, Baron Hooson
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hooson, Hugh Emlyn, Baron Hooson (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British Liberal Party (Liberal Democrats) politician, member of the House of Commons
DATE OF BIRTH March 26, 1925
PLACE OF BIRTH Denbigh
DATE OF DEATH February 21, 2012
Place of death Llanidloes