Roy Hattersley

Roy Hattersley in 2012

Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley(born28 December1932) is a BritishLabourpolitician and journalist. He was born inSheffieldand first elected as theMember of Parliament(MP) forBirmingham Sparkbrookin 1964, remaining the constituency's MP until 1997. Hattersley served in the cabinets ofHarold WilsonandJames Callaghan,and wasDeputy Leader of the Labour Partyfrom 1983 to 1992 withNeil Kinnockas leader. Hattersley was on the right of the party during his active career but later became critical ofTony Blair.As a journalist, he had written columns forThe Guardianand theDaily 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)

• Diversitywas the encouragement of people to live together in harmony despite their differences and rejoice in the differences rather than deplore them.
  • Interview for "of Blood",BBC2 (8 March 2008), at 23:21

Quotes about Hattersley

• Roy Hattersley...returned to the smoke of battle in Westminster where he at once began to work actively forCallaghan.He called inRoy Jenkins's room to tell him... Roy Hattersley told him why. His growing lack of sympathy with Jenkins's political position was reinforced by Jenkins's recent television broadcast saying that more than 60 per cent of national income devoted to public expenditure would lead to tyranny – quite the opposite of whatTawneyandCroslandhad written and Hattersley himself believed. Hattersley was supporting Callaghan for fear of ‘splitting the vote’ and lettingFootin.
  • Susan Crosland,Tony Crosland(1982), p. 315

• 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 Reidin his speech to the Labour Party conference in Manchester (28 September 2006), quoted in ‘Confront Muslim extremists - Reid’, BBC News (28 September 2006)