Robin Corbett, Baron Corbett of Castle Vale
| The Lord Corbett of Castle Vale | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington |
|
| In office 9 June 1983 – 7 June 2001 |
|
| Preceded by | Julius Silverman |
| Succeeded by | Siôn Simon |
| Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead |
|
| In office 10 October 1974 – 3 May 1979 |
|
| Preceded by | James Harry Allason |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Lyell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 September 1933 Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Died | 19 February 2012 (aged 78) |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse(s) | Val Hudson |
Robin Corbett, Lord Corbett of Castle Vale (22 December 1933 – 19 February 2012)[1] was a British Labour Party politician.
Born in Fremantle, Australia he attended Holly Lodge Grammar School in Smethwick but did not attend university. He was called up for two years' national service into the Royal Air Force in 1951. After completing his national service he became a journalist, first for the Birmingham Evening Mail and then for the Daily Mirror. In 1968 he became deputy editor of Farmer's Weekly, then worked for IPC Magazines in 1970, where he stayed until his election to parliament in 1974.
He was elected Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemel Hempstead at the October 1974 general election, but he lost the seat at the general election in 1979. He then returned to IPC Magazines, working as a communications consultant until he returned to parliament in the 1983 general election, representing Birmingham Erdington. He held this seat until his retirement from the House of Commons at the 2001 general election. Siôn Simon replaced him as Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington.
Whilst in the House of Commons, he was opposition spokesman on Home Affairs (1979-1992), then for national heritage, broadcasting and press until 1995. He was a Labour Party Whip from 1984 until 1987. He was Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee from 1999 to 2001.
He was raised to the peerage as Lord Corbett of Castle Vale, of Erdington in the County of West Midlands, in 2001. His political interests included Home Office, police, civil liberties, the motor industry, manufacturing, disability, children's rights, alternative energy, environment, agriculture, animal welfare, and press and broadcasting. He was Chair of the All Party Penal Affairs Group, a parliamentary organisation clerked by the Prison Reform Trust, and a patron of the Forum on Prisoner Education and UNLOCK, The National Association of Ex-Offenders. He was chairman of the all-party British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom and chairman of Friends of Cyprus. He received no remuneration from any post he holds.
He married Val Hudson in 1970, with whom he had one daughter, Polly Hudson, a columnist for the Daily Mirror. He also had a daughter and a son from a previous marriage.
Lord Corbett died on 19 February 2012, aged 78, from cancer.[1]
[edit] References
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages [self-published source?][better source needed]
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
[edit] External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Robin Corbett
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Harry Allason |
Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead Oct 1974–1979 |
Succeeded by Nicholas Lyell |
| Preceded by Julius Silverman |
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington 1983–2001 |
Succeeded by Siôn Simon |
