Lord Jenkins

Reforming politician who founded the SDP

Born:

1920

Died:

2003

Place of Birth:

Abersychan

School:

Abersychan Grammar School

Famous For:

Reforming politician who founded the SDP

"The politics of the left and centre of this country are frozen in an out-of-date mould which is bad for the political and economic health of Britain and increasingly inhibiting for those who live within the mould. Can it be broken?" Lord Jenkins

Biography:

Although he never became Prime Minister, this son of a miner's leader had a far-reaching impact on British politics and society.

Roy Jenkins was the son of the Labour MP for Pontypool and miners' leader Arthur Jenkins. After studying at Oxford and wartime service, he followed his father into Parliament by winning the Southwark by-election in 1948.

More of an old-fashioned liberal than a socialist, he helped get the Sixties swinging as a reforming Home Secretary, relaxing the laws relating to abortion, censorship, divorce and homosexuality.

As Chancellor of the Exchequer he helped restore Labour's credibility after the devaluation crisis of 1967 but his political ambitions took a knock when his low-key budget was blamed for Labour's defeat at the 1970 General Election.

As a pro-European, Jenkins felt increasingly out of step with many in his party, resigning as deputy leader in 1972. Policies aside, his detractors viewed him as a snob, an aloof figure who'd forgotten his working class roots.

Although he served a second spell as Home Secretary when Labour returned to power in 1974, he later left Parliament to become Britain's first and so far only president of the European Commission.

Jenkins returned to British politics in dramatic style in 1981 as a member of the so-called "Gang of Four" leading Labour politicians who quit the party to set up the centrist Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The new party initially captured the imagination of dissatisfied voters, but their 50% poll ratings soon waned and eventually led to a merger with the Liberals to form the Liberal Democrats.

After earning a peerage, Jenkins devoted more time to life outside party politics, becoming Chancellor of Oxford University and writing acclaimed biographies of political figures such as Gladstone and Churchill.

The former Labour minister became a mentor to Tony Blair, and many see the influence of Jenkins and the Social Democrats on the moderate policies of New Labour.

Jenkins died suddenly at his home in Oxfordshire in January 2003, with Blair leading the tributes, describing him as "one of the most remarkable people ever to grace British politics."

Moment of Glory:

A reforming Home Secretary in the Sixties, creating what he called the "civilised" rather than permissive society.

Off the Record:

Many former Labour colleagues never forgave Jenkins for the split which created the SDP, claiming he helped keep the Tories in power for nearly 20 years.

your comments

M Christian Wayne in Farmington
Although tremendously intelligent and gifted, Mr Jenkins utilised his considerable talents to help lead Britain down the road to social, economic and cultural disaster. Once the envy of the world, Britain's slide down the slippery slope of degeneration may have been slowed if not for Jenkins' efforts.

Stephen Lloyd from Llanelli
I met Lord Jenkins shortly after he launched the SDP. He came across as a charming and very intelligent man who could capture and then hold the attention of an audience, hostile or not. He was happy to deal with any issue and was in his element when dealing with a wide range of topics and questions from the audience. It was clear that he was a very important factor in the almost immediate success and impact of the SDP. There were those who argued that it lead to the loss of several important MPs from the Labour party at a very crucial time, but his actions certainly provided a major shift in British politics.

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