Douglas Jay, Baron Jay
Encyclopedia
Douglas Patrick Thomas Jay, Baron Jay, PC
(23 March 1907 – 6 March 1996) was a British Labour Party
politician.
Educated at Winchester College
and New College, Oxford
, Jay became a Fellow of All Souls
between 1930 and 1937. His early career was as an economics journalist working for The Times
1929-33, The Economist
1933-37, and the Daily Herald 1937-41, then as a civil servant in the Ministry of Supply and Board of Trade, from 1943 as personal assistant to Hugh Dalton
.
Jay was elected member of Parliament for Battersea North
at a by-election in July 1946
, and held the seat until the constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election
.
Alongside Evan Durbin
and Hugh Gaitskell
, he brought the thinking of John Maynard Keynes
to the Labour Party
, especially in relation to price determination, although influenced by the successful operation of rationing during the war his views later somewhat mellowed. He served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury
from 1947-1950, Financial Secretary to the Treasury
from 1950-1951 and President of the Board of Trade from 1964 until being sacked in 1967. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1951.
In The Socialist Case in 1937 he had written: ‘in the case of nutrition and health, just as in the case of education, the gentleman in Whitehall really does know better what is good for people than the people know themselves.’ This expression was mercilessly exploited by the Conservatives and won a long-lasting notoriety; it was often misquoted as ‘the man in Whitehall knows best’, which was, as Jay often protested, exactly the opposite of his general conclusion.
He was opposed to the UK's entry into the European Economic Community
and campaigned for a 'no' vote in the 1975 referendum.
Jay was created a life peer as Baron Jay, of Battersea in Greater London, in 1987. His first wife was the councillor Peggy Jay
and their son is the economist
Peter Jay
. His second wife had been one of his assistant private secretaries at the Board of Trade.
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...
(23 March 1907 – 6 March 1996) was a British Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
Educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, Jay became a Fellow of All Souls
All Souls
All Souls may refer to:* All Souls' Day* All Souls College, Oxford* A church dedicated to All Souls, for example:** All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, DC** All Souls Church, Langham Place, London** Unitarian Church of All Souls, New York City...
between 1930 and 1937. His early career was as an economics journalist working for The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
1929-33, The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
1933-37, and the Daily Herald 1937-41, then as a civil servant in the Ministry of Supply and Board of Trade, from 1943 as personal assistant to Hugh Dalton
Hugh Dalton
Edward Hugh John Neale Dalton, Baron Dalton PC was a British Labour Party politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1945 to 1947, when he was implicated in a political scandal involving budget leaks....
.
Jay was elected member of Parliament for Battersea North
Battersea North (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 1960s:-Elections in the 1950s:-Elections in the 1940s:Francis Douglas was appointed Governor of Malta, leading to a by-election....
at a by-election in July 1946
Battersea North by-election, 1946
The Battersea North by-election, 1946 was a parliamentary by-election held on 25 July 1946 for the British House of Commons constituency of Battersea North in the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea....
, and held the seat until the constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
.
Alongside Evan Durbin
Evan Durbin
Evan Frank Mottram Durbin was a British economist and left-wing politician, whose writings combined a belief in central economic planning with a conviction that the price mechanism of markets was indispensable....
and Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
, he brought the thinking of John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes, Baron Keynes of Tilton, CB FBA , was a British economist whose ideas have profoundly affected the theory and practice of modern macroeconomics, as well as the economic policies of governments...
to the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, especially in relation to price determination, although influenced by the successful operation of rationing during the war his views later somewhat mellowed. He served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury is the fifth most senior ministerial post in the UK Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Paymaster-General and the Financial Secretary...
from 1947-1950, Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury is a junior Ministerial post in the British Treasury. It is the 4th most significant Ministerial role within the Treasury after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and the Paymaster General...
from 1950-1951 and President of the Board of Trade from 1964 until being sacked in 1967. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor
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...
in 1951.
In The Socialist Case in 1937 he had written: ‘in the case of nutrition and health, just as in the case of education, the gentleman in Whitehall really does know better what is good for people than the people know themselves.’ This expression was mercilessly exploited by the Conservatives and won a long-lasting notoriety; it was often misquoted as ‘the man in Whitehall knows best’, which was, as Jay often protested, exactly the opposite of his general conclusion.
He was opposed to the UK's entry into the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
and campaigned for a 'no' vote in the 1975 referendum.
Jay was created a life peer as Baron Jay, of Battersea in Greater London, in 1987. His first wife was the councillor Peggy Jay
Peggy Jay
Margaret Christian "Peggy" Garnett Jay was an English Labour councillor.As a young girl, Peggy Garnett attended St Paul's Girls' School in London, where she befriended Shiela Grant Duff. In 1931, she went up to Somerville College, Oxford, but she left two years later to marry Douglas Jay...
and their son is the economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
Peter Jay
Peter Jay
Peter Jay is a British economist, broadcaster and diplomat.-Background:Peter Jay is the son of Douglas and Peggy Jay, both of whom were Labour Party politicians...
. His second wife had been one of his assistant private secretaries at the Board of Trade.