Teddy Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Teddy Taylor
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Teddy Taylor in 2009
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| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 9 December 1976 – 4 May 1979 |
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| Leader | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Alick Buchanan-Smith |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Millan |
| Member of Parliament for Rochford and Southend East Southend East (1980–1997) |
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| In office 13 March 1980 – 11 April 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Stephen McAdden |
| Succeeded by | James Duddridge |
| Member of Parliament for Glasgow Cathcart |
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| In office 15 October 1964 – 7 April 1979 |
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| Preceded by | John Henderson |
| Succeeded by | John Maxton |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward MacMillan Taylor
18 April 1937 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 20 September 2017 (aged 80) Southend-on-Sea, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Other political affiliations |
Unionist (until 1965) |
| Spouses | Sheila, Lady Taylor |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
Sir Edward MacMillan Taylor (born April 18, 1937 – died September 20, 2017) was a British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for 40 years. He represented Glasgow Cathcart from 1964 to 1979. Later, he represented Southend East from 1980 to 2005.
He was known for being a strong Eurosceptic. This means he believed the United Kingdom should not be part of the European Economic Community (EEC) or the European Union (EU). He was also a key member of the Conservative Monday Club.
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Early Life and Education
Edward Taylor was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He went to the High School of Glasgow. After that, he studied at the University of Glasgow. A future Labour Party leader, John Smith, was also a student there.
After university, Taylor worked as a journalist. He wrote for the Glasgow Herald newspaper. He also became a local politician. From 1960, he served as a councilor for Glasgow City Council. In 1959, he tried to become an MP for Glasgow Springburn. However, he did not win that election.
Parliamentary Career Highlights
Teddy Taylor first became an MP in 1964. He won the election for Glasgow Cathcart. At 27 years old, he was the youngest MP in Parliament at that time. This made him the "Baby of the House."
He joined Edward Heath's government as a minister. He worked for the Scottish Office. In 1971, he resigned from this job. He did this to protest the UK joining the European Economic Community. He strongly believed the UK should not join.
Views on Scottish Politics
Taylor was a well-known figure in Scottish politics. He had strong opinions on various issues. He was close to Margaret Thatcher, who later became Prime Minister. He served as her Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. This role meant he was the main opposition spokesperson for Scottish affairs.
He was against Scottish devolution. This was a plan to give more power to a Scottish Parliament. He warned Margaret Thatcher that opposing devolution might make him lose his seat. In 1979, he did lose his Glasgow Cathcart seat. This was a surprise, as his party won the general election. He had been expected to become the actual Secretary of State for Scotland.
Return to Parliament
Even though he lost his seat in 1979, Taylor returned to Parliament quickly. In 1980, he won a special election for Southend East. This was after the previous MP passed away. From 1997, he represented Rochford and Southend East.
After his return, he did not serve in government again. However, he was recognized for his service. He received a knighthood in 1991. This meant he was given the title "Sir."
Key Political Stances
Sir Teddy Taylor was a strong voice on several issues:
- He consistently opposed the EEC and the EU. He campaigned for the UK to leave these groups.
- He was against joining the Euro currency.
- He also campaigned against the UK changing to the metric system for measurements.
- He worked hard to protect the interests of British fishermen.
- He believed in strict law and order. In 1974, he suggested that people who vandalized public buildings should clean them.
During John Major's time as Prime Minister, Taylor was one of the "Maastricht Rebels." This group of MPs disagreed with the government's policies on Europe. He was temporarily removed from the Conservative Party in Parliament. However, he was later allowed to rejoin.
Sir Teddy Taylor stepped down as an MP in the 2005 general election.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving Parliament, Sir Teddy Taylor remained interested in politics. In 2012, he was interviewed for a project about the history of Parliament. He continued to campaign for the UK to leave the European Union. He supported the 'leave' vote in the 2016 EU referendum.
Sir Teddy Taylor passed away on September 20, 2017, at the age of 80.
