488
Parliamentary Profiles
challenge Speaker over ban on Jeremy Corbyn's formerly pro-IRA research assistant Oct '87; threatened to block setting up of all select committees if Conservatives tried to stop Labour putting forward CND members for Defence Select Committee and insisted on pro-nuclear Dr John Gilbert; in fact, he put forward soft-Left CNDers John McWilliam and John Evans instead of former CND Chairman, hard-Left Joan Ruddock Oct-Nov '87; was censured by Conservatives in Parliamentary motion for "unseemly if not dishonourable behaviour" for briefing Lobby that Mrs Thatcher had paid off the Chairman of P&O for its £30,000 contributions to the Conservative Party with the passage of the Felixstowe Dock and Railways Bill and telling radio listeners that he would like to throttle the PM Nov '87; was unable to control his Whips' Office, with five Whips failing to support the Speaker in his suspension of Tam Dalyell Nov '87; this came after he had manouevred the Government into losing a day's business on Scotland Nov '87; stoked up indignation about absence of a statement on BCal-BA merger after he had privately agreed with Ken Clarke the Government would make a statement, but Tory Chief Whip David Waddington resisted, leading Speaker Weatherill to lose his cool Nov '87; after Ken Livingstone's "troops out" remarks in wake of Enniskillen bombing, resisted pressure to remove the party Whip from him, but warned Ken he was an outcast Nov '87; urged Labour MPs to back Richard Shepherd's Bill to reform Official Secrets Act Dec '87; was jubilant about vote to televise Commons after he had guaranteed good Labour turnout by three-line Whip for next debate Feb '88; voted against easing licensing laws Feb '88; rumours resumed of a challenge to his position, despite improved attendance under his regime Mar '88; unsuccessfully urged John Prescott not to stand against Roy Hattersley for Deputy Leadership Mar '88; his whips, Tony Banks and Ray Powell, refused to support the Speaker over the suspension of Ron Brown over 'Mace incident' Apr-May '88; secured large majority for withdrawal of Whip from Ron Brown, the first withdrawal in 27 years May '88; was accused by Commons Leader John Wakeham of breaking agreement on progress on Housing Bill in return for Government support on increase in Opposition funds; Foster denied deal June '88; called for 'Buy North' and 'Sell North' campaigns to improve Northeast's balance of payments with rest of UK June '88; Ron Davies announced he would contest the Chief Whip's post; Jeff Rooker also decided to stand against him; Neil Kinnock remained neutral June '88; almost came to blows with Allan Rogers over his wish for time off for COHSE conference July '88; was re-elected Chief Whip, avoiding a second ballot by only two votes Oct '88; voted with Campaign Groupies against EEC Court of Auditors Mar '89; voted against Single European Market Apr '89; Born 25 June 1937 Sunderland
Family S Joseph Foster, shipyard fitter ("who himself knew the humiliation and demoralization of long unemployment"), and Ethel Maude (Ragg); m 1st '56; divorced '70; 1d, 3s; m 2nd '72 "petite and cheerful" Salvationist (Florence) Anne (Bulmer), his forceful and influential secretary whom he described as "tough as old boots" and "the greatest slave-driver in the world" (NEWCASTLE JOURNAL);
Education Bede Grammar School, Sunderland; St Catherine's, Oxford University (BA Hons in PPE);
Occupation USDAW-sponsored (£700 to constituency, £1,500 for election expenses) '86-; Chairman, City Vehicle Engineering Ltd '88-; Vice Chairman, Youthaid '79-; ex: Assistant Director of Education, Sunderland Borough Council '74-79; Further Education organizer in Durham '73-74 (NUT); Youth and Community Worker '70-73 (NALGO);
mployee in industry: tyre-making in Midlands, quilt-making in Edinburgh '60-70; raits Thoughtful; sensitive; helpful; "mild, inoffensive and timid" (PRIVATE EYE); "rather
(
Parliamentary Profiles
489
unexciting" (GUARDIAN}; non-smoker; recently a non-drinker; "workaholic" (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH); broad, sloping shoulders; long nose; strong chin; uniformed Salvationist (at 12 followed his grandmother into Army as cornetist); played trumpet as youth; enthusiast for brass band and male choirs; DIY expert (built own house); Address 3 Linburn, Rickleton, Washington, Tyne and Wear; Telephone 0632 471580; 091 4177580 (home); 01 219 3582 (H of C);
George FOULKES Labour-Co-op
TR
CARRICK, CUMNOCK & DOON VALLEY '83-
Majority 16,802 over Conservative 4-way; Former Seat South Ayrshire '79-83; Constituency Renamed South Ayrshire with 30 towns and villages in its sparsely-populated 800 square miles, ranging from commuter town of Ayr through coastal Carrick, and fishing ports like Girvan to the hill farmers of the south; has Grants (low-strength) whisky; Labour's strength in the bleak minefields of Cumnock and Doon valley; land of Robert Burns and Keir Hardie; its heavy rainfall made it Chernobyl-vulnerable; had 20% unemployment in '87;
Position Assistant Spokesman, Foreign Affairs (on Europe '83-, on Latin America '85-) '83-; on Scottish Labour's Executive '83-; Chairman: Labour Campaign for a Scottish Assembly '82-, All-Party Pensioners Group (Secretary '79-83) '83-, Parliamentarians for Global Action '86-; Vice Chairman: ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) All-Party Group '85-, Canadian '83-, and Spanish (ex Treasurer) '83-, Parliamentary Groups; Treasurer: British-Benelux Parliamentary Group '83-; ex: Chairman, Co-operative Parliamentary Group '87-89 Vice Chairman, PLP Health and Social Services Committee '82-83; on Select Committees on: Foreign Affairs '81-83, Unopposed Private Bills '79-83; UK delegate, to Council of Europe/WEU '79-81; Outlook Hyper-assiduous, recently-restrained, crusading, extrovert, soft-Left internationalist; farflung free tripper; often a headline-grabbing over-the-top partisan and Thatcher-bashing rumour-chaser; "the man who put the hype into hyperbole" (Atticus, SUNDAY TIMES); multi-cause Scots groupie of great skill, articulateness and assiduity; "genial officer in Westminster's rentaquote brigade" (GUARDIAN); leading devolutionary who elbowed out Jim Sillars; campaigner for Prestwick airport; deft opponent of 'Fortress Falklands' and former 'Belgrano' obsessional; opponent of nuclear power and fuel dumping (especially in Ayrshire); pro-EEC;
History Joined Labour Party '63; elected President of Edinburgh University Student Representative Council '63, of the Scottish Union of Students '65; elected to Edinburgh Town Council May '70; contested Edinburgh West June '70; elected to Lothian Regional Council May '74; proposed control of Scottish universities by new Scottish Assembly Sep '74; contested Pentlands, Edinburgh Oct '74; selected to replace defector Jim Sillars in South Ayrshire Oct '76; campaigned against Sillars for three years '76-79; elected for South Ayrshire May '79; warned that repeal of devolutionary Scotland Act would play into the hands of the extremists June '79; demanded seatbelt legislation July '79; warned of need for safe nuclear fuel dumping Dec '79; urged special fuel help for elderly Dec '79; became Chairman of Labour Campaign for a Scottish Assembly Feb '80; warned SNP
OPPSL 1989 Unauthorised Copying Prohibited
CPPSL 1989 Unwulhoused Copying Prohibited
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.