Norman Miscampbell
Encyclopedia
Norman Alexander Miscampbell, QC
(20 February 1925 – 16 February 2007) was a British
Conservative Party
politician. He served as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Blackpool North
for 30 years, from 1962 to 1992, making him Blackpool
's longest serving MP.
in County Antrim
. His grandfather owned a salt mine
in Northern Ireland
, and his father worked for ICI
. He was educated at St Edward's School
in Oxford
, and served with the 4th Queen's Own Hussars
in Italy
and Germany
during World War II
, from 1943 to 1945.
He studied economics at Trinity College, Oxford
, where he joined the Oxford University Conservative Association
. He became a barrister
, was called to the bar by Inner Temple
in 1952, and worked on the Northern Circuit
from chambers
in Liverpool
. He became a Queen's Counsel
in April 1974, and a bencher
in 1983.
He married Margaret Kendall in 1961. They had two sons and two daughters.
Urban District Council from 1955 to 1961. He contested the safe Labour Party seat of Newton-le-Willows
in 1955 and 1959, losing to the incumbent Fred Lee twice.
He was selected to fight Blackpool North
at the by-election in March 1962
, resulting from the ennoblement of the sitting Conservative MP, Toby Low, as Baron Aldington
. The seat was thought to be safe—Low had majority of over 15,000—but a strong swing to the Liberals saw Miscampbell returned with a majority of less than 1,000. Two days later, Eric Lubbock won the Orpington by-election
for the Liberals, overturning a Conservative majority of over 14,000 with a swing of almost 22%. The same year, Jeremy Bray
, Dick Taverne, Bill Rogers and Tam Dalyell
were all elected at by-elections.
Miscampbell became a strong advocate for the interests of his seaside resort
constituents, securing tax concessions for hotels and owners of holiday flats. He held the seat in the eight subsequent general elections until his retirement in at the 1992 general election
. He held independent views, towards the liberal wing of the Conservative party, which were often not in sympathy with the party's mainstream orthodoxy. He supported Harold Macmillan
's proposal for the UK to join the Common Market, and was one of few Conservative MPs to vote in favour of the abolition of capital punishment
in December 1964. He also voted with Labour MPs to propose an oil embargo
against Rhodesia
in December 1964. He also opposed the creation of the Assisted Places Scheme, and sent all four of his children to comprehensive school
s.
He never held ministerial office, but served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to Sir Peter Rawlinson from 1972 to 1973, while Rawlinson was Attorney General
. In the 1980s, he found his views increasingly at odds with his party's Thatcherite
orthodoxy. He did not support the introduction of student loan
s, the abolition of the Greater London Council
, and he and Sir Patrick Cormack
were the only Conservative MPs publicly to refuse to support the community charge
(aka poll tax
) in 1986.
of the Crown Court
from 1977 to 1995. He was a member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board from March 1993 until it was wound up in March 2000.
Norman Miscampbell died of undisclosed causes at a hospital in London on 16 February 2007, four days before his 82nd birthday. His wife and their two sons and two daughters survived him.
Margaret Thatcher
is said to have offered to recommend Miscampbell's appointment to a knighthood
, which he reportedly declined because he thought it would prevent him from enjoying his retirement from political activity.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(20 February 1925 – 16 February 2007) was a British
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. He served as 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,...
(MP) for Blackpool North
Blackpool North (UK Parliament constituency)
Blackpool North was a borough constituency in Lancashire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
for 30 years, from 1962 to 1992, making him Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
's longest serving MP.
Early life
Miscampbell was born in CarrickfergusCarrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
. His grandfather owned a salt mine
Salt mine
A salt mine is a mining operation involved in the extraction of rock salt or halite from evaporite deposits.-Occurrence:Areas known for their salt mines include Kilroot near Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland ; Khewra and Warcha in Pakistan; Tuzla in Bosnia; Wieliczka and Bochnia in Poland A salt mine...
in 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...
, and his father worked for ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
. He was educated at St Edward's School
St Edward's School (Oxford)
St. Edward's School is a co-educational independent boarding school located in Oxford, England. The school is located on the Woodstock Road in the north of the city close to the suburb of Summertown. In 2007 it was voted by the Country Life Magazine as number one in the top ten schools in the UK...
in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and served with the 4th Queen's Own Hussars
4th Queen's Own Hussars
The 4th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1958....
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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...
, from 1943 to 1945.
He studied economics at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, where he joined the Oxford University Conservative Association
Oxford University Conservative Association
The Oxford University Conservative Association, or OUCA is a student political organisation founded in 1924 whose members are drawn from the University of Oxford...
. He became a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, was called to the bar by Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1952, and worked on the Northern Circuit
Northern Circuit
The Northern Circuit dates from 1176 when Henry II sent his judges on circuit to do justice in his name. The Circuit encompassed the whole of the North of England but in 1876 it was divided. That part to the west of the Pennines retained the old name. The land to the east became the territory of...
from chambers
Chambers
Chambers may refer to:Places*In Canada:**Chambers Township, Ontario*In the United States:**Chambers County, Alabama**Chambers, Arizona, an unincorporated community in Apache County**Chambers, Nebraska**Chambers Township, Holt County, Nebraska...
