Michael Carr (Labour politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael Carr was a British
Labour Party
politician who served as Member of Parliament for Bootle
for 57 days in 1990 from his election until his death. He was a dockworker who later became a trade union official, but his political rise was assisted by the help he gave the Labour Party leadership in removing the influence of the Militant tendency
. Carr had served briefly as a local councillor and did not see his attempts to become an MP as a career move. His sudden death occurred after he had been sent home from hospital where staff failed to identify an imminent heart attack
; prosecutions were considered and his family sought legal redress.
. He went to St Mary's College in Crosby
and found employment in Holland and then Fareham
where he met his wife Lyn; they married in 1970 and had four children. Carr moved back to Bootle the next year, where he worked as a wharfinger
in the docks on the Mersey. In his 20s he travelled in the middle east.
in 1976, and was elected as a Labour councillor on West Lancashire
district council. He later moved to Kirkdale and was promoted to be a clerk working on the docks. He served on the North West Executive of the Labour Party from 1980. In this post he helped to remove the members of the Militant tendency
from the Labour Party in Liverpool, which they had previously dominated, and was chairman of the temporary committee which replaced the Militant-dominated Liverpool District Labour Party in guiding the work of the Labour group on Liverpool City Council
. He worked to ensure that the Labour Party in Liverpool was advocating non-Militant policies. He became Secretary of Liverpool Walton
Constituency Labour Party
in 1987. From 1984 Carr worked as a full-time union official, in the Garston office of the TGWU, where he specialised in looking after the interests of workers in small factories.
announced his retirement in 1989, but lost to Peter Kilfoyle
. In 1990 when Allan Roberts
, the MP for Bootle, died of cancer, Carr was shortlisted for the candidacy along with Joe Benton
, Mike Hall
and Josie Farrington. On 25 April Carr was selected as Labour candidate for the constituency. He easily won the by-election to replace Roberts, on 24 May 1990; Carr told the press afterwards that the Labour Party had treated the constituency as a marginal and had not just campaigned on issues like the Poll Tax
but also on bus deregulation, which had hit people living on the outskirts of the town. He also said "I don't see this as a job for life. I am not a career politician in the sense of following a career path with parliamentary ambitions."
in an Estimates day debate on training. He criticised the government's Youth Training Scheme
, on which his children had been employed, as mostly "providing cheap labour to employers who are more interested in job substitution than the provision of decent training", and called for high quality training for all. He later tackled Sir Geoffrey Howe
, then Leader of the House of Commons
, asking for a proper method of induction for new Members of Parliament to be put in place ready for the next general election. He was picked to ask a question of Margaret Thatcher
at Prime Minister's Questions
on 17 July, asking her to take responsibility for the worsening economy. According to Dr Thomas Stuttaford
, medical correspondent of The Times
, a Conservative MP and doctor watching him remarked on his "extreme pallor".
. Carr felt chest pains and went outside for some fresh air, but broke into a cold sweat and had to sit down. He complained of 'pins and needles
' and his hands were numb. An ambulance was called and Carr was admitted to Walton Hospital at 9:54 pm.
To Carr's surprise, at the hospital he was told that his problem was hyperventilation
, and at 10:25 pm he was discharged with a letter telling him to see his doctor, and sent home in a taxi. A quarter of an hour after arriving home he became ill again, and another ambulance was called. Carr had a heart attack
and fell into a coma; efforts to revive him in the Accident and Emergency department of Walton Hospital were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 11:50 pm.
decided that no charges should be brought and the inquest was resumed on 9 April 1992, when the coroner again postponed the hearing after referring three points of law to the High Court.
Carr's family then successfully sought a judicial review
of this decision which was held on 28 May 1993. A file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions
, although insufficient evidence was found to prosecute. The judicial review nullified the proceedings at the first inquest, and ordered a new one under a different coroner. This second inquest opened on 20 February 1995. On 23 February 1995, a verdict of death by natural causes was recorded. After Carr's death another by-election for the seat had to be held in November of the year, and was won by the Labour candidate, Joe Benton
.
