John Harris, Baron Harris of Greenwich

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John Henry Harris, Baron Harris of Greenwich (born April 5, 1930 in Pinner , Middlesex , † April 11, 2001 in London ) was a British journalist, politician and political advisor.

Early years

John Harris received his formal education at Pinner County Grammar School before starting to work as a journalist. He completed his National Service at the Directorate of Army Legal Service .

Political career

In 1957 Harris was co-editor of Forward , the Labor Party's weekly newspaper , when it moved to London. That same year he ran for the British Parliament in the Bromley constituency , but resigned when Forward was hired in 1959. He became assistant to Hugh Gaitskell , who led Labor in the opposition as party leader. Party colleague Tony Benn described this appointment by Harris as "the best thing that has happened to Hugh for years" (Eng. The best thing that had happened to Hugh in years ). From 1962 to 1964, Harris was the party's press secretary. From 1957 to 1963 he sat on the council of the newly formed city of Harlow , from 1961 to 1963 he was Labor group leader.

When Labor came to power after the British general election in 1964 , he became political advisor, first to Foreign Secretary Patrick Gordon Walker , and later to Roy Jenkins , the Minister for Aviation , the Home Office and the Treasury . After Labor lost up to the 1970 elections , he became the Economist's political correspondent . When Labor returned to government in 1974, he was promoted to life peer as Baron Harris of Greenwich and was appointed Minister for Home Affairs . In 1979 he resigned from this position and was chairman of the Parole Board for England and Wales until 1982 .

Harris was one of the leading figures in the “Yes” campaign on the occasion of the referendum on UK membership. In 1981 he was one of the founders of the Social Democratic Party and a proponent of its merger with the Liberal Party . Until 1994 he was the new party's domestic political spokesman in the House of Lords , when he became parliamentary group leader. In 1988 he was appointed to the Privy Council .

In addition to his political positions, Harris held other offices. He was chairman of the Police Foundation , from 1983 to 19982 president of the National Association of Senior Probation Officers (1983-1992) and board member of Westward Television , a local broadcaster for southern England.

In the obituary for him the Harris called Guardian (dt. As "probably the first ever spin doctor" potentially very first spin-doctor ) and wrote

" Harris was, in his own way, a distinguished public servant, rejecting what would have been lucrative opportunities in the world of public relations, and not revealing in memoirs the confidences he received during his long career. He was always loyal to his many friends, who valued his opinions and enjoyed his company, although at heart he was a shy, rather than a gregarious, man. "

- William Rodgers : The Guardian , April 13, 2001

“ Harris was, in his own way, an eminent public servant who had rejected lucrative opportunities in the world of public relations and not in memoirs the trust he enjoyed throughout his long career. He was always loyal to his many friends, who valued his views and enjoyed his company, even though he was more shy than sociable at heart. "

Private

John Harris was married twice. The first marriage lasted from 1952 to 1982 and had two children. In 1983 he got his second marriage.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g Windlesham: Harris, John Henry, Baron Harris of Greenwich (1930-2001) . In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford University Press . January 2009. doi : 10.1093 / ref: odnb / 75728 . Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  2. ^ A b c d e William Rodgers: Lord Harris of Greenwich . In: The Guardian . April 13, 2001. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  3. ↑ London Gazette . No. 46253, HMSO, London, April 2, 1974, p. 4291 ( PDF , accessed October 18, 2013, English).
  4. ↑ a b Lord Harris of Greenwich . In: The Daily Telegraph . April 13, 2001. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  5. ^ A b Harris of Greenwich, Baron . In: Who's Who . Oxford University Press . December 2007. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  6. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 55155, HMSO, London, June 15, 1998, p. 1 ( PDF , accessed October 18, 2013, English).
personal data
SURNAME Harris, John, Baron Harris of Greenwich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Harris, John Henry, Baron Harris of Greenwich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British journalist and politician
DATE OF BIRTH April 5, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH Pinner , Middlesex
DATE OF DEATH April 11, 2001
Place of death London