Norman Harold Lever, Baron Lever of Manchester,PC(15 January 1914 – 6 August 1995) was a BritishbarristerandLabour Partypolitician.
The Lord Lever of Manchester | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |
| In office 5 March 1974 – 4 May 1979 | |
| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson James Callaghan |
| Preceded by | John Davies |
| Succeeded by | Norman St John-Stevas |
| Member of Parliament forManchester Central | |
| In office 28 February 1974 – 3 July 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency Created |
| Succeeded by | Bob Litherland |
| Member of Parliament forManchester Cheetham | |
| In office 23 February 1950 – 8 February 1974 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency Created |
| Succeeded by | Constituency Abolished |
| Member of Parliament forManchester Exchange | |
| In office 5 July 1945 – 3 February 1950 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Hewlett |
| Succeeded by | William Griffiths |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 January 1914 Manchester,England |
| Died | 6 August 1995(aged 81) London,England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
Early life
editHe was born inManchester,the son of a Jewish textile merchant from Lithuania, and was educated atManchester Grammar SchoolandManchester University.He was called to the Bar of theMiddle Templein 1935. DuringWorld War IIhe served in theRoyal Air Force.His brother wasLeslie Lever, Baron Lever.[1]
Career
editLever was electedMember of ParliamentforManchester Exchangeat the1945 general election,thenManchester, Cheethamfrom 1950 to 1974. His brother,Leslie Lever,was elected MP for the neighbouringManchester Ardwickseat. He promoted thePrivate Member's Billthat became theDefamation Act 1952.
He was Joint ParliamentaryUnder-Secretary of State for Economic Affairsin 1967;Financial Secretary to the Treasury,September 1967–69;Paymaster General,1969–70, a Member of theShadow Cabinetfrom 1970 to 1974 and Chairman of thePublic Accounts Committee,1970–73. His seat changed again, becomingManchester Centralfrom 1974 to 1979. On Labour's return to power after theFebruary 1974 general election,he wasChancellor of the Duchy of Lancasterfrom 1974 to 1979.
Lever held a number of business appointments in the banking and journalism sectors. He was Governor of theLondon School of Economicsfrom 1971, and of theEnglish Speaking Union1973–86. He was a Trustee of theRoyal Opera Housefrom 1974 to 1982, and a Member of the Court of Manchester University from 1975 to 1987. He was an Honorary Fellow, and Chairman of the Trustees of theRoyal Academyfrom 1981 to 1987. He held Honorary doctorates in Law, Science, Literature and Technology and was awarded the Grand Cross,Order of Merit,Germany, 1979.
He was appointed aPrivy Counsellorin 1969 and created alife peerasBaron Lever of Manchester,of Cheetham in the City of Manchester on 3 July 1979.[2]As a Peer and elder statesman he successfully arbitrated the 1980 Steel Strike, one of the UK's longest industrial disputes. In 1983 he served on the Franks Committee, a committee of inquiry by six Privy Counsellors into the Falklands War. In 1984 he was Chairman of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' commission into the Developing World Debt Crisis. The following year, 1985 he co-wrote "Debt and Danger" which advocated excusing the Developing World a debt burden which was crippling their fragile economies.
Personal life
editHis first marriage was in 1939, to a medical student, Ethel Sebrinski (née Samuel), which ended in "a friendly divorce".[3]
In 1945, he married Betty "Billie" Featherman (née Wolfe), and they had one daughter, but Betty died of leukemia shortly after the birth.[4][3]
His third wife was Mrs Diane Zilkha (née Bashi), the ex-wife ofSelim Zilkha,and they married at theWestminster Synagogueon 15 March 1962.[5]They had three daughters.[4]They were married for over 30 years until his death on 6 August 1995, and lived in a 22-roomed apartment inEaton Square,which Diane "converted... into a palace".[3]
He was a strongbridgeplayer, who represented both the House of Commons and the House of Lords in their annual match. The side he played for usually won.[4]
Death and legacy
editHe died in August 1995, aged 81.
His policy was adopted by the G7 in 2005, a decade after his death.
References
edit- ^William D. Rubinstein (22 February 2011).The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History.Palgrave Macmillan. p. 569.ISBN978-0-230-30466-6.Retrieved24 November2015.
- ^"No. 47896".The London Gazette.5 July 1979. p. 8467.
- ^abcBevan, John (23 October 2011)."OBITUARY: Lord Lever of Manchester".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 9 May 2022.Retrieved24 November2015.
- ^abc"Lord Lever of Manchester".English Bridge Union.Retrieved24 November2015.
- ^"Stock Photo - Mar. 15, 1962 - LABOUR MP MARRIES IRAQI HEIRESS: Harold Lever, 48, Labour MP for Manchester's Cheatham, Division, today married".alamy.Retrieved24 November2015.
- The Times House of Commons 1945.1945.
- The Times House of Commons 1950.1950.
- The Times House of Commons 1955.1955.