John Peel (politician)
Encyclopedia
William John Peel known after he was knighted in 1973 as Sir John Peel, was a British
Conservative Party
politician, and Member of Parliament
for Leicester South East
from 1957 to 1974.
He attended Wellington College and Queens' College, Cambridge
. His previous career had been in the colonial service, surviving imprisonment by the Japanese during World War II
, when he was stationed in Singapore
, to serve terms as British Resident in Brunei
and then Resident Commissioner in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, now Kiribati
and Tuvalu
, before retiring in 1951. His father Sir William Peel
had been Governor of Hong Kong
.
Elected as a member of the House of Commons
at a by-election
in 1957, he provoked an angry response from both sides of the House in 1959 when he reacted to the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya
by saying "There are obvious risks in dealing with desperate and sub-human individuals." In the resulting debate, where Peel's remarks were denounced by Enoch Powell
, it was emphasized that Britain needed to accord the same standards of human rights to all continents. Though Peel's tenure of minor government positions was uninterrupted, he never reached the Cabinet
.
Peel was a zealous advocate of British involvement in Europe, through the Council of Europe
, Western European Union
, and eventually membership, of which he was a leading advocate, in the European Common Market. In 1972 he was chosen President of the North Atlantic Assembly. The next year he became one of the first British members of the European Parliament
.
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...
Conservative Party
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...
politician, and 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 Leicester South East
Leicester South East (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester South East was a borough constituency in the city of Leicester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1957 to 1974.
He attended Wellington College and Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
. His previous career had been in the colonial service, surviving imprisonment by the Japanese during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when he was stationed in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, to serve terms as British Resident in Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
and then Resident Commissioner in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, now Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
and Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
, before retiring in 1951. His father Sir William Peel
Sir William Peel
Sir William Peel was a British colonial administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong.-Early life:...
had been Governor of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Elected as a member of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
at a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 1957, he provoked an angry response from both sides of the House in 1959 when he reacted to the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
by saying "There are obvious risks in dealing with desperate and sub-human individuals." In the resulting debate, where Peel's remarks were denounced by Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
, it was emphasized that Britain needed to accord the same standards of human rights to all continents. Though Peel's tenure of minor government positions was uninterrupted, he never reached the Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
.
Peel was a zealous advocate of British involvement in Europe, through the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
, Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
, and eventually membership, of which he was a leading advocate, in the European Common Market. In 1972 he was chosen President of the North Atlantic Assembly. The next year he became one of the first British members of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.