William Whitlock (politician) facts for kids

William Charles Whitlock was a British politician from the Labour Party. He was born in Southampton on June 20, 1918, and passed away in Leicester on November 2, 2001. He served as a Member of Parliament for many years.

Early Life and Education

William Whitlock grew up in Southampton. He went to Itchen Grammar School for his early education. After that, he studied at the University of Southampton. He was a bright student who was ready to serve his country.

A Soldier in World War II

After finishing university, William Whitlock joined the British Army as a volunteer. He became part of the Hampshire Regiment.

Escaping Dunkirk

In 1940, he was part of the British Expeditionary Force in France. When the German army advanced, many British and Allied soldiers were trapped at Dunkirk. William Whitlock was one of the last soldiers to be evacuated. He escaped on a fishing trawler in June 1940, just as the rescue mission was ending.

Fighting in Operation Market Garden

Later in 1940, he volunteered for the airborne forces, which are soldiers who parachute into battle. He joined the British 1st Airborne Division. In September 1944, he took part in Operation Market Garden. This was a big plan to capture bridges in the Netherlands. William Whitlock landed near Nijmegen. It was a very tough battle, and many British airborne troops were killed or captured. He was one of the few who managed to escape.

A Translator for the Army

William Whitlock was very good at languages. After the war ended, he stayed in the Army for an extra year. He worked as a German translator during the time when the Allies occupied Germany.

Starting a Career in Public Service

After leaving the Army, William Whitlock continued to work for the public good.

Working for Shop Workers

In 1946, he became an organiser for the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers. This union helps people who work in shops and other businesses. He worked to improve their working conditions and rights.

Leading the Local Labour Party

In 1957, William Whitlock became the President of the Labour Party in Leicester City. This meant he was a key leader for the party in his local area.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In 1959, William Whitlock was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Nottingham North. An MP is a person elected by the public to represent them in the UK Parliament.

Helping Office Workers

Throughout his time as an MP, William Whitlock was a strong supporter of better conditions for office workers. He believed they deserved fair treatment and good workplaces.

Roles in Government

William Whitlock held several important roles in the government:

• From 1962, he was a party whip, helping to make sure Labour MPs voted together.
• In 1964, he became the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household. This was a ceremonial role in the Royal Household.
• He also served briefly as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and then as Comptroller of the Household. These roles involved managing government finances and administration.

Working with Other Countries

In 1967, he became the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. This meant he helped manage Britain's relationships with countries in the Commonwealth, especially in Africa. He strongly supported allowing Asians who were expelled from Uganda to come and live in Britain.

When the Foreign Office and Commonwealth Relations departments joined together in 1968, he became the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

The Anguilla Incident

In 1969, William Whitlock was sent to Anguilla. This island was trying to separate from Saint Kitts and Nevis. His job was to talk with the new government there. However, things did not go well. He was forced to leave the country at gunpoint. This event ended his time as a government minister.

End of His Political Career

William Whitlock continued to serve as an MP until 1983. In that year, he unexpectedly lost his seat in Parliament. The Conservative Party candidate, Richard Ottaway, won by a very small number of votes. This happened during a time when the Labour Party lost many seats across the country.