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in April 1974, and a bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
in 1983.
He married Margaret Kendall in 1961. They had two sons and two daughters.
Political career
Miscampbell served as a councillor on HoylakeHoylake
Hoylake is a seaside town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, on Merseyside, England. It is located at the north western corner of the Wirral Peninsula, near to the town of West Kirby and where the River Dee estuary meets the Irish Sea...
Urban District Council from 1955 to 1961. He contested the safe Labour Party seat of Newton-le-Willows
Newton (UK Parliament constituency)
Newton was a parliamentary borough in the county of Lancashire, in England. It was represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1559 to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in 1955 and 1959, losing to the incumbent Fred Lee twice.
He was selected to fight Blackpool North
Blackpool North (UK Parliament constituency)
Blackpool North was a borough constituency in Lancashire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
at the by-election in March 1962
Blackpool North by-election, 1962
In 1962, Blackpool North held a by-election that was newsworthy. The by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Blackpool North, in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, was held on 13 March 1962....
, resulting from the ennoblement of the sitting Conservative MP, Toby Low, as Baron Aldington
Toby Low, 1st Baron Aldington
Toby Austin Richard William Low, 1st Baron Aldington, KCMG, CBE, DSO, TD, DL, PC , was a British Conservative Party politician and businessman.-Life:...
. The seat was thought to be safe—Low had majority of over 15,000—but a strong swing to the Liberals saw Miscampbell returned with a majority of less than 1,000. Two days later, Eric Lubbock won the Orpington by-election
Orpington by-election, 1962
The Orpington by-election of 1962 is often described as the start of the Liberal Party revival in the United Kingdom.The election was caused by the appointment of Donald Sumner, Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Orpington as a County Court Judge...
for the Liberals, overturning a Conservative majority of over 14,000 with a swing of almost 22%. The same year, Jeremy Bray
Jeremy Bray
Jeremy William Bray was a British Labour politician and a Member of Parliament for 31 years.Bray was educated at Kingswood School, Bath and Jesus College, Cambridge and was a Choate Fellow at Harvard University...
, Dick Taverne, Bill Rogers and Tam Dalyell
Tam Dalyell
Sir Thomas Dalyell Loch, 11th Baronet , known as Tam Dalyell, is a British Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005, first for West Lothian and then for Linlithgow.-Early life:...
were all elected at by-elections.
Miscampbell became a strong advocate for the interests of his seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
constituents, securing tax concessions for hotels and owners of holiday flats. He held the seat in the eight subsequent general elections until his retirement in at the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
. He held independent views, towards the liberal wing of the Conservative party, which were often not in sympathy with the party's mainstream orthodoxy. He supported Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
's proposal for the UK to join the Common Market, and was one of few Conservative MPs to vote in favour of the abolition of capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in December 1964. He also voted with Labour MPs to propose an oil embargo
Embargo
An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
against Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
in December 1964. He also opposed the creation of the Assisted Places Scheme, and sent all four of his children to comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
s.
He never held ministerial office, but served as 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...
(PPS) to Sir Peter Rawlinson from 1972 to 1973, while Rawlinson was Attorney General
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
. In the 1980s, he found his views increasingly at odds with his party's Thatcherite
Thatcherism
Thatcherism describes the conviction politics, economic and social policy, and political style of the British Conservative politician Margaret Thatcher, who was leader of her party from 1975 to 1990...
orthodoxy. He did not support the introduction of student loan
Student loan
A student loan is designed to help students pay for university tuition, books, and living expenses. It may differ from other types of loans in that the interest rate may be substantially lower and the repayment schedule may be deferred while the student is still in education...
s, the abolition of the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
, and he and Sir Patrick Cormack
Patrick Cormack
Patrick Cormack, Baron Cormack, FSA DL is a British politician, historian, journalist and author. He was a Conservative Party Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010.-Early life:...
were the only Conservative MPs publicly to refuse to support the community charge
Community Charge
The Community Charge, popularly known as the "poll tax", was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the...
(aka 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...
) in 1986.
Later life
Having failed to secure political advancement, Miscampbell increasingly concentrated on his legal career. He served as an assistant recorder and deputy circuit judge from 1976 to 1977, and as a RecorderRecorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
of the Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
from 1977 to 1995. He was a member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board from March 1993 until it was wound up in March 2000.
Norman Miscampbell died of undisclosed causes at a hospital in London on 16 February 2007, four days before his 82nd birthday. His wife and their two sons and two daughters survived him.
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
is said to have offered to recommend Miscampbell's appointment to a knighthood
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
, which he reportedly declined because he thought it would prevent him from enjoying his retirement from political activity.