About Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley (28 December 1932 – 13 June 2026) was a British politician, author and journalist who served in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom for Birmingham Sparkbrook from 1964 to 1997, and in the House of Lords from 1997 to 2017. A member of the Labour Party, he held multiple ministerial positions under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. In opposition, Hattersley was deputy leader of the Labour Party under Neil Kinnock from 1983 to 1992. Born in Sheffield, Hattersley was introduced to politics by his mother Enid Hattersley, who served on the Sheffield City Council. At age 23 he was elected to the council. After a failed candidacy in 1959, Hattersley was elected to parliament in the 1964 election. Hattersley was aligned with Gaitskellism. As Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence Hattersley oversaw the deployment of soldiers to Northern Ireland as part of Operation Banner. Although Hattersley opposed Michael Foot during the 1980 leadership contest he remained with Labour rather than joining the Social Democratic Party. Hattersley lost the 1983 leadership contest to Kinnock and was made deputy leader. Both men resigned from leadership after Labour's defeat in 1992. After leaving parliament in 1997, Hattersley was critical of Labour under Tony Blair and Jeremy Corbyn.
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