Michael Cocks
The Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe | |
|---|---|
| Shadow Chief Whip of the House of Commons | |
| In office 4 May 1979 – 23 October 1985 | |
| Leader | James Callaghan Michael Foot Neil Kinnock |
| Preceded by | Humphrey Atkins |
| Succeeded by | Derek Foster |
| Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 8 April 1976 – 4 May 1979 | |
| Prime Minister | James Callaghan |
| Preceded by | Bob Mellish |
| Succeeded by | Michael Jopling |
| Member of Parliament for Bristol South | |
| In office 18 June 1970 – 18 May 1987 | |
| Preceded by | William Wilkins |
| Succeeded by | Dawn Primarolo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Francis Lovell Cocks 19 August 1929 Leeds, England |
| Died | 26 March 2001 (aged 71) Bristol, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Bristol |
Michael Francis Lovell Cocks, Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe, PC (19 August 1929 – 26 March 2001) was a British Labour Party politician. He was the member of parliament for Bristol South from 1970 to 1987, and was the Labour Party's chief whip from 1976 to 1985.
Early life
[edit]Cocks was born in Leeds, and was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, and Silcoates School, Wakefield. After obtaining a BSc at Bristol University he became a geography teacher and later lectured at Bristol Polytechnic.[1]
Political career
[edit]Cocks contested Bristol West in 1959 and South Gloucestershire in 1964 and 1966.[1] He was Member of Parliament for Bristol South from 1970 until 1987, after being deselected as a candidate in 1986 and replaced by Dawn Primarolo, in a challenge from the left.[1]
During his time in the House of Commons, Cocks served as a Labour whip in government and in opposition, being Chief Whip from 1976 to 1985.[1]
Cocks was created a life peer on 6 October 1987, becoming Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe, of Chinnor in the County of Oxfordshire[2] and served as vice-chairman of the BBC 1993–98.[3]
He also served as Deputy Chairman of the London Docklands Development Corporation.[1] As Government Chief Whip from 1976 to 1979 he had the task of ensuring Government majorities for a minority government.[4]
Personal life and legacy
[edit]Cocks married Janet Macfarlane, a nurse, in 1954.[3] The couple had four children, Andrew, Helen, Sarah and David, before separating in 1976 and divorcing the following year.[3][5] He was married to Valerie Davis from 1979 until his death from a heart attack at Southmead Hospital in Bristol on 26 March 2001, at the age of 71.[1][3][6]
Cocks is a major character in the play This House by James Graham. The play was first staged at the National Theatre in 2011, with Cocks played by Vincent Franklin.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Roth, Andrew (27 March 2001). "Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- ^ "No. 51084". The London Gazette. 9 October 1987. p. 12540.
- ^ a b c d Harrison, Walter (2005). "Cocks, Michael Francis Lovell, Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe (1929–2001), politician". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/75686. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ Who's Left?: An Index of Labour MPs & Left-Wing Causes, 1985-1992. Conservative & Unionist Central Office. 1 January 1992. ISBN 9780850710359. Retrieved 7 January 2019 – via Google Books.
- ^ Anne King (22 April 2021). "Janet Cocks obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "Former chief whip dies". BBC News. 26 March 2001. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
Sources
[edit]- The Times Guide to the House of Commons, Times Newspapers Ltd, 1966, 1983 & 1987
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
- "Obituary: Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe", The Guardian, 27 March 2001
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
- 1929 births
- 2001 deaths
- Alumni of the University of Bristol
- GMB (trade union)-sponsored MPs
- Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
- Labour Party (UK) life peers
- Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
- People educated at George Watson's College
- People educated at Silcoates School
- Politicians from Bristol
- Politicians from Leeds
- UK MPs 1970–1974
- UK MPs 1974
- UK MPs 1974–1979
- UK MPs 1979–1983
- UK MPs 1983–1987
- Life peers created by Elizabeth II