Fred Peart, Baron Peart

The Right Honourable
The Lord Peart
PC
Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
In office
4 May 1979  4 November 1982
Leader Jim Callaghan
Michael Foot
Preceded by The Lord Carrington
Succeeded by The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
Leader of the House of Lords
In office
10 September 1976  4 May 1979
Prime Minister Jim Callaghan
Preceded by The Lord Shepherd
Succeeded by The Lord Soames
Lord Privy Seal
In office
10 September 1976  4 May 1979
Prime Minister Jim Callaghan
Preceded by The Lord Shepherd
Succeeded by Ian Gilmour
In office
6 April 1968  1 November 1968
Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Preceded by The Lord Shackleton
Succeeded by The Lord Shackleton
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In office
5 March 1974  10 September 1976
Prime Minister Harold Wilson
James Callaghan
Preceded by Joseph Godber
Succeeded by John Silkin
In office
18 October 1964  6 April 1968
Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Preceded by Christopher Soames
Succeeded by Cledwyn Hughes
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
In office
10 April 1972  5 March 1974
Leader Harold Wilson
Preceded by George Thomson
Succeeded by Ian Gilmour
Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In office
16 December 1971  10 April 1972
Leader Harold Wilson
Preceded by Cledwyn Hughes
Succeeded by ???
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
In office
20 June 1970  16 December 1971
Leader Harold Wilson
Preceded by Selwyn Lloyd (1965)
Succeeded by Michael Foot
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord President of the Council
In office
1 November 1968  20 June 1970
Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Preceded by Dick Crossman
Succeeded by Willie Whitelaw
Member of Parliament
for Workington
In office
5 July 1945  23 September 1976
Preceded by Thomas Cape
Succeeded by Richard Page
Personal details
Born (1914-04-30)30 April 1914
Durham, England, UK
Died 26 August 1988(1988-08-26) (aged 74)
Political party Labour
Alma mater Durham University

Thomas Frederick Peart, Baron Peart, PC (30 April 1914 – 26 August 1988) was a British Labour politician who served in the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s and was a candidate for Deputy Leader of the Party.

Early life and education

The son of Emerson Featherstone Peart, a headmaster and leading Labour member of Durham County Council, and Florence Blissenden, Peart himself qualified as a teacher at the University of Durham in 1936. He served in the Royal Artillery in World War II, gaining the rank of Captain.

Political career

Peart was elected Member of Parliament for Workington in 1945, serving until 1976. He initially served as PPS to the Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries (Tom Williams).

Peart, along with the rest of the Labour Party, went into opposition after Sir Winston Churchill's 1951 election victory. In 1964, he returned to government after Harold Wilson defeated Sir Alec Douglas-Home at that year's election. He was appointed to the Cabinet holding the Cabinet post of Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. His tenure saw advances in pay for agricultural labourers, and in technology. In 1968, Peart became Lord Privy Seal, with no particular responsibilities. Seven months later, Peart became Leader of the House of Commons, taking the subsidiary title Lord President of the Council. After Labour lost the 1970 election, Peart returned to opposition as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. He held that position until December 1971, when he became Shadow Agriculture Minister.[1] When Labour returned to power, Peart once more took the Agriculture portfolio.

On 6 June 1975, Peart was involved in a train accident; he was on board a London to Glasgow sleeper train which crashed at Nuneaton, he survived the accident with minor injuries.[2]

On 23 September 1976, Peart was created a life peer as Baron Peart, of Workington in the County of Cumbria,[3] to serve as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal at a time when the Labour faction in the Lords was tiny compared to the vast Tory majority, mainly composed of hereditary peers.

After Margaret Thatcher won the 1979 election, Peart continued as Leader of the Labour Peers and thus became Shadow Leader of the House of Lords. He served in those roles until 1982, when he was defeated for re-election by Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos in a vote among Labour peers.[4]

References

  1. Warden, John (17 December 1971). "Wilson Gives Foot Key Market Role". The Glasgow Herald. p. 22. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  2. "Nuneaton train crash: Vivid memories 40 years on". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  3. The London Gazette: no. 47025. p. 13129. 28 September 1976.
  4. "No whip's job for Canavan". The Glasgow Herald. 5 November 1982. p. 6.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Thomas Cape
Member of Parliament
for Workington

19451976
Succeeded by
Richard Page
Political offices
Preceded by
Christopher Soames
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1964–1968
Succeeded by
Cledwyn Hughes
Preceded by
The Lord Shackleton
Lord Privy Seal
1968
Succeeded by
The Lord Shackleton
Preceded by
Dick Crossman
Leader of the House of Commons
1968–1970
Succeeded by
Willie Whitelaw
Lord President of the Council
1968–1970
Vacant
Title last held by
Selwyn Lloyd
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
1970–1971
Succeeded by
Michael Foot
Preceded by
George Thomson
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
1972–1974
Succeeded by
Ian Gilmour
Preceded by
Joseph Godber
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1974–1976
Succeeded by
John Silkin
Preceded by
The Lord Shepherd
Leader of the House of Lords
1976–1979
Succeeded by
The Lord Soames
Lord Privy Seal
1976–1979
Succeeded by
Ian Gilmour
Preceded by
The Lord Carrington
Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
1979–1982
Succeeded by
The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
Party political offices
Preceded by
The Lord Shepherd
Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords
1976–1982
Succeeded by
The Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
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