Harold Wilson’s greatest moments

Barry Sheerman, current MP for Huddersfield, is campaigning for a new statue to be commissioned and installed in the House of Commons in his honour and is leading a debate in Westminster today to commemorate his achievements.

The Yorkshire Post reflects on the Huddersfield born Prime Minister’s top career moments and key quotes.

1916: He was born on 11 March to James Herbert, a chemist who joined the Labour Party and Ethel, a teacher.

1924: Aged 8, he visited 10 Downing Street, which would eventually become his home.

1934: Attends Jesus College, Oxford and later marries Mary Baldwin.

1945: Becomes MP for Ormskirk and then MP for Huyton

“Everybody should have an equal chance - but they shouldn’t have a flying start.”

1947: Then Prime Minister Clement Attlee made him President of the Board of Trade. Aged 31, he had become the youngest member of the Cabinet in the 20th century.

1963: Makes a speech to the Labour Party conference after he becomes the party’s leader about the “The white heat of the [technological] revolution.”

He passes an act that founds the Open University, then the University of the Air, in the same year.

1964: Wins General Election with a majority of 4 and in 1966, he increases his majority to 98.

“A week is a long time in politics.”

1966: Harold Wilson refuses to commit troops to fight alongside America in Vietnam. At home doctors and dentists get a significant payrise.

1965: Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965: suspended the death penalty in England, Wales and Scotland.

1967: Sexual Offences Act 1967: decriminalisation of certain homosexual offences.

“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.”

Defending his decision to devalue the pound...

“From now on, the pound abroad is worth 14 per cent or so less in terms of other currencies. That doesn’t mean, of course, that the Pound here in Britain, in your pocket or purse or in your bank, has been devalued.”

1969: He was struck in the eye by a stink bomb thrown by a schoolboy. Wilson’s response was “with an arm like that he ought to be in the English cricket XI″

1970: Calls General Election and is defeated by Edward Heath.

“The main essentials of a successful prime minister are sleep and a sense of history.”

1974: Wins the General Election, but with a minority Government.

“I am an optimist, but I’m an optimist who carries a raincoat.”

1975: On increasing division within the Labour Party.

“This Party needs to protect itself against the activities of small groups of inflexible political persuasion, extreme so-called left and in a few cases extreme so-called moderates, having in common only their arrogant dogmatism.”

1976: He resigns five days after his 60th birthday and James Callaghan becomes Prime Minister.

“I have not wavered in this decision and it is irrevocable.”

1983: He becomes a life peer in the House of Lords.

1984: Reflecting on Tony Benn, with whom he had long-standing differences with.

“The trouble with Tony is he is a king of ageing perennial youth. I’ve used the phrase about him ‘he immatures with age’ and he certainly does.”

1995: He dies on May 24 in London.

Prime Minister John Major said in the House of Commons: “I do not believe that it is too generous to describe Harold Wilson as one of the most brilliant men of his generation.”