Roy Hattersley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Hattersley PC FRSL
Hattersley in 2012
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
In office 2 October 1983 – 18 July 1992
Leader	Neil Kinnock
Preceded by	Denis Healey
Succeeded by	Margaret Beckett
Shadow cabinet posts 1979–1992 Shadow Secretary of State 1979–1980 Environment 1980–1983 Home Department 1983–1987 Chancellor of the Exchequer 1987–1992 Home Department
Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection
In office 10 September 1976 – 4 May 1979
Preceded by	Shirley Williams
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Junior ministerial posts 1974–1976 Minister of State 1974–1976 Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Shadow cabinet posts 1972–1974 Shadow Secretary of State 1973–1974 Education and Science Shadow Spokesperson 1972–1974 Trade and Industry
Junior ministerial posts 1967–1970 Minister of State 1969–1970 Defence Administration Parliamentary Under-Secretary 1968–1969 Employment and Productivity Parliamentary Secretary 1967–1968 Ministry of Labour
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Life peerage 24 November 1997 – 19 May 2017
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Sparkbrook
In office 15 October 1964 – 8 April 1997
Preceded by	Leslie Seymour
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Roy Sydney George Hattersley (1932-12-28)28 December 1932 Sheffield, England
Died	13 June 2026(2026-06-13) (aged 93)
Political party	Labour
Spouses	Edith Mary "Molly" Loughran ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 2013)​ Maggie Pearlstine ​ (m. 2013)​
Alma mater	University of Hull
Profession	Journalist
Signature

Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley was a British politician, author, and journalist. He was born on 28 December 1932 and passed away on 13 June 2026. A member of the Labour Party, he served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Sparkbrook. He held this position for over 32 years, from 1964 to 1997. From 1983 to 1992, he was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. Throughout his life, Hattersley wrote many books on a wide range of subjects.

Roy Hattersley: A Life in British Politics

Early Life and Education

Roy Hattersley was born in Sheffield, England. His mother, Enid Brackenbury, was a city councillor. She later became the Lord Mayor of Sheffield. His father, Frederick Roy Hattersley, worked as a police officer and a clerk. He also chaired local council health committees.

Roy Hattersley showed an early interest in politics. He supported the Labour Party from a young age. He even helped with election campaigns when he was just 12 years old in 1945. He attended Sheffield City Grammar School. After that, he went on to study Economics at the University of Hull. At university, he was very active in student politics. He helped create the "Labour Club" and became its chairman. He also led the National Association of Labour Student Organisations.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

After finishing university, Hattersley worked briefly for a steelworks. He then spent two years with the Workers' Educational Association. He married his first wife, Molly, who became a headteacher. In 1956, he was elected to the Sheffield City Council. On the Council, he chaired committees for public works and housing.

His main goal was to become a Member of Parliament in Westminster. He first ran for election in 1959 but did not win. After applying for many seats, he was chosen to represent Birmingham Sparkbrook in 1963. This area was known for its diverse communities. On 16 October 1964, he won the election with a majority of 1,254 votes. He held this seat for the Labour Party for the next eight general elections.

A Voice in Westminster

While serving as an MP, Hattersley also worked as a journalist. He wrote a regular column called Endpiece for The Spectator. This column later moved to The Listener and then to The Guardian.

Key Roles in Government

Serving as a Minister

In 1967, Roy Hattersley gained his first ministerial position. He joined Ray Gunter at the Ministry of Labour. The following year, he was promoted to Under Secretary in the same ministry. In 1969, he became the deputy to Denis Healey, who was the Minister of Defence. One of his first important tasks was to sign an order to send troops to Northern Ireland.

Supporting European Unity

The 1970 general election ended six years of Labour government. Hattersley kept his seat as an MP. However, he spent 21 of the next 26 years in opposition. During this time, he became a strong supporter of the Common Market. This organization is now known as the European Economic Community (EEC). In October 1971, Hattersley was one of the Labour MPs who voted to join the EEC. He later served as Shadow Defence Secretary and Shadow Secretary of State for Education.

Cabinet Position and Shadow Roles

When Labour returned to power in 1974, Hattersley was appointed Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. In 1975, he was sworn into the Privy Council. This is a group of senior advisors to the monarch. He led the British team during the "Cod Wars" with Iceland. These were disputes over fishing rights. He also worked on changing the terms of the UK's membership in the EEC.

Under Prime Minister James Callaghan, Hattersley joined the Cabinet. He became the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection. He held this important role until Labour lost the 1979 general election. After 1979, Hattersley served in various important roles in the Shadow Cabinet. He was the Shadow Minister for the Environment. Later, he became Shadow Home Secretary. He worked to keep the Labour Party united during challenging times.

Leading the Labour Party

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

After Labour's significant defeat in the 1983 general election, the party needed a new leader. Roy Hattersley ran for leader, but Neil Kinnock won. However, Hattersley was then elected as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. This combination was seen as a "dream ticket." It brought together different viewpoints within the party.

Hattersley served as Deputy Leader for nine years, working closely with Neil Kinnock. He also held the role of Shadow Chancellor until 1987. He then moved back to Shadow Home Affairs. Together, Kinnock and Hattersley worked to improve the Labour Party's image. They faced challenges, including a leadership challenge in 1988. They hoped to win the 1992 general election, but Labour lost to the Conservatives again.

Life After Parliament

Retirement and Writing

After the 1992 election defeat, both Neil Kinnock and Roy Hattersley resigned from their leadership roles. Hattersley supported his friend John Smith to become the new leader.

In June 1993, Hattersley was scheduled to appear on a TV show called Have I Got News for You. He cancelled at the last minute. The show humorously replaced him with a tub of lard, suggesting they had similar qualities.

In February 1994, Hattersley announced he would leave politics at the next general election in 1997. On 24 November 1997, he was made a life peer. This meant he became Baron Hattersley and could sit in the House of Lords. He retired from the House of Lords on 19 May 2017.

In his later life, Roy Hattersley continued to write. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2003. He wrote three novels and several biographies. These included a 700-page book about David Lloyd George. He also appeared in a documentary about the TV show Doctor Who.

Personal Details

Roy Hattersley married his first wife, Molly Loughran, in 1956. They later divorced in 2013. In the summer of 2013, he married Maggie Pearlstine. He was a dedicated supporter of the football team Sheffield Wednesday. Roy Hattersley passed away on 13 June 2026, at the age of 93.