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REPORTS East by Election in 1960 Wainwright urged them to be bro- ken, as they were with the Bolton REPORTS East by election in 1960. Later in the 1970s Wainwright took part in the Lib–Lab Pact, despite being vulnerable to it, Forgotten heroes for a governing party relying as he did on Tory votes Evening meeting, 20 June 2011 with Dr Matt Cole, Lord in his fight against Labour in his constituency. In part he supported Navnit Dholakia, Baroness Floella Benjamin and Dr Mark the pact because his parliamentary Pack; chair: Baroness Claire Tyler. colleagues had. But, pragmatically, Wainwright sought to use the pact Report by David Cloke to advance policies he believed in: worker representation, through the Post Office Bill; electoral reform; he Group’s July meeting, Wainwright himself was not Dr Matt Cole, a land bank and a minimum wage. chaired by Liberal Democrat keen on hero worship, as a Noncon- Whilst none of these policies were Tpeer Claire Tyler, mused on formist he was not keen on icons. Lord Navnit implemented he brought them out the theme of forgotten heroes for Following a trip to Paris in 1938 he of obscurity. a governing party. Baroness Tyler had written a report on the Radi- Dholakia, Despite this, Wainwright fell out opened the meeting by noting that cal Party in which he had written of love with the Pact fairly quickly, there were many forgotten, some positively of its lack of ties to the Baroness realising that Labour were not going deservedly so, but that others were past noting that ‘there is no Glad- to deliver, notably on electoral sources of inspiration and useful stone, no Cobden, no Asquith. In Floella Ben- reform. When he chaired the Party quotations. She hoped that the responding to questions later, Cole Assembly debate on the pact follow- speakers would rescue their heroes said that he felt that Wainwright jamin and Dr ing the rejection of electoral reform from the twilight of history and would have been embarrassed to for the European elections he skil- demonstrate how they could influ- have been chosen as a hero. Mark Pack fully reflected the anger of the grass- ence Liberal Democrats today and Nonetheless, Wainwright was roots without breaking ranks with in government. Dr Matt Cole, Lord himself a historian and understood between his colleagues. He poured scorn on Navnit Dholakia, Baroness Floella that there was something to be Labour’s rejection of PR arguing Benjamin and Dr Mark Pack learnt from the past. He had writ- them pro- that it put out of court any renewal between them proposed an inspir- ten a history of his constituency of the pact. Nonetheless, he accepted ing and formidable list of heroes, and the Liberal candidates and MPs. posed an that it needed to continue to the end drawn from close personal and In answering questions later, Cole inspiring and of the agreement. working relationships, admiration stressed the importance of Wain- Dr Cole noted that once Wain- across political boundaries, detailed wright’s local organisation and formidable wright had committed himself biographical study and a broad his- local campaigning and his develop- to something he stuck to it. Cole torical perspective. ment of the local Young Liberals list of heroes, argued that there was not a prob- Dr Cole launched proceed- and Women Liberal Association. lem with changing one’s mind, ings with the case for Richard He liked being a constituency MP. drawn from but changing one’s mind on things Wainwright MP. He felt that he In Cole’s view Wainwright had that had been promised did dam- had perhaps lost the element of three qualities that were rare in close per- age, which he felt was a lesson to be surprise regarding his choice hav- combination: pragmatism, loyalty learnt. ing just written a biography of the to the party, and holding fast to his sonal and Wainwright’s loyalty to the man. He had chosen him, both as principles. He demonstrated these party had been demonstrated in a hero but also as a worthy subject qualities in a number of ways over working rela- his dealings with the Social Demo- of biography because he was a the years. crats, which had not been easy significant figure of a particular Wainwright had joined the tionships, for him, and in his relationships type in the history of the Liberal Party in 1936 when it was split three with party leaders. He defended Party. He was just below the top ways and he first fought for it as a admiration them even when he was unhappy. rank, lacked national and media candidate in 1950 when it was at its Only when he thought things had exposure and was frequently omit- lowest ebb, losing over 300 depos- across politi- become impossible did he move, ted from histories of the party. He its. This inspired his pragmatic triggering Thorpe’s resignation had no aspirations to be leader, approach. He understood the need cal bounda- in 1976 and encouraging Steel’s and his dislike of London, the to enter into deals and work with ries, detailed after the 1987 general election. His Westminster set pieces and the other parties in order to support the actions had been based on evidence media effectively precluded him party. One of his mentors was the biographical and in the interests of the party, from that role. Nonetheless he, and Liberal MP, Donald Wade; he was not out of any personal dislike. His others like him, helped the party MP for Huddersfield West in the study and loyalty was also demonstrated in to survive in its traditional form 1950s as a result of a deal with local his personal generosity to the party and took it forward to the Liberal Conservatives. It was only by such a broad and to associated causes includ- Democrats and to becoming a pacts that Liberals had representa- ing, as a contributor from the floor party of government, something, tion in urban Britain. Nonetheless, historical noted, the Joseph Rowntree Trust. Cole stressed, Wainwright had once he believed that the party Wainwright was also loyal to wanted to achieve. could survive without such deals perspective. his principles, even when they 36 Journal of Liberal History 73 Winter 2011–12 reports were not part of the mainstream Wainwright, in the country and sought to con- Taking her turn, Floella Benja- view amongst Liberals. He was an tribute to the political system. The min, spoke passionately and obvi- anti-militarist and did not fight and others person who had helped him at this ously with much love and affection in the Second World War, and a time