Hugh Brown (British politician)
Encyclopedia
Hugh Dunbar Brown was a British
Labour Party
politician. After serving as a councillor on the Glasgow Corporation, he was Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Provan
for 23 years. He has been described as the last "Red Clydeside
r".
Brown was born in Glasgow
, Scotland
, where his father was a Clydeside engineer. He was educated at Allan Glen's School
and Whitehill Secondary School
, Glasgow
. He left school aged 14 to work at the Post Office, and played semi-professional football at Shettleston Juniors
. By 1935 he was a temporary postman-messenger and by 1937 a sorting clerk and telegraphist. Both of his parents were members of the Independent Labour Party
, which he also joined in 1935. He moved over to the Labour Party
in 1946. He became a civil servant in 1947 at the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance
.
In 1947 he married Mary Carmichael, daughter of ILP and then Labour MP Jimmy Carmichael and sister of future Labour MP and peer Neil Carmichael, and he served as a councillor on the Glasgow Corporation from 1954. He became a magistrate
in 1961.
He left the civil service in 1962, when he was selected as a prospective parliamentary candidate
, and served as MP for Glasgow Provan
from 1964 until he retired in 1987. His constituency in north-east Glasgow had a high rate of unemployment, included several large public-sector housing estates, including Easterhouse
and Blackhill
, and also covered Barlinnie prison. His political views lay to the left wing of the party, and his parliamentary interests concentrated mainly on constituency and Scottish matters. After winning the ballot for Private Members Bills one year, he successfully pushed through his bill to become the Employers' Liability (Defective Equipment) Act 1969.
He was Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Judith Hart
, the Paymaster-General
, and served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
during the 1974–1979 Labour government
, dealing with home affairs, housing and agriculture and fisheries. After Iceland
expanded its claimed fishing territory to 200 nautical mile
s, Brown joined the MP for Grimsby
, Tony Crosland, as British negotiator with Iceland during the third Cod War
, in 1976-7. Brown was praised for the role he played in resolving the dispute both by the British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson
, and by the Icelandic government.
He survived a reselection challenge by a Militant
candidate before the 1983 general election
, and retired before the 1987 general election
. His successor, Jimmy Wray
, was also closely challenged by Militant. In later life, he was a director of Margaret McIver Limited, which owned a ballroom and market in Glasgow. In retirement, he enjoyed playing golf and listening to jazz music, particularly Django Reinhardt
.
His wife died in 2000. He died in Glasgow, survived by his daughter.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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. After serving as a councillor on the Glasgow Corporation, he was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Glasgow Provan
Glasgow Provan (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Provan was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1955 until 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
for 23 years. He has been described as the last "Red Clydeside
Red Clydeside
Red Clydeside is a term used to describe the era of political radicalism that characterised the city of Glasgow in Scotland, and urban areas around the city on the banks of the River Clyde such as Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley...
r".
Brown was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where his father was a Clydeside engineer. He was educated at Allan Glen's School
Allan Glen's School
Allan Glen's School was for most of its existence a selective fee-paying independent secondary school for boys in Glasgow, Scotland. It was founded by the Allan Glen's Endowment Scholarship Trust on the death in 1850 of Allan Glen, a successful Glasgow tradesman and businessman, "to give a good...
and Whitehill Secondary School
Whitehill Secondary School
Whitehill Secondary School is a Scottish non-denominational comprehensive secondary school located in the suburb of Dennistoun in Glasgow, Scotland...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. He left school aged 14 to work at the Post Office, and played semi-professional football at Shettleston Juniors
Shettleston F.C.
Shettleston Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Shettleston, in the East End of Glasgow. Nicknamed the Town, they were formed in 1903 and are based at Greenfield Park...
. By 1935 he was a temporary postman-messenger and by 1937 a sorting clerk and telegraphist. Both of his parents were members of the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
, which he also joined in 1935. He moved over 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...
in 1946. He became a civil servant in 1947 at the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance
Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance
The Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance or MPNI was a British government ministry responsible for the administration and delivery of welfare benefits...
.
In 1947 he married Mary Carmichael, daughter of ILP and then Labour MP Jimmy Carmichael and sister of future Labour MP and peer Neil Carmichael, and he served as a councillor on the Glasgow Corporation from 1954. He became a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in 1961.
He left the civil service in 1962, when he was selected as a prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate is a term used in British politics to refer to candidates selected by political parties to fight individual constituencies in advance of a general election. This terminology was motivated by the strict limits on the amount of expenses incurred by an actual...
, and served as MP for Glasgow Provan
Glasgow Provan (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Provan was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1955 until 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
from 1964 until he retired in 1987. His constituency in north-east Glasgow had a high rate of unemployment, included several large public-sector housing estates, including Easterhouse
Easterhouse
Easterhouse is a suburb about east of Glasgow city centre, Scotland. It was partially built on land gained from the county of Lanarkshire as part of a boundary expansion of Glasgow before the Second World War. Building began in the mid-1950s by the then local authority, Glasgow Corporation...
and Blackhill
Blackhill, Glasgow
thumb|left|Blackhill Locks on the [[Monkland Canal]]thumb|left|Blackhill Locks lower basinBlackhill is an area of north east Glasgow, Scotland. It was developed as a council housing estate in the 1930s...
, and also covered Barlinnie prison. His political views lay to the left wing of the party, and his parliamentary interests concentrated mainly on constituency and Scottish matters. After winning the ballot for Private Members Bills one year, he successfully pushed through his bill to become the Employers' Liability (Defective Equipment) Act 1969.
He was 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 Judith Hart
Judith Hart
Judith Hart, Baroness Hart of South Lanark DBE PC was a British Labour Party politician...
, the Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
, and served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
during the 1974–1979 Labour government
Labour Government 1974-1979
-Formation:After the February 1974 general election, no party had a majority of seats. The incumbent Conservative party won the popular vote, but Labour took the most seats. Edward Heath, the Conservative prime minister, attempted to negotiate a coalition with the Liberal party, but resigned as...
, dealing with home affairs, housing and agriculture and fisheries. After Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
expanded its claimed fishing territory to 200 nautical mile
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
s, Brown joined the MP for Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, Tony Crosland, as British negotiator with Iceland during the third Cod War
Cod War
The Cod Wars, also called the Icelandic Cod Wars , were a series of confrontations in the 1950s and 1970s between the United Kingdom and Iceland regarding fishing rights in the North Atlantic....
, in 1976-7. Brown was praised for the role he played in resolving the dispute both by the British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
, and by the Icelandic government.
He survived a reselection challenge by a Militant
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
candidate before 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...
, and retired before the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
. His successor, Jimmy Wray
Jimmy Wray
Jimmy Wray is a Scottish politician of Irish descent and former member of Parliament for Glasgow Baillieston.A former boxer, Wray was elected as a councillor to the then Glasgow Town Council in 1964 for Kelvinside, and moved over to the larger Strathclyde Regional Council in 1975 for Gorbals.Wray...
, was also closely challenged by Militant. In later life, he was a director of Margaret McIver Limited, which owned a ballroom and market in Glasgow. In retirement, he enjoyed playing golf and listening to jazz music, particularly Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
.
His wife died in 2000. He died in Glasgow, survived by his daughter.