Alf Morris
Encyclopedia
Alfred Morris, Baron Morris of Manchester, AO, QSO
, PC
(born 23 March 1928) is a British Labour Co-operative
politician and disability campaigner.
from 1964 until 1997. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Fred Peart
, the Agriculture Minister.
Morris, whose father suffered a long decline in health and eventual death arising from gassing during World War I
, became a campaigner on behalf of those with disabilities. After his father's death, Morris's mother was not entitled to a war widow's pension. Forty years later, Morris himself put the matter right by changing the law affecting armed forces pensions when he became Minister for the Disabled.
In 1970 he successfully introduced the Chronically Sick & Disabled Persons Act which was the first in the world to recognise and give rights to people with disabilities. In 1974 he became the first Minister
for the Disabled anywhere in the world. In 1991 he introduced a Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill and he has led campaigns on Gulf War Syndrome
.
He was created a life peer
as Lord Morris of Manchester, of Manchester in the County of Greater Manchester
in 1997. He was a life member of the GMB Union
. He served as President of the 1995 Co-operative Congress
.
, Manchester.
In 1935 the Morris family left Ancoats and moved to a new housing estate that had been built on farmland in the Parish of Newton Heath. Here the family's lives improved. He was educated at Brookdale Park School Newton Heath, Manchester along with his fellow pupil Harold Evans
, who, as editor of The Sunday Times
, wrote a leader saying that: "As time ticked away to the 1970 general election, Alf Morris's Bill was the only piece of legislation worth saving." He received evening school tuition. He worked from the age of 14 as a clerk in the local Wilson's Brewery.
Morris did his national service
in the army, mainly in the Middle East, from 1946–48. He then studied at Ruskin College, Oxford
(1949–1950), St Catherine's College, Oxford
(BA modern history 1953) and the Department of Education, Manchester University.
Morris worked as a Manchester schoolteacher and university extension lecturer in social history
(1954–1956) and as an Industrial relations officer to the Electrical Supply Industry (1956–1964).
His brother Charles Morris
and his niece Estelle Morris have also served as Labour MPs.
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(born 23 March 1928) is a British Labour Co-operative
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
politician and disability campaigner.
Political career
Morris served as Member of Parliament for Manchester WythenshaweManchester Wythenshawe (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Wythenshawe was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Wythenshawe suburb of Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1964 until 1997. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to Fred Peart
Fred Peart, Baron Peart
Thomas Frederick "Fred" Peart, Baron Peart, PC 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....
, the Agriculture Minister.
Morris, whose father suffered a long decline in health and eventual death arising from gassing during World War I
Poison gas in World War I
The use of chemical weapons in World War I ranged from disabling chemicals, such as tear gas and the severe mustard gas, to lethal agents like phosgene and chlorine. This chemical warfare was a major component of the first global war and first total war of the 20th century. The killing capacity of...
, became a campaigner on behalf of those with disabilities. After his father's death, Morris's mother was not entitled to a war widow's pension. Forty years later, Morris himself put the matter right by changing the law affecting armed forces pensions when he became Minister for the Disabled.
In 1970 he successfully introduced the Chronically Sick & Disabled Persons Act which was the first in the world to recognise and give rights to people with disabilities. In 1974 he became the first Minister
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for the Disabled anywhere in the world. In 1991 he introduced a Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill and he has led campaigns on Gulf War Syndrome
Gulf War syndrome
Gulf War syndrome or Gulf War illness describes a medical condition that affected veterans and civilians who were near conflicts during or downwind of chemical weapons depot demolition, after the 1991 Gulf War. A wide range of acute and chronic symptoms have included fatigue, musculoskeletal...
.
He was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Lord Morris of Manchester, of Manchester in the County of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
in 1997. He was a life member of the GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
. He served as President of the 1995 Co-operative Congress
Co-operative Congress
The Co-operative Congress is the national conference of the UK Co-operative Movement. The first of the modern congresses took place in 1869 following a series of meetings called the "Owenite Congress" in the 1830s...
.
Background
Morris (one of the eight children of George Henry Morris and his wife Jessie Murphy) was raised in poor circumstances in Grace Street, AncoatsAncoats
Ancoats is an inner city area of Manchester, in North West England, next to the Northern Quarter and the northern part of Manchester's commercial centre....
, Manchester.
In 1935 the Morris family left Ancoats and moved to a new housing estate that had been built on farmland in the Parish of Newton Heath. Here the family's lives improved. He was educated at Brookdale Park School Newton Heath, Manchester along with his fellow pupil Harold Evans
Harold Evans
Sir Harold Matthew Evans is a British-born journalist and writer who was editor of The Sunday Times from 1967 to 1981. He has written various books on history and journalism...
, who, as editor of The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, wrote a leader saying that: "As time ticked away to the 1970 general election, Alf Morris's Bill was the only piece of legislation worth saving." He received evening school tuition. He worked from the age of 14 as a clerk in the local Wilson's Brewery.
Morris did his national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the army, mainly in the Middle East, from 1946–48. He then studied at Ruskin College, Oxford
Ruskin College, Oxford
Ruskin College is an independent educational institution in Oxford, England. It is named after the essayist and social critic John Ruskin and specialises in providing educational opportunities for adults with few or no qualifications...
(1949–1950), St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, often called Catz, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its motto is Nova et Vetera...
(BA modern history 1953) and the Department of Education, Manchester University.
Morris worked as a Manchester schoolteacher and university extension lecturer in social history
Social history
Social history, often called the new social history, is a branch of History that includes history of ordinary people and their strategies of coping with life. In its "golden age" it was a major growth field in the 1960s and 1970s among scholars, and still is well represented in history departments...
(1954–1956) and as an Industrial relations officer to the Electrical Supply Industry (1956–1964).
Family
He has been married to Irene Jones since 1950. They have two sons and two daughters.His brother Charles Morris
Charles Morris (politician)
Charles Richard Morris is a retired British Labour politician.Morris was educated at Brookdale Park School, Manchester. He was a postal and telegraph officer and a national executive member of the Union of Post Office Workers 1959–63...
and his niece Estelle Morris have also served as Labour MPs.
Archives
- Catalogue of the papers of Alfred Morris at London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
Archives