Tom Bradley (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas George Bradley was a British
politician.
Kettering
-born, Bradley was educated at Kettering Central School and worked in the mines during World War II
. He became a railway clerk at Oundle
and was national treasurer of the clerks' union, the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association
from 1961, its president from 1964 to 1977, and was its acting General Secretary for four months in 1977 after the retirement of the previous General Secretary (David MacKenzie) on health grounds. He served as a councillor on Northamptonshire
County Council
from 1952 and as an alderman
from 1961.
Bradley contested Rutland and Stamford
as a Labour
candidate in 1950, 1951 and 1955, and Preston South
in 1959. He was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Leicester North East
at a 1962 by-election
, representing Leicester East
from 1974. He served as parliamentary private secretary
to the Home Secretary
from 1966.
Bradley was among the Labour MPs who defected to the new Social Democratic Party
in 1981.
In 1983, he stood for re-election in Leicester East but came third with 21% of the vote. This however may have had the effect of helping the Conservative
candidate Peter Bruinvels
beat the future Labour minister Patricia Hewitt
by 933 votes. He died in Kettering aged 76.
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...
politician.
Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
-born, Bradley was educated at Kettering Central School and worked in the mines 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...
. He became a railway clerk at Oundle
Oundle
Oundle is an ancient market town on the River Nene in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 5,345 or 5,674 . It lies some north of London and south-west of Peterborough...
and was national treasurer of the clerks' union, the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association
Transport Salaried Staffs' Association
The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association is a trade union for "white collar" workers in the transport industry in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland...
from 1961, its president from 1964 to 1977, and was its acting General Secretary for four months in 1977 after the retirement of the previous General Secretary (David MacKenzie) on health grounds. He served as a councillor on Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
from 1952 and as an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
from 1961.
Bradley contested Rutland and Stamford
Rutland and Stamford (UK Parliament constituency)
Rutland and Stamford was a county constituency comprising the area centred on the town of Stamford in Lincolnshire, and the county of Rutland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, using the first-past-the-post voting system.The...
as a Labour
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...
candidate in 1950, 1951 and 1955, and Preston South
Preston South (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston South was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Preston in Lancashire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1959. He was elected 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 Leicester North East
Leicester North East (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester North 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....
at a 1962 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, representing Leicester East
Leicester East (UK Parliament constituency)
- Elections in the 2000s :In 2005 this seat bucked the national trend as there was a swing to Labour whereas the national swing was 2.5% to the Conservatives.- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1970s :...
from 1974. He 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...
to the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
from 1966.
Bradley was among the Labour MPs who defected to the new Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
in 1981.
In 1983, he stood for re-election in Leicester East but came third with 21% of the vote. This however may have had the effect of helping 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...
candidate Peter Bruinvels
Peter Bruinvels
Peter Nigel Edward Bruinvels is a British Conservative Party politician.Surrey-born, he was educated at St. John's School, Leatherhead, an independent school...
beat the future Labour minister Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hope Hewitt is an Australian-born British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Leicester West from 1997 until 2010. She served in the Cabinet until 2007, most recently as Health Secretary....
by 933 votes. He died in Kettering aged 76.