"Labour to his core": tribute to Lord Hattersley – by Baroness Taylor
Lord Hattersley: 28 December 1932 – 13 June 2026 | Image by: Colin McPherson / Alamy
4 min read
MP, minister and later a peer, Sheffield Wednesday supporter Roy Hattersley was committed to equality. As one half of the Labour ‘dream team’ with Kinnock, he helped lay the foundations for future Labour governments
Roy Hattersley had two great loves – the Labour Party and Maggie Pearlstein, later Lady Hattersley.
No-one ever doubted that Roy was Labour through to his core. His commitment was emotional, intellectual and passionate.
It was partly due to his upbringing by Labour parents, partly his experience seeing the reality of poverty in Sheffield and a Labour council making a difference, and partly his intellectual commitment to equality that combined to make him so embedded in Labour.
Roy was born to Enid and Frederick Hattersley in 1932. He was an only child in an adult household as his father’s brothers, and at one time his grandmother, were also living there.
It was not an affluent household but one that managed to keep up appearances in a way that Roy only realised later.
As a bright child he went to grammar school and then the University of Hull. There he met and married Molly who became a highly respected headteacher and educationalist.
A couple of years later Roy was elected to Sheffield council as their youngest member, became chair of the housing committee, began to be noticed and became ambitious to be a Member of Parliament. With no real prospect of a local seat becoming available, Roy got himself selected as candidate and then MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook. He developed a strong and lasting relationship with Sparkbrook, never being one to take his constituency for granted. Nonetheless he retained his commitment to Sheffield and his lifelong support, through thick and thin, for Sheffield Wednesday.
His talents were recognised in Parliament and he was quickly promoted, becoming a minister in the Harold Wilson governments of the 60s. He was a significant senior player in the Wilson/Callaghan era of 1974-79 which is when I got to know him, not least as his departmental whip.
Roy never took to the House of Lords – he found it far too frustrating
Roy was always considered to be on the right wing of the party – though those who knew his views on education might disagree. Moreover he was more than willing to talk, write about and promote the fundamental principles of equality and the practical implications for policy.
His most significant contribution to the Labour Party was probably when he refused to join his closest colleagues and friends who established the SDP.
Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams could never understand why Roy resisted their pressure and stayed with Labour. Those who knew Roy better did understand. Roy was Labour through and through and even the lure of potentially more rewarding prospects (as considered at the time) could not damage his commitment to the Labour Party.
His time as part of the "dream team" with Neil Kinnock was absolutely critical in re-establishing the party as one worthy of government – and without any doubt lay the foundations for John Smith and Tony Blair. He was proud of that although he was never able to enjoy again the challenges of ministerial office.
Roy had mixed views on the Blair-Brown era – especially on education – but his heart was always with them.
His heart was also always with Maggie. Roy had a good relationship with his first wife Molly and they remained close even after their divorce and throughout her life.
Roy first met Maggie in the 1970s when, as a young American woman newly in London, she stayed with neighbours and got to know and became involved with him. Their relationship was pretty much an open secret and they married in 2013 and spent happy years together in Derbyshire and London despite the challenges Roy faced because of Parkinson’s disease.
Roy never took to the House of Lords – he found it far too frustrating. But, a couple of years ago, his friends at this end of the building held a very private dinner for him to express our appreciation for all that he had done for the Labour Party and to mark our friendships. He really enjoyed that and we were grateful for the opportunity to say thank you.
Baroness Taylor of Bolton is a Labour peer
