Christopher Price (politician)

Christopher Price (26 January 1932 - 21 February 2015) was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.

Early life

Price was educated at Leeds Grammar School and The Queen's College, Oxford where he was secretary of the Labour Club in 1953. He initially pursued a teaching career and by 1962 was Senior Classics Master at Ecclesfield Grammar School when he was elected as a councillor to the Sheffield City Council. He became deputy chairman of the education committee from 1963 (Albert Ballard was the chairman) and was instrumental in Sheffield's decision, fully implemented by 1969, in favour of comprehensive education.^[1]

Parliamentary career

Price contested Shipley in 1964. He was Member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Barr from 1966 to 1970, and for Lewisham West from February 1974 to 1983, when he lost to the Conservative John Maples. In the House of Commons he served as Chairman of the Education Select Committee.

Price was also a Member of the European Parliament from 1977 to 1978.

After Parliament

After leaving parliament, Price was Director of Leeds Polytechnic - later becoming Vice-Chancellor of the polytechnic's successor body, Leeds Metropolitan University. He was a founder member of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

Price was the Chairman of the New Statesman between 1994-95.^[2]

Family

His sister, Helen Jackson, was the Labour MP for Sheffield Hillsborough from 1992 to 2005.^[3]

References

1. Cornwell, John (2005). King Ted's. King Edward VII School, Sheffield. ISBN 0-9526484-1-5
2. "Christopher Price, Labour MP - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 24 February 2015.
3. Tam Dalyell (24 February 2015). "Christopher Price: Energetic MP who despite his combative nature was liked and admired both by colleagues and opponents". The Independent.

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1966 and 1983

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Christopher Price