Michael Stewart, Baron Stewart of Fulham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Stewart of Fulham
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Stewart in 1965
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| Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Foreign Affairs (1965–1966) |
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| In office 16 March 1968 – 19 June 1970 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | George Brown |
| Succeeded by | Sir Alec Douglas-Home |
| In office 22 January 1965 – 11 August 1966 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | Patrick Gordon Walker |
| Succeeded by | George Brown |
| First Secretary of State | |
| In office 11 August 1966 – 6 April 1968 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | George Brown |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Castle |
| Secretary of State for Economic Affairs | |
| In office 11 August 1966 – 29 August 1967 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | George Brown |
| Succeeded by | Peter Shore |
| Secretary of State for Education and Science | |
| In office 16 October 1964 – 22 January 1965 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | Quintin Hogg |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Crosland |
| Member of Parliament for Fulham Fulham East (1945–1955) |
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| In office 5 July 1945 – 7 April 1979 |
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| Preceded by | William Astor |
| Succeeded by | Martin Stevens |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Michael Maitland Stewart
6 November 1906 Bromley, Kent, England |
| Died | 10 March 1990 (aged 83) London, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | St. John's College, Oxford |
| Profession | Member of Parliament |
Robert Michael Maitland Stewart, also known as Baron Stewart of Fulham, was an important British politician. He was a member of the Labour Party and served as a Member of Parliament for 34 years. He was also the Foreign Secretary twice under Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Michael Maitland Stewart was born in Bromley, England, on November 6, 1906. His father was Robert Wallace Stewart, an author and lecturer.
He went to Brownhill Road Elementary School and Christ's Hospital. Later, he studied at St. John's College, Oxford. In 1929, he earned a first-class degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. While at Oxford, he was very active in student politics. He became the President of the Oxford Union in 1929. He also led the St John's Labour Club that same year.
Early Career and War Service
Stewart started his career in 1931, working for the Royal Household. For a short time, he worked with the League of Nations, an organization that promoted peace. After that, he became a schoolteacher. He taught at Merchant Taylors' School in London, Coopers' Company's School in Mile End, and a school in Frome, Somerset.
During World War II, Stewart served in the Middle East. He joined the Intelligence Corps in 1942. In 1943, he moved to the Army Educational Corps. He was promoted to captain in 1944.
On July 26, 1941, he married Mary Birkinshaw. She later became Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch. They did not have any children. They were one of the few married couples where both husband and wife held important titles.
Political Journey
Stewart tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) several times before he was elected. He ran in Lewisham West in 1931 and 1935, and in Fulham East in 1936.
After World War II, he was elected as an MP for Fulham East in 1945. He held this seat until 1955. Then he represented Fulham from 1955 to 1974. Finally, he was the MP for Hammersmith, Fulham from 1974 to 1979.
Early Government Roles
Soon after being elected, Stewart became a junior whip, which is a role that helps manage party members in Parliament. He then served as a junior minister. He was the Under-Secretary of State for War from 1947 to 1951. After that, he was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply for a few months in 1951.
When the Labour Party lost the 1951 election, Stewart became an important figure in the opposition. He served as the Shadow Minister of Education from 1955 to 1959. Then he was the Shadow Minister of Housing and Local Government from 1959 to 1964.
Key Government Positions (1964–1970)
When Harold Wilson became Prime Minister in 1964, Stewart was given a big job. He became the Secretary of State for Education and Science.
In January 1965, he was promoted to Foreign Secretary. This happened after the previous Foreign Secretary, Patrick Gordon Walker, failed to win a seat in Parliament again. The newspapers said Stewart was not very well known to the public, but he was very respected within political circles.
In 1966, he became the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. From 1966 to 1968, he held the important role of First Secretary of State. He returned to the Foreign Office from 1968 to 1970.
Foreign Policy Decisions
As Foreign Secretary, he made important decisions about international events. One notable decision was his role in supplying arms to the Nigerian government during the Nigerian Civil War. This war involved the Nigerian military trying to stop the region of Biafra from separating. Stewart explained his decision by saying he wanted to avoid encouraging other regions in Africa to try and break away, which he believed could cause more problems in the future.
After Government Service
After leaving government, Stewart remained active in politics. He was a strong supporter of Britain being part of Europe. In June 1970, he led the Labour Delegation to the Council of Europe. He also co-chaired the Labour Committee for Europe.
From 1975 to 1976, he served as a member of the European Parliament. Stewart also supported a peaceful solution to the division of Ireland, hoping for a United Ireland.
In 1964, Stewart became a member of the Privy Council, a group of important advisors to the Queen. In 1969, he was awarded the Companion of Honour (CH), a special award for outstanding service.
He retired from the House of Commons in 1979. On July 5, 1979, he was given the title Baron Stewart of Fulham, which made him a life peer in the House of Lords.
Robert Michael Maitland Stewart passed away in a London hospital on March 10, 1990, at the age of 83.
Images for kids
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Stewart in 1965