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 who served as Member of Parliament for Bootle
Bootle (UK Parliament constituency)
Bootle 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 system of election. Since 1990 the MP has been Joe Benton of the Labour Party...
for 57 days in 1990 from his election until his death. He was a dockworker who later became a trade union official, but his political rise was assisted by the help he gave the Labour Party leadership in removing the influence of the Militant tendency
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...
. Carr had served briefly as a local councillor and did not see his attempts to become an MP as a career move. His sudden death occurred after he had been sent home from hospital where staff failed to identify an imminent heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
; prosecutions were considered and his family sought legal redress.
Career
Carr, the son of a policeman, was born in his future constituency of BootleBootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
. He went to St Mary's College in Crosby
Crosby, Merseyside
Crosby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. Historically part of Lancashire it is situated north of Bootle, south of Southport, Formby and west of Netherton-History:...
and found employment in Holland and then Fareham
Fareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
where he met his wife Lyn; they married in 1970 and had four children. Carr moved back to Bootle the next year, where he worked as a wharfinger
Wharfinger
Wharfinger is an archaic term for a person who is the keeper or owner of a wharf. The wharfinger took custody of and was responsible for goods delivered to the wharf, typically had an office on the wharf or dock, and was responsible for day-to-day activities including slipways, keeping tide tables...
in the docks on the Mersey. In his 20s he travelled in the middle east.
Labour politics
As a dockworker, Carr joined the Transport and General Workers Union which represented the industry, and became active in union affairs. He joined the Labour PartyLabour 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 1976, and was elected as a Labour councillor on West Lancashire
West Lancashire
West Lancashire is a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Ormskirk. The other town in the borough is Skelmersdale....
district council. He later moved to Kirkdale and was promoted to be a clerk working on the docks. He served on the North West Executive of the Labour Party from 1980. In this post he helped to remove the members of the Militant tendency
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...
from the Labour Party in Liverpool, which they had previously dominated, and was chairman of the temporary committee which replaced the Militant-dominated Liverpool District Labour Party in guiding the work of the Labour group on Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
. He worked to ensure that the Labour Party in Liverpool was advocating non-Militant policies. He became Secretary of Liverpool Walton
Liverpool Walton (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool, Walton 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 system of election.-Boundaries:...
Constituency Labour Party
Constituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
in 1987. From 1984 Carr worked as a full-time union official, in the Garston office of the TGWU, where he specialised in looking after the interests of workers in small factories.
Parliamentary candidate
Carr sought selection as the Labour candidate for Liverpool Walton when Eric HefferEric Heffer
Eric Samuel Heffer was a British socialist politician. He was Labour Member of Parliament for Liverpool Walton from 1964 until his death. His working-class background and consciousness fed in to his left-wing politics, but to an extent disguised the depth of his knowledge: with 12,000 books in...
announced his retirement in 1989, but lost to Peter Kilfoyle
Peter Kilfoyle
Peter Kilfoyle is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Walton from 1991 to 2010.-Early life:...
. In 1990 when Allan Roberts
Allan Roberts
Allan Roberts was a British politician who was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1979 until his death. A teacher and social worker before his election, he was a member of the left-wing of the party.-Early life:...
, the MP for Bootle, died of cancer, Carr was shortlisted for the candidacy along with Joe Benton
Joe Benton
Joseph Edward Benton is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Bootle since 1990.-Early life:...
, Mike Hall
Mike Hall (politician)
Michael Thomas Hall is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Weaver Vale from 1997 to 2010.-Early life:...
and Josie Farrington. On 25 April Carr was selected as Labour candidate for the constituency. He easily won the by-election to replace Roberts, on 24 May 1990; Carr told the press afterwards that the Labour Party had treated the constituency as a marginal and had not just campaigned on issues like the Poll Tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
but also on bus deregulation, which had hit people living on the outskirts of the town. He also said "I don't see this as a job for life. I am not a career politician in the sense of following a career path with parliamentary ambitions."
