Roy Hattersley

Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley (born 28 December 1932) is a British Labour politician and journalist. He was born in Sheffield and elected as MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook in 1964, serving until 1997. Hattersley served in the cabinets of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, and was Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992 under Neil Kinnock. Hattersley was on the right of the party during his active career but has since been increasingly critical of Tony Blair. He is an active journalist, writing columns for The Guardian and the Daily Mail.

Quotes

• In my opinion, any man who can afford to buy a newspaper should not be allowed to own one.
  • Quoted in Tom Bower, Maxwell: The Outsider (1988) ch.13

• Morality and expediency coincide more than the cynics allow.
  • The Guardian, 30 September 1988

• In politics, being ridiculous is more damaging than being extreme.
  • Evening Standard, 9 May 1989

• The proposition that Muslims are welcome in Britain if, and only if, they stop behaving like Muslims is a doctrine which is incompatible with the principles that guide a free society.
  • The Independent, 21 July 1989

About

• Until Roy Hattersley said he would shoot himself if I became prime minister, I had not been able to see any possible advantage in standing.
  • John Reid in his speech to the Labour Party conference in Manchester, 28 September 2006. BBC News 28 September 2006

External links