Walter HarrisonPC (2 January 1921 – 19 October 2012) was a British Labour politician who was the Member of Parliament for Wakefield from 1964 to 1987.[1]
Background
Harrison was born in Dewsbury in 1921, where he was educated at Dewsbury Technical College and School of Art.[2] His parents were socialists who were politically active.[2] He served as an electrician in the Royal Air Force during World War II.[2]
Elected Labour MP for Wakefield in 1964, Harrison served as a Government whip from 1966 to 1970 and as deputy Chief Whip from 1974 to 1979.[2] In the late 1970s, he was noted for his skill at helping preserve the Labour government as its small majority gradually vanished.[2][3]
In 1968, Harrison was whipping on two bills simultaneously, trapping his leg in the door of a division lobby on the second vote; famously ruling that most of Harrison's body was in the lobby, the chairman of the bill committee declared the vote passed 22¾–22 in Labour's favour.[3] In the Conservative landslide at the 1983 general election, he held his seat - which had undergone substantial boundary changes - with a majority of only 360 votes over the Conservative candidate.
On 28 March 1979, Harrison played a critical role in the defeat of the Labour government in the vote of confidence. As the vote loomed, Harrison approached Conservative MP Bernard Weatherill to enforce the convention and "gentlemen's agreement" that if a sick MP from the Government could not vote, an MP from the Opposition would abstain to compensate. The Labour MP Sir Alfred Broughton was on his deathbed and could not vote, meaning the Government would probably lose by one vote.[4]
Weatherill said that the convention had never been intended for Matter of Confidence and it would be impossible to find a Conservative MP who would agree to abstain. However, after a moment's reflection, he offered that he himself would abstain, because he felt it would be dishonourable to break his word with Harrison. Harrison was so impressed by Weatherill's offer – which would have effectively ended his political career – that he released Weatherill from his obligation and so the Government fell by one vote on the agreement of gentlemen.[5]
In 1948, Harrison married Enid Coleman; they had two children and were married until her death in 1990.[2] He was then married to Jane Richards, his former secretary, from 1991 until her death in 2000.[2]
