OBITUARY : Stanley Clinton-Davis (1928-2023)
OBITUARY
Stanley Clinton-Davis, Baron Clinton-Davis, died on 11 June 2023 at the age of 94. He was born on 6 December 1928 and was educated at Hackney Downs School, Mercers’ School and King’s College before training as a solicitor. He became a local councillor, holding the position of the Mayor of Hackney between 1968 and 1969, and married Frances Jane Lucas with whom he had four children.
Clinton-Davis served as the Labour MP for Hackney Central from 1970 and 1983, holding the Ministerial position of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade between 1974 and 1979. He was also the first MP to ask Margaret Thatcher a question at Prime Minister’s Question Time, asking on 22 May 1979:
“That is very interesting. Will the right hon. Lady take the opportunity today, or at least at an early stage, to explain to pensioners why her Government refuse to link the pension with earnings or prices, whichever is the higher? When will she say something about the electricity discount scheme? In replying to all questions will she please not be too strident?”
The new Prime Minister replied:
“As the hon. Gentleman is already aware, we have undertaken to implement the November increases in full. He is already aware that in the previous year his Government had a shortfall on their calculations. That is being made up this November. We announced it and we shall honour it.”
During his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 6 July 1970 he mentioned the importance of race relations:
“I want to stress the positive side of race relations. I believe that in my constituency we have a great example to offer to the country. It is so much more rewarding to talk about these things than to emphasise the alleged hopelessness and undesirability of the present situation. We have a long tradition in Hackney of racial tolerance. It is an area in which the fascists, both pre- and post-war, sought to merchandise their filthy wares, and they were met head on and routed. Today we have a cosmopolitan population considerably higher in numbers and proportion than in Wolverhampton, yet the atmosphere is far better.”
Elevated to the House of Lords in 1990, he became the Minister of State for Trade between 1997 and 1998 as one of the few Labour parliamentarians who had previously served in Ministerial office. He retired from the House of Lords in 2018 and died on 11 June 2023.
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