William Hannan facts for kids

William Hannan (born August 30, 1906 – died March 6, 1987) was a Scottish politician. He was a member of the Labour Party for many years.

William Hannan went to North Kelvinside Secondary School in Glasgow. Before becoming a politician, he worked as an insurance agent. From 1941 to 1945, he was part of the Glasgow Corporation, which is like the local government for Glasgow.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In 1945, William Hannan was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is someone who represents a specific area in the UK Parliament, helping to make laws for the country. He represented the area of Glasgow Maryhill. He held this job for a long time, from the 1945 general election until he retired in 1974.

Roles in Government

During his time as an MP, William Hannan held a few important roles. From 1946 to 1951, he was a Lord of the Treasury. This role involved helping with the government's money matters. Later, from 1964 to 1968, he worked as a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) for George Brown. A PPS helps a senior minister with their daily tasks and communication. He did this at the Department of Economic Affairs and the Foreign Office.

Key Political Views

William Hannan had strong views on several important topics.

Europe and the EEC

He strongly believed that Britain should be part of Europe. He was a "pro-European." In October 1971, he voted for Britain to join the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC was a group of European countries working together on trade and economic issues. This was a big decision, and he was one of 69 Labour MPs who voted against their party's official instruction, known as a "three-line whip."

Scottish Devolution

Even though he was Scottish, William Hannan was against Scottish devolution. This idea would give more power to a Scottish Parliament to make decisions for Scotland. He was involved in a group called 'Scotland is British' before the 1979 vote on Home Rule for Scotland.

Changing Political Parties

William Hannan was generally seen as being on the right side of the Labour Party. In 1981, he became a founding member of a new political party called the Social Democratic Party (SDP). This party was formed by some Labour MPs who felt the Labour Party had moved too far to the left. He was one of 100 people who signed an advertisement in The Guardian newspaper supporting the Limehouse Declaration, which was a statement from the founders of the SDP.