Harold Lever, Baron Lever of Manchester
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(Norman) Harold Lever, Baron Lever of Manchester, PC (15 January 1914 – 6 August 1995) was a barrister and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.
Born in Manchester, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Manchester University. He was called to the Bar of the Middle Temple in 1935. During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force.
Lever was elected Member of Parliament for Manchester Exchange at the 1945 general election, then Manchester, Cheetham from 1950-74. His brother, Leslie Lever, was elected MP for the neighbouring Manchester Ardwick seat. He promoted the Private Member's Bill that became the Defamation Act 1952.
He was Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, 1967; Financial Secretary to the Treasury, September 1967-69; Paymaster General, 1969-70, a Member of the Shadow Cabinet from 1970-74 and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, 1970-73. His seat changed again, becoming Manchester Central from 1974-79. On Labour's return to power after the February 1974 general election, he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1974-79.
Lever held a number of business appointments in the banking and journalism sectors. He was Governor of the London School of Economics from 1971, and of the English Speaking Union 1973-86. He was a Trustee of the Royal Opera House from 1974-82, and a Member of the Court of Manchester University from 1975-87. He was an Honorary Fellow, and Chairman of the Trustees of the Royal Academy from 1981-87. He held Honorary doctorates in Law, Science, Literature and Technology and was awarded the Grand Cross, Order of Merit, Germany, 1979.
He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1969 and created a life peer as Baron Lever of Manchester, of Cheetham in the City of Manchester in 1979.
[edit] References
- (1945) The Times House of Commons 1945.
- (1950) The Times House of Commons 1950.
- (1955) The Times House of Commons 1955.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Henry Hewlett |
Member of Parliament for Manchester Exchange 1945–1950 |
Succeeded by William Griffiths |
| Preceded by (new constituency) |
Member of Parliament for Manchester Cheetham 1950–1974 |
Succeeded by (constituency abolished) |
| Preceded by (new constituency) |
Member of Parliament for Manchester Central 1974–1979 |
Succeeded by Bob Litherland |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Niall MacDermot |
Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1967–1969 |
Succeeded by Dick Taverne |
| Preceded by John Davies |
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1974–1979 |
Succeeded by Norman St John-Stevas |
 |
This article about a Labour Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Categories: 1914 births | 1995 deaths | Alumni of the University of Manchester | Members of the United Kingdom Parliament from English constituencies | Labour MPs (UK) | Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom | British Secretaries of State | United Kingdom Paymasters General | Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster | Life peers | People associated with the London School of Economics | Politicians from Manchester | UK MPs 1945-1950 | UK MPs 1950-1951 | UK MPs 1951-1955 | UK MPs 1955-1959 | UK MPs 1959-1964 | UK MPs 1964-1966 | UK MPs 1966-1970 | UK MPs 1970-1974 | UK MPs 1974 | UK MPs 1974-1979 | UK MPs 1979-1983 | Labour MP (UK) stubs
