Audrey Wise
Audrey Wise (4 January 1935[note 1] – 2 September 2000)[1] was a British Labour Party politician. She was Member of Parliament for Preston from 1987 until her death.
Born Audrey Brown in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, she had earlier served as MP for Coventry South West from the February 1974 to the 1979 general election. She also stood unsuccessfully in Woolwich in 1983. She was president of the shop staff union USDAW between 1991-97. Wise was a member of the left-wing Campaign Group of Labour MPs. During the 1970s Wise was a leading member of the Institute for Workers' Control.[2]
She was famously arrested on the picket line during the Grunwick dispute, where Asian women workers were striking for Union recognition. Wise visited Portugal in 1974 to report on and participate in the Carnation Revolution. that overthrew the fascist dictatorship, recording her experiences and analysis in 'Eyewitness in Revolutionary Portugal'[3] (published in 1975). Wise's political position was consistently socialist, feminist and environmentalist, at a time when Labour itself was rapidly retreating from its socialist and working class traditions.[citation needed]
Her daughter, Valerie, spent time as a councillor in Preston and served as Labour leader of Preston City Council in 1995, but left Labour over the Iraq War. She now leads the Preston Domestic Violence Service.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Chris Mullin in A View from the Foothills: The Diaries of Chris Mullin, Profile Books, 2009, p127 states that it is a little known fact that Audrey Wise was 68 not 65 when she died. He says that she deducted three years to make her seem younger in assist getting the Coventry job.
[edit] References
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "P" (part 2)
- ^ Macfarlane, Alison. "Obituary: Audrey Wise". Radstats Journal (75). http://www.radstats.org.uk/no075/audreywise.htm. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ^ Eyewitness in Revolutionary Portugal by Audrey Wise
[edit] External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Audrey Wise
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Coventry South West February 1974–1979 |
Succeeded by John Butcher |
| Preceded by Stanley Thorne |
Member of Parliament for Preston 1987–2000 |
Succeeded by Mark Hendrick |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Sydney Tierney |
President of USDAW 1991–1997 |
Succeeded by Marge Carey |
 |
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