Jim Marshall (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
James Marshall was a British
Labour Party
politician.
district of Sheffield
. He was educated at Sheffield City Grammar School (now called The City School
) on Orchard Lane and the University of Leeds
, gaining a BSc
in Physics in 1963 and PhD
in 1968 and working as a research scientist at the Wool Industries Research Association
(became the Wira Technology Group, then British Textile Technology Group) in West Park
, Leeds from 1963-7. He was a councillor
on Leeds
City Council from 1965-9.
remaining until 1974, and in 1971 he was elected to Leicester City Council
, becoming leader of the council in 1973. He contested the Harborough
seat in 1970. In the February general election of 1974
he contested the constituency of Leicester South
, and unseated the Conservative
MP, Tom Boardman
, in the October election
that year. He held the seat until his death, with the exception of the period 1983-1987, when he lost the seat to the Conservative Derek Spencer
by seven votes. During his time out of parliament, he worked as a supply teacher and market trader: building up a stronger, more community oriented reputation.
Marshall was an assistant whip
between 1977 and the end of James Callaghan
's government in 1979. In opposition, he was assistant home affairs spokesman from 1982 to 1983, and deputy shadow spokesman on Northern Ireland
from 1987 to 1992. In 1992, he voted for Bryan Gould
, seen as the leftwing candidate in the leadership election which followed the resignation of Neil Kinnock
. The victorious candidate, John Smith
, dispensed with Marshall's services, and Marshall's support for Margaret Beckett
in the following leadership election did not endear him to Tony Blair
. Increasingly out of step with the mainstream of the Labour Party, he concentrated on constituency matters, and rebelled against Blair's government on many occasions, chiefly on matters relating to immigration and education. His constituency work, especially on immigration and benefit problems, won him strong personal support among local voters. Labour party chairman Ian McCartney
described him as "a hard-working and dedicated member of parliament who spoke up for his Leicester constituents and did a great deal to help to transform their communities and the opportunities open to them." http://www.epolitix.com/EN/News/200405/e5e0ef67-2776-4c93-bc54-a5f51969e346.htm
Marshall died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack
, precipitating a by-election
dominated by the invasion of Iraq
(which he had opposed).
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.
Education
Marshall was born into a working class family in the AttercliffeAttercliffe
Attercliffe is an industrial suburb of northeast Sheffield, England on the south bank of the River Don.-History:The name Attercliffe can be traced back as far as an entry in the Domesday book -Ateclive- meaning at the cliffe, a small escarpment that lay alongside the River Don...
district of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. He was educated at Sheffield City Grammar School (now called The City School
The City School (Sheffield)
The City School, Stradbroke Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, was formerly known as City Grammar School...
) on Orchard Lane and the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, gaining a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Physics in 1963 and PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1968 and working as a research scientist at the Wool Industries Research Association
Wool Industries Research Association
The Wool Industries Research Association was an industrial research organization in the United Kingdom. It later became the Wira Technology Group before being merged with the Shirley Institute in the 1989 to form the British Textile Technology Group....
(became the Wira Technology Group, then British Textile Technology Group) in West Park
West Park, Leeds
West Park is a suburb of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, north of Headingley. It is a mixed area of private suburban housing and suburban council estates. The name derives from its main park containing playing fields together with a conservation area of grassy meadow ending in woodland...
, Leeds from 1963-7. He was a councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
on Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
City Council from 1965-9.
Politics
In 1968, he became a lecturer at Leicester PolytechnicDe Montfort University
De Montfort University is a public research and teaching university situated in the medieval Old Town of Leicester, England, adjacent to the River Soar and the Leicester Castle Gardens...
remaining until 1974, and in 1971 he was elected to Leicester City Council
Leicester City Council
Leicester City Council is a unitary authority responsible for local government in the city of Leicester, England. It consists of 54 councillors, representing 22 wards in the city, overseen by a directly elected mayor. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party and has been led by Mayor Sir...
, becoming leader of the council in 1973. He contested the Harborough
Harborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Harborough is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
seat in 1970. In the February general election of 1974
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
he contested the constituency of Leicester South
Leicester South (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester South is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , by the first past the post voting system...
, and unseated the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP, Tom Boardman
Tom Boardman, Baron Boardman
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Gray Boardman, Baron Boardman MC, TD, DL, PC was an English Conservative politician and businessman....
, in the October election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
that year. He held the seat until his death, with the exception of the period 1983-1987, when he lost the seat to the Conservative Derek Spencer
Derek Spencer
Sir Derek Harold Spencer, QC , is a British Conservative Party politician.-Professional career:Born in Clitheroe, Lancashire, he became a barrister in 1961 and 'took silk' as a QC in 1980.He is a Master of the Bench, Gray's Inn....
by seven votes. During his time out of parliament, he worked as a supply teacher and market trader: building up a stronger, more community oriented reputation.
Marshall was an assistant whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
between 1977 and the end of James Callaghan
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...
's government in 1979. In opposition, he was assistant home affairs spokesman from 1982 to 1983, and deputy shadow spokesman on Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
from 1987 to 1992. In 1992, he voted for Bryan Gould
Bryan Gould
Bryan Charles Gould, CNZM is a former United Kingdom politician. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1974–79, and again from 1983–94...
, seen as the leftwing candidate in the leadership election which followed the resignation of Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
. The victorious candidate, John Smith
John Smith (UK politician)
John Smith was a British Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden death from a heart attack in May 1994...
, dispensed with Marshall's services, and Marshall's support for Margaret Beckett
Margaret Beckett
Margaret Mary Beckett is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Derby South since 1983, rising to become the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party under John Smith, from 18 July 1992 to 12 May 1994, and briefly serving as Leader of the Party following Smith's death...
in the following leadership election did not endear him to Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. Increasingly out of step with the mainstream of the Labour Party, he concentrated on constituency matters, and rebelled against Blair's government on many occasions, chiefly on matters relating to immigration and education. His constituency work, especially on immigration and benefit problems, won him strong personal support among local voters. Labour party chairman Ian McCartney
Ian McCartney
Sir Ian McCartney is a former politician, who was the British Labour Party Member of Parliament for the Makerfield constituency between 1987 to 2010, and served in the Cabinet, from 2003 to 2007, when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister...
described him as "a hard-working and dedicated member of parliament who spoke up for his Leicester constituents and did a great deal to help to transform their communities and the opportunities open to them." http://www.epolitix.com/EN/News/200405/e5e0ef67-2776-4c93-bc54-a5f51969e346.htm
Personal life and death
Marshall married Shirley Ellis on June 9, 1962 in Sheffield, and they had a son and daughter. They divorced and he married Susan Carter on July 15, 1986 in Leicester.Marshall died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
, precipitating a by-election
Leicester South by-election, 2004
A by-election was held in Leicester South on 15 July, the same day as the Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election. It was won by Parmjit Singh Gill of the Liberal Democrats, over-turning a Labour majority of 13,243 votes at the 2001 General Election....
dominated by the invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
(which he had opposed).