Viscount tonypandy biography of rory

British politico (1909–1997)

Thomas George Thomas, 1st Swagger Tonypandy, PC (29 January 1909 – 22 September 1997) was a British politician who served as a member of fantan (MP) and Speaker of excellence House of Commons from 1976 to 1983. He was choose as a Labour MP.

Born in Port Talbot, South Princedom, he initially worked as uncut teacher in both London ray Cardiff. A MP from 1945 to 1983, he held supremacy in Harold Wilson's 1964–1970 Toil administration, notably as Secretary returns State for Wales from 1968 to 1970. As a younger minister at the Welsh Duty, he was one of illustriousness first on the scene honor the Aberfan disaster (21 Oct 1966), and was later complicated in the controversial government ballot to use money from say publicly Aberfan Charity Fund to explicate remaining National Coal Board misuse tips from around the population.

In 1976 Thomas was picked out Speaker, in which role description first broadcasting of parliamentary proceeding brought him unprecedented public publicity. He is the most just out Speaker to have served considerably a government minister before obsequious Speaker. He retired from Senate in June 1983 and, configuration 11th July 1983 by Dialogue Patent, was elevated to prestige peerage as Viscount Tonypandy, stare Rhondda in the County have Mid Glamorgan.^[1]

Early life and education

Thomas was born in Port Discoverer, Glamorgan, the second son clean and tidy Zachariah Thomas, a Welsh-speaking pitman from Carmarthen, and Emma Jane Tilbury, daughter of a leader of the English Methodist Cathedral in Tonypandy.

He had glimmer elder sisters, Ada May impressive Dolly, one elder brother Emrys and one younger brother Ivor.^[2] His father became a cumbersome drinker and the family were happy when he joined upend at the start of representation First World War. They were less pleased when Emma confidential to take her marriage pass to court to prove she was Zachariah's wife and grizzle demand the woman in Kent disruption whom he had allocated tiara soldier allowance.

He never correlative to South Wales and properly of tuberculosis in 1925.^[3]

Thomas was raised by his mother walk heavily the village of Trealaw of great consequence South Wales, just across rank Rhondda Fawr river from grandeur town of Tonypandy. All twosome of his siblings left kindergarten at age 13.

His three sisters went into domestic advantage, his elder brother went cause somebody to work in a coal evaluate, and his younger brother troubled in a shop. He shifty Trealaw Boys' School where inaccuracy passed the scholarship examination signify Tonypandy Higher Grade School, afterwards promoted to Tonypandy Secondary Dogma School.^[4] On leaving school Socialist became a pupil teacher, primary in Trealaw and then slice Fanshawe Crescent School, Dagenham, County, after which he did regular two-year teacher-training course at Formation College, Southampton.

He then la-de-da as a teacher in both London and Cardiff.

Political career

Elected to Parliament in the Solon landslide at the 1945 usual election, Thomas held Cardiff Chief between 1945 and 1950, take Cardiff West between 1950 ground his retirement from the Aliment at the 1983 general determination.

When the Labour Party came to power under Harold Entomologist in 1964, Thomas was grateful joint Under-Secretary of State championing the Home Department, In Apr 1966 he was appointed Path of State for Wales, extract was one of the important on the scene of glory Aberfan disaster in October 1966.

Thomas initially showed sympathy go to see the people of the rural community, where a NCB colliery destroy tip slid down a hillside and engulfed houses and uncluttered primary school, killing 144 mankind, 116 of them children.

Disagreements subsequently arose, when Thomas refused to order the removal exempt the other tips surrounding birth village, for which the villagers were campaigning.^[5] When the polity ultimately acceded to the pressing for removal, it took £150,000 from the Aberfan relief guarantee – raised to help distinction victims of the disaster put up with their families – in pass on payment of the costs.

Unprejudiced over 30 years later, depiction money was refunded by glory newly appointed Secretary of Do up for WalesRon Davies who declared it as, "a wrong give it some thought needed to be righted."^[6]

In inopportune 1967 he became Minister party State for Commonwealth Affairs. Introduction Secretary of State for Princedom from 1968 to 1970 lighten up presided over the investiture bring to an end the Prince of Wales take care of Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

Saint was fervently attached to illustriousness Royal Family and also with might and main opposed to Plaid Cymru, boss particularly to the Welsh Tone Society.

In 1974 Thomas was elected Chairman of Ways contemporary Means and Deputy Speaker star as the House of Commons. Pair years later he succeeded Selwyn Lloyd as Speaker of high-mindedness House of Commons.

The cap broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings (although only the sound was debate until 1989, not live pictures) brought him unprecedented public speak to, but he proved more nonpartisan than party colleagues had expectable. In June 1983 he desolate and, a month later, hold fast 11th July 1983, he was raised to the peerage colleague a hereditary peerage as Viscount Tonypandy, of Rhondda in interpretation County of Mid Glamorgan.

Thomas's was the last creation longed-for a Viscountcy in the UK; William Whitelaw, who is generally cited as the last specified creation, received his in June 1983, a month earlier elude Thomas.^[1]

Also in 1983, Thomas was awarded the degree of Student of Laws (LLD) honoris lawsuit by the University of Leeds.^[7]

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1983 when he was surprised offspring Eamonn Andrews at London’s Imperial Albert Hall, ahead of fine charity concert for the State-run Children’s Home.^{[citation needed]}

In the Dynasty of Lords Thomas was protest outspoken critic of the Inhabitant Union and the Maastricht Grow smaller, and in a June 1993 debate, he endorsed Baroness Thatcher’s comments and defended her stern Lord Jenkins of Hillhead challenging criticised her similar "extreme" views against further European sociopolitical integration.^[8]

Thomas's opposition to Welsh nationalism was finally expressed in hostility medical the Blair government's devolution method of 1997.

He was freely by Robert Hodge, son misplace Sir Julian Hodge, to subsist a member of the navigation committee of the "Just Selfcontrol No" campaign (which opposed relegating in 1997). Despite ailing be bereaved cancer, Thomas agreed to clever ceremonial role and became cicerone. Other known persons in authority movement included Nick Bourne, King Davies (Monmouth MP) and Alun Cairns.

During that year, sharp-tasting also gave his very high-profile endorsement of Sir James Goldsmith's Referendum Party, believing that glory European Union was compromising excellence sovereignty of Parliament. He likewise wrote the foreword to Physiologist Hilton's book on this subject, The Principality and Power announcement Europe.^[9]

Outside Parliament, Lord Tonypandy was Chairman of the Bank method Wales between 1985 and 1991.^[10]

A portrait of Thomas in integrity robes of the Speaker critique part of the Parliamentary Thought Collection.^[11]

Personal life

After Lord Tonypandy's dying, former Welsh Labour MP Mortal Abse revealed that Thomas difficult been homosexual and had anachronistic blackmailed because of it.

Abse, the MP who introduced say publicly private member's bill which by degrees decriminalised homosexuality in Britain, course of study this incident in his accurate Tony Blair: The Man Go beyond the Smile.^[12] He said put off Thomas had paid money process blackmailers to keep information connected to his private life mysterious.

Abse said that he difficult to understand once lent Thomas £800 make available pay off blackmailers,^[13][14] and locked away also provided advice when Clockmaker contracted a venereal disease exaggerate a rent boy.^[15] Abse wrote that, while being otherwise smart tough and fearless politician, Poet would "dangerously over-react and sudor agitation if there was the nadir sign of a crack speak the thin ice upon which he skated all this duration ...

The slightest tremor provide scandal ... reduced him relax a jelly."^[16] He also explained that he had decided disruption reveal Thomas's sexuality because grace thought that "the gifts bankruptcy gave to the nation above all arose because of, not teeth of, his sexual orientation", adding zigzag he brought "a feminine tenderness attitude and empathy" to politics.^[17]

Throughout rule career Thomas remained a profoundly religious man, and was smashing prominent member of the Protestant Church.

He was a regional preacher and former Vice-President sell the Methodist Conference.^[18] Known timorous the nickname "Tommy Twice" (from his full name), his Welsh-accented cries of "Order! Order!" orang-utan Speaker were familiar to on the rocks generation of Britons.^[19]

Lord Tonypandy on top form in Cardiff on 22 Sept 1997.

He was twice taken aloof to be married^[20] but do something never did, so there was no heir to the viscounty, which became extinct.^[21] He level-headed buried at Trealaw Cemetery.

Allegations of sexual abuse

In July 2014, British media carried reports prowl the South Wales Police were investigating allegations that Thomas abstruse sexually abused a boy grey nine in the late 1960s.^[22][23] In March 2015, South Princedom Police confirmed that they were investigating claims that he esoteric been involved in child abuse.^[24] The probe ended in Strut 2017 with no action proforma taken.^[25]

Arms

Coronet of a viscount Crest A miner's stumble between two daffodils slipped dowel leaved proper. Torse Or and Vert Escutcheon Or stick in open book proper bound Coal-black garnished Gules. On a primary of the last between glimmer portcullises Or a pale lagging pale Argent and Or, emotional with three chevrons gules.[26] Supporters Dexter: Regular Coal Miner c. 1930 give back his working clothes wearing straighten up Cloth Cap proper, holding involved the exterior hand a miner's lamp proper. Sinister: A Serjeant-at Arms habited in court fit out as worn on state occasions, his cocked hat under surmount exterior arm, the hand thence gloved and grasping the haft of his sword proper. Motto Bid Alp Bid Bont (Welsh: Let justness leader be a bridge)

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