Parliamentary career
On 14 June 1990 Carr made his maiden speechMaiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
in an Estimates day debate on training. He criticised the government's Youth Training Scheme
Youth Training Scheme
The Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
, on which his children had been employed, as mostly "providing cheap labour to employers who are more interested in job substitution than the provision of decent training", and called for high quality training for all. He later tackled Sir Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe
Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe, Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, QC, PC is a former British Conservative politician. He was Margaret Thatcher's longest-serving Cabinet minister, successively holding the posts of Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, and finally Leader of the House of Commons...
, then Leader of the House of Commons
Leader of the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
, asking for a proper method of induction for new Members of Parliament to be put in place ready for the next general election. He was picked to ask a question of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
at Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime minister's questions is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom that takes place every Wednesday during which the prime minister spends half an hour answering questions from members of parliament...
on 17 July, asking her to take responsibility for the worsening economy. According to Dr Thomas Stuttaford
Thomas Stuttaford
Dr Irving Thomas Stuttaford OBE, is a British doctor, author, medical columnist of The Times and former Conservative Member of Parliament. In 2002 he retired as Senior Medical Advisor for Barclays Bank.-Politics:...
, medical correspondent of 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...
, a Conservative MP and doctor watching him remarked on his "extreme pallor".
Sudden death
On 20 July 1990, Carr attended a meeting of the General Management Committee of Liverpool Walton CLP in his role as Secretary. The meeting was extremely heated as followers of the Militant tendency were gearing up to increase their influence in the constituency party after the selection of Peter Kilfoyle to follow the retirement of Eric HefferEric Heffer
Eric Samuel Heffer was a British socialist politician. He was Labour Member of Parliament for Liverpool Walton from 1964 until his death. His working-class background and consciousness fed in to his left-wing politics, but to an extent disguised the depth of his knowledge: with 12,000 books in...
. Carr felt chest pains and went outside for some fresh air, but broke into a cold sweat and had to sit down. He complained of 'pins and needles
Paresthesia
Paresthesia , spelled "paraesthesia" in British English, is a sensation of tingling, burning, pricking, or numbness of a person's skin with no apparent long-term physical effect. It is more generally known as the feeling of "pins and needles" or of a limb "falling asleep"...
' and his hands were numb. An ambulance was called and Carr was admitted to Walton Hospital at 9:54 pm.
To Carr's surprise, at the hospital he was told that his problem was hyperventilation
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation or overbreathing is the state of breathing faster or deeper than normal, causing excessive expulsion of circulating carbon dioxide. It can result from a psychological state such as a panic attack, from a physiological condition such as metabolic acidosis, can be brought about by...
, and at 10:25 pm he was discharged with a letter telling him to see his doctor, and sent home in a taxi. A quarter of an hour after arriving home he became ill again, and another ambulance was called. Carr had a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and fell into a coma; efforts to revive him in the Accident and Emergency department of Walton Hospital were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 11:50 pm.
Aftermath
The circumstances of Carr's death required an inquest and one was convened on 26 February 1991. When the full story emerged, the Merseyside coroner Roy Barter postponed the inquest to consider criminal charges for negligence against some of the health care personnel involved. The Director of Public ProsecutionsDirector of Public Prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
decided that no charges should be brought and the inquest was resumed on 9 April 1992, when the coroner again postponed the hearing after referring three points of law to the High Court.
Carr's family then successfully sought a judicial review
Judicial review
Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. Specific courts with judicial review power must annul the acts of the state when it finds them incompatible with a higher authority...
of this decision which was held on 28 May 1993. A file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions
Director of Public Prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
, although insufficient evidence was found to prosecute. The judicial review nullified the proceedings at the first inquest, and ordered a new one under a different coroner. This second inquest opened on 20 February 1995. On 23 February 1995, a verdict of death by natural causes was recorded. After Carr's death another by-election for the seat had to be held in November of the year, and was won by the Labour candidate, Joe Benton
Joe Benton
Joseph Edward Benton is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Bootle since 1990.-Early life:...
.