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Michael Cocks

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The Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe
Shadow Chief Whip of the House of Commons
In office
4 May 1979 – 23 October 1985
LeaderJames Callaghan
Michael Foot
Neil Kinnock
Preceded byHumphrey Atkins
Succeeded byDerek Foster
Chief Whip of the House of Commons
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
In office
8 April 1976 – 4 May 1979
Prime MinisterJames Callaghan
Preceded byBob Mellish
Succeeded byMichael Jopling
Member of Parliament
for Bristol South
In office
18 June 1970 – 18 May 1987
Preceded byWilliam Wilkins
Succeeded byDawn Primarolo
Personal details
Born
Michael Francis Lovell Cocks

(1929-08-19)19 August 1929
Died26 March 2001(2001-03-26) (aged 71)
Political partyLabour
Alma materUniversity of Bristol

Michael Francis Lovell Cocks, Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe, PC (19 August 1929 – 26 March 2001) was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.

Early life

Cocks was born in Leeds, and was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, and Silcoates School, Wakefield. After obtaining a BSc at Bristol University he became a geography teacher and later lectured at Bristol Polytechnic.[1]

Political career

Cocks contested Bristol West in 1959 and South Gloucestershire in 1964 and 1966. He was Member of Parliament for Bristol South from 1970 until 1987, after being deselected as a candidate in 1986 and replaced by Dawn Primarolo.

During his time in the House of Commons, Cocks served as a Labour whip in government and in opposition, being Chief Whip from 1976–85.

Cocks was created a life peer on 6 October 1987, becoming Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe, of Chinnor in the County of Oxfordshire[2] and served as vice-chairman of the BBC 1993–98.

He also served as Deputy Chairman of the London Docklands Development Corporation. As Government Chief Whip from 1976 to 1979 he had the task of ensuring Government majorities for a minority government.[3]

Personal life

Cocks and his first wife Janet, whom he married in 1954, separated in 1976. He was married to Valerie Davis from 1979 until his death in 2001.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Roth, Andrew (27 March 2001). "Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  2. ^ "No. 51084". The London Gazette. 9 October 1987. p. 12540.
  3. ^ "Who's Left?: An Index of Labour MPs & Left-Wing Causes, 1985-1992". Conservative & Unionist Central Office. 1 January 1992. Retrieved 7 January 2019 – via Google Books.

Sources

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Bristol South
19701987
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Chief Whip of the Labour Party
1976–1985
Succeeded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
1976–1979
Succeeded by