Bernard Braine
Shadow Minister for Overseas Development | |
---|---|
In office 4 October 1967 – 15 June 1970 | |
Leader | Edward Heath |
Preceded by | Richard Wood |
Succeeded by | Judith Hart |
Member of Parliament for Castle Point South East Essex (1955–1983) | |
In office 26 May 1955 – 16 March 1992 | |
Preceded by | Constituency established |
Succeeded by | Bob Spink |
Member of Parliament for Billericay | |
In office 23 February 1950 – 6 May 1955 | |
Preceded by | Constituency established |
Succeeded by | Richard Body |
Personal details | |
Born | 24 June 1914 Lieutenant-Colonel |
Unit | North Staffordshire Regiment |
Bernard Richard Braine, Baron Braine of Wheatley,
Early life
He was educated at
Political career
In 1948, Braine opposed GATT, arguing that it limited imperial preference.[4]
Having stood unsuccessfully for Leyton East in 1945, Braine was elected as MP for Billericay at the 1950 general election. When constituency boundaries were revised for the 1955 election he was returned for the new South East Essex constituency, and when that constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, he was elected for the new Castle Point constituency, becoming Father of the House of Commons in 1987 after James Callaghan's elevation to the House of Lords.
During his long parliamentary career, Braine served as a junior Minister variously for Pensions, Commonwealth Relations and Health.[1]
He was chairman of the National Council on Alcoholism, and author of the report Alcohol and Work (1977), widely known as the Braine Report.
Braine championed many causes involving oppressed people. Among them was the Campaign for the Defence of the Unjustly Prosecuted, of which he was President and later Chairman during 1980–1987.[6] In this capacity and in collaboration with the exiled journalist Josef Josten, he campaigned vigorously for the release from prison of the dissident playwright Vaclav Havel, who later became President of the Czech Republic. He was decorated by Havel at a ceremony in Prague Castle on 28 October 1995.
Later life
Braine stepped down from Parliament at the
Arms
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References
- ^ a b c "Tory Stalwart dies". BBC News. 5 January 2000. Archived from the original on 16 January 2006. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
- from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ^ "Lord Braine of Wheatley". The Times. 6 January 2000. p. 21.
- ISBN 978-1-4008-5558-2.
- ^ Institute of Alcohol Studies: 'In Memoriam Bernard Braine', 2000.
- ISBN 978-80-7277-432-6.
- ^ "No. 53017". The London Gazette. 13 August 1992. p. 13717.
- ^ Debrett's Peerage. 2000.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Bernard Braine
- "In Memoriam Bernard Braine". Institute of Alcohol Studies. January 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
- Parliamentary Archives, The papers of Baron Braine of Wheatley, 1947–1994