Jo Richardson
Jo Richardson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chairman of the National Executive Committee | |
| In office 27 October 1989 – 1990 | |
| Leader | Neil Kinnock |
| Preceded by | Dennis Skinner |
| Succeeded by | Tom Sawyer |
| Member of Parliament for Barking | |
| In office 28 February 1974 – 1 February 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Driberg |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Hodge |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 August 1923 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England |
| Died | 1 February 1994 (aged 70) Barking, London, England |
| Political party | Labour |
Josephine Richardson (28 August 1923 – 1 February 1994) was a British Labour Party politician. At the time of her death she was Member of Parliament for Barking, a post she had held almost exactly 20 years, since 1974.
Early life
She was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and attended Southend High School for Girls. Her father, a sales representative, had stood as a Liberal Party candidate in Darlington during the 1930s; he died while she was still young.[1] Her mother was a member of the Congregational Church.[1]
Despite her intellect, Richardson was unable to afford a university education, which she regretted throughout her life.[1]
Parliamentary career
Having joined the
Richardson was seen as a peace campaigner on the
Richardson also served as an executive member of the
She co-authored the pamphlet Keeping Left (1950) with Richard Crossman, Michael Foot and Ian Mikardo.[5]
In 1985, KGB defector Oleg Gordievsky named Richardson and two other left-wing Labour MPs as confidential contacts of his embassy.[6]
Death and legacy
Amid complications of rheumatoid arthritis, Richardson's health declined precipitously in her last year of life, and she underwent spinal surgery. During this time, she was sometimes transported to the House of Commons by ambulance. She died from respiratory failure at her home on 1 February 1994, at the age of 70.[2]
Jo Richardson Community School, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, was named in her honour.
References
- ^ a b c "Obituary: Jo Richardson". The Independent. 2 February 1994. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/55340. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Wilson, E., "Feminist Fundamentalism: The shifting politics of sex and censorship" in Segal, L. and McIntosh, M., Sex Exposed: Sexuality and the Pornography Debate, Virago, 1992
- ^ Kennedy, Dominic (22 July 2014). "How paedophiles gained access to establishment by work with the young". The Times.
- ^ Dalyell, Tam (18 September 2011). "Obituary: Ian Mikardo". The Independent. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "When the KGB sought seats in the House of Commons", The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 August 2014.