Roy Hattersley

Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley, FRSL, PC (born 28 December 1932) is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He was MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook for 33 years from 1964 to 1997. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.

Early life

Hattersley was born on 28 December 1932 in Sheffield, England to Frederick Hattersley and Enid Hattersley.

Early political career

He was a socialist and Labour supporter from his youth, electioneering at the age of 12 for his local MP and city councillors, beginning in 1945. His mother, Enid (née Brackenbury), was a city councillor, and later served as Lord Mayor of Sheffield (1981). His father, Frederick Hattersley, was a former Roman Catholic priest, who renounced the church and left the priesthood to marry; he died an atheist.

Education

Hattersley won a scholarship to Sheffield City Grammar School and went from there to study at the University of Hull. Having been accepted to read English at the University of Leeds, he was diverted into reading Economics when told by a Sheffield colleague of his mother that it was necessary for a political career.