Bill O'Brien (British politician)
Sir Bill O'Brien | |
|---|---|
O'Brien in 2010 | |
| Member of Parliament for Normanton | |
| In office 9 June 1983 – 11 April 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Albert Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Ed Balls |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 January 1929 Pontefract, England |
| Died | 18 May 2025 (aged 96) |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Jean Scofield |
| Alma mater | University of Leeds |
Sir William O'Brien (25 January 1929 – 18 May 2025) was a British Labour Party Member of Parliament.[1][2]
Early life
Born in the historic market town of Pontefract, West Riding of Yorkshire, O'Brien was previously a miner from 1946 to 1983 and local councillor on Wakefield Council from 1973 to 1983.[3] He stood unsuccessfully for the post of Secretary for the Yorkshire region of the National Union of Mineworkers in 1973, losing to Owen Briscoe from the Yorkshire Left group.[4] He was considered the moderate candidate from the moderate Glasshoughton colliery, whereas Briscoe was a militant from Armthorpe Colliery.[4]
He gained a BEd degree from the University of Leeds in 1978.
Parliamentary career
O'Brien entered the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Normanton at the 1983 general election, and re-elected at four further general elections until he retired at the 2005 general election. He served as both an Opposition Spokesman on Environment (1987–92) and Opposition Spokesman on Northern Ireland (1992–94).[3]
He was named a Knight Bachelor in the 2010 Dissolution Honours.[5]
Personal life and death
O'Brien married Jean Scofield, and the couple had three daughters.[3] He died on 18 May 2025, at the age of 96.[6]
Bibliography
The Prince of Wales Colliery[7]
References
- ^ "Mr Bill O'Brien". Hansard. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Parliamentary career for Sir Bill O'Brien - MPs and Lords". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Bill O'Brien - Politics 97". BBC News. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ a b Winterton, Jonathan; Winterton, Ruth (1989). Coal, Crisis, and Conflict: The 1984–85 Miners' Strike in Yorkshire. Manchester University Press. p. 18. ISBN 9780719025488.
- ^ "No. 59459". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 15 June 2010. p. 11152.
- ^ Cooper, Yvette (30 May 2025). "RIP Sir Bill - Yvette Cooper MP". Yvette Cooper MP. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Sir Bill O'Brien (2011). Pontefract Heritage Series: The Prince of Wales Colliery. West Yorkshire, United Kingdom: Pen2Pen. ISBN 978-0-9559026-1-1.
External links