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| Lord Gilbert obituary | Lord Gilbert obituary |
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| John Gilbert, who has died aged 86, was a brilliant, charismatic and controversial Labour politician whose contributions to public debate over nearly half a century at Westminster illuminated his life and times because of his eloquence, skilful political footwork and an exciting readiness to throw a firework when he felt like it. As Labour transport minister in the mid-1970s, he displayed decisive shrewdness when he ended the controversy over whether London should have several ringroads around the capital and opted instead for the M25. "We had these huge, ill-mannered, loutish interruptions, upper-middle-class people who should have known better," he recalled. "And … we also had a bunch of not very perceptive people in charge of our road system. Unambitious people." | John Gilbert, who has died aged 86, was a brilliant, charismatic and controversial Labour politician whose contributions to public debate over nearly half a century at Westminster illuminated his life and times because of his eloquence, skilful political footwork and an exciting readiness to throw a firework when he felt like it. As Labour transport minister in the mid-1970s, he displayed decisive shrewdness when he ended the controversy over whether London should have several ringroads around the capital and opted instead for the M25. "We had these huge, ill-mannered, loutish interruptions, upper-middle-class people who should have known better," he recalled. "And … we also had a bunch of not very perceptive people in charge of our road system. Unambitious people." |
| Gilbert was always ambitious, both politically and personally. When James Callaghan became prime minister in 1976, he made Gilbert minister of state for defence, in charge of procurement, a position he held until 1979. Gilbert unsuccessfully tried to sell old warships to Argentina and announced an expensive Polaris improvement. His enthusiasm for new weaponry never went into the stratosphere. In 1986, on the select committee on defence, he was totally opposed to the US deployment of the Strategic Defence Initiative (Star Wars), favouring further research with British participation. | Gilbert was always ambitious, both politically and personally. When James Callaghan became prime minister in 1976, he made Gilbert minister of state for defence, in charge of procurement, a position he held until 1979. Gilbert unsuccessfully tried to sell old warships to Argentina and announced an expensive Polaris improvement. His enthusiasm for new weaponry never went into the stratosphere. In 1986, on the select committee on defence, he was totally opposed to the US deployment of the Strategic Defence Initiative (Star Wars), favouring further research with British participation. |
| In the 1983 general election campaign, Gilbert disavowed Labour's non-nuclear defence policy and supported pro-nuclear Peter Shore (later Lord Shore of Stepney) for leader, setting himself in opposition to leftwing unilateralist activists. When Labour won power in 1997, he returned as minister for defence procurement. He always dressed, spoke and worked in style. In 1995, when other members of the select committee on intelligence and security toured Washington in a minibus, he hired a limousine and liveried chauffeur. | In the 1983 general election campaign, Gilbert disavowed Labour's non-nuclear defence policy and supported pro-nuclear Peter Shore (later Lord Shore of Stepney) for leader, setting himself in opposition to leftwing unilateralist activists. When Labour won power in 1997, he returned as minister for defence procurement. He always dressed, spoke and worked in style. In 1995, when other members of the select committee on intelligence and security toured Washington in a minibus, he hired a limousine and liveried chauffeur. |
| He built up his judgment and self-confidence in a wide-ranging apprenticeship. The son of a civil servant, he was educated at Merchant Taylors' school, Hertfordshire, and St John's College, Oxford, where he became secretary of the Oxford University Labour Club in 1950. He did a PhD in international economics at New York University, remaining in the US to work in banking and moving to Canada to qualify as an accountant, returning to Britain in the mid-1960s. He worked as an economist and accountant while seeking a parliamentary seat. Selected to succeed George Wigg at Dudley, he lost the 1968 byelection to the Conservative Donald Williams, but won in 1970. His constituency was abolished in 1974 and he served as MP in East Dudley from then until 1997. From the outset Gilbert was a sharp critic of the practices of high street banks, attacking increases of charges and misleading advertising of interest rates. | He built up his judgment and self-confidence in a wide-ranging apprenticeship. The son of a civil servant, he was educated at Merchant Taylors' school, Hertfordshire, and St John's College, Oxford, where he became secretary of the Oxford University Labour Club in 1950. He did a PhD in international economics at New York University, remaining in the US to work in banking and moving to Canada to qualify as an accountant, returning to Britain in the mid-1960s. He worked as an economist and accountant while seeking a parliamentary seat. Selected to succeed George Wigg at Dudley, he lost the 1968 byelection to the Conservative Donald Williams, but won in 1970. His constituency was abolished in 1974 and he served as MP in East Dudley from then until 1997. From the outset Gilbert was a sharp critic of the practices of high street banks, attacking increases of charges and misleading advertising of interest rates. |
