John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon

For other people named John Morris, see John Morris (disambiguation).

The Right Honourable The Lord Morris of Aberavon KG PC QC
Attorney General for England and Wales Attorney General for Northern Ireland
In office 2 May 1997 – 29 July 1999
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Nicholas Lyell
Succeeded by	The Lord Williams of Mostyn
Secretary of State for Wales
In office 5 March 1974 – 4 May 1979
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson James Callaghan
Preceded by	Peter Thomas
Succeeded by	Nicholas Edwards
Member of Parliament for Aberavon
In office 8 October 1959 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	William George Cove
Succeeded by	Hywel Francis
Personal details
Born	5 November 1931 (1931-11-05) Capel Bangor, United Kingdom
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	University College of Wales, Aberystwyth Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge

John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon, KG, PC, QC (born 5 November 1931) is a retired British politician. He was a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) from 1959 to 2001 and Secretary of State for Wales from 1974 to 1979.

Background and education

Morris was born in Capel Bangor, Aberystwyth in the County of Ceredigion. He was educated at Ardwyn School, the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

Professional career

Morris was a barrister and was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in 1954. He practised at 2 Bedford Row Chambers, took silk in 1973 and was made a Bencher of Gray's Inn in 1984. Between 1982 and 1997 Morris was a Recorder of the Crown Court.

Political career

He represented Aberavon as its Labour MP from 1959 and was the longest serving Welsh MP until his retirement in 2001, when he was succeeded by Hywel Francis.

He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Transport, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, Secretary of State for Wales between 5 March 1974 and 4 May 1979 and returned to Government as the Attorney General for England and Wales and Northern Ireland between 1997 and 1999. As such, he was one of only a small handful of Labour ministers to hold office under Harold Wilson, James Callaghan and Tony Blair.

Honours

He was created a life peer as Baron Morris of Aberavon, of Aberavon in the County of West Glamorgan and of Ceredigion in the County of Dyfed, in 2001, made Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed a year later and created a Knight of the Order of the Garter in 2003.

Lord Morris has been Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan since 2002, succeeding fellow Labour politician Lord Merlyn-Rees. Lord Morris was President of the London Welsh Trust, which runs the London Welsh Centre, Gray's Inn Road, from 2001 until 2008. He is also a council member of The Prince's Trust.

External links

• Profile on the University of Glamorgan website
• Downing Street press notice September 2002
• They Work for You.com

Offices held

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Cove	Member of Parliament for Aberavon 1959–2001	Succeeded by Hywel Francis
Political offices
Preceded by Peter Thomas	Secretary of State for Wales 1974–1979	Succeeded by Nicholas Edwards
Legal offices
Preceded by Nicholas Lyell	Attorney General for England and Wales 1997–1999	Succeeded by The Lord Williams of Mostyn
	Attorney General for Northern Ireland 1997–1999
Honorary titles
Preceded by David Courtenay Mansel Lewis	Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed 2002–2006	Succeeded by Robin William Lewis
Academic offices
Preceded by The Lord Merlyn-Rees	Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan 2002–present	Incumbent