| In 1972 he reached Labour's frontbench as a spokesman on Treasury affairs. Labour's unexpected 1974 return to power enabled him to become financial secretary to the Treasury, where he introduced index-linked savings certificates. As transport minister, as well as handling the new M25, he campaigned for mandatory dipped headlights after dark and advocated the compulsory wearing of seat belts. | In 1972 he reached Labour's frontbench as a spokesman on Treasury affairs. Labour's unexpected 1974 return to power enabled him to become financial secretary to the Treasury, where he introduced index-linked savings certificates. As transport minister, as well as handling the new M25, he campaigned for mandatory dipped headlights after dark and advocated the compulsory wearing of seat belts. |
| He gradually emerged as an identifiable rightwinger in the struggle for the soul of the Labour party. He was among the handful of Labour MPs who voted with the Tories to withdraw British athletes from the Moscow Olympics in 1980. As one of the 20 MPs opposing the party's unilateralist defence policy, he narrowly survived the efforts to de-select him in 1983 and in 1985. In the 1987 election he aligned himself with Callaghan in undermining the party's non-nuclear defence policy, describing it as "an albatross". He told the Daily Mail that Neil Kinnock was like a man being "chased towards a precipice by a lynch mob". | He gradually emerged as an identifiable rightwinger in the struggle for the soul of the Labour party. He was among the handful of Labour MPs who voted with the Tories to withdraw British athletes from the Moscow Olympics in 1980. As one of the 20 MPs opposing the party's unilateralist defence policy, he narrowly survived the efforts to de-select him in 1983 and in 1985. In the 1987 election he aligned himself with Callaghan in undermining the party's non-nuclear defence policy, describing it as "an albatross". He told the Daily Mail that Neil Kinnock was like a man being "chased towards a precipice by a lynch mob". |
| As he proved in the 1986 Westland scandal, he was a superior inquisitor. He always combined his rightwing defence attitudes with radical views on domestic economic shenanigans. His financial shrewdness made him a formidable member of the select committee on trade and industry when it was investigating the role of Customs and Excise in the export, in parts, of the "supergun" to Iraq. His inquisitorial attitude toward his Tory opponents did not stop him from voting with them, as he did over gun control in 1996. | As he proved in the 1986 Westland scandal, he was a superior inquisitor. He always combined his rightwing defence attitudes with radical views on domestic economic shenanigans. His financial shrewdness made him a formidable member of the select committee on trade and industry when it was investigating the role of Customs and Excise in the export, in parts, of the "supergun" to Iraq. His inquisitorial attitude toward his Tory opponents did not stop him from voting with them, as he did over gun control in 1996. |
| He made many friends across the political divide in Westminster as a result. The Conservatives acknowledged his readiness to put his personal beliefs before the political orthodoxy of his own party and appreciated his expertise, knowledge and understanding of military requirements and the importance of defence equipment to meeting those needs. He demonstrated as much in one of his last actions before leaving office in 1999 by rejecting the proposed American offer for a new generation of airborne radar for spy planes in favour of a cheaper and more practical alternative. | He made many friends across the political divide in Westminster as a result. The Conservatives acknowledged his readiness to put his personal beliefs before the political orthodoxy of his own party and appreciated his expertise, knowledge and understanding of military requirements and the importance of defence equipment to meeting those needs. He demonstrated as much in one of his last actions before leaving office in 1999 by rejecting the proposed American offer for a new generation of airborne radar for spy planes in favour of a cheaper and more practical alternative. |
| He retired as an MP in exchange for a seat in the House of Lords in 1997. Gilbert never lost his lifelong appetite for and enjoyment of controversy. Last year, aged 85, with provocatively typical elan, he suggested that a neutron bomb might prove a useful resolution of the situation in Afghanistan. "Nobody lives up in the mountains on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan except for a few goats and a handful of people herding them," he observed. "If you told them that some ... warheads were going to be dropped there and that it would be a very unpleasant place to go, they would not go there." | He retired as an MP in exchange for a seat in the House of Lords in 1997. Gilbert never lost his lifelong appetite for and enjoyment of controversy. Last year, aged 85, with provocatively typical elan, he suggested that a neutron bomb might prove a useful resolution of the situation in Afghanistan. "Nobody lives up in the mountains on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan except for a few goats and a handful of people herding them," he observed. "If you told them that some ... warheads were going to be dropped there and that it would be a very unpleasant place to go, they would not go there." |
| He married, in 1963, Jean Olive Ross-Skinner. He had two daughters with his first wife, Hilary Kenworthy. | He married, in 1963, Jean Olive Ross-Skinner. He had two daughters with his first wife, Hilary Kenworthy. |
| • John William Gilbert, Lord Gilbert, politician, born 5 April 1927; died 2 June 2013 | • John William Gilbert, Lord Gilbert, politician, born 5 April 1927; died 2 June 2013 |
| • Andrew Roth died in 2010 | • Andrew Roth died in 2010 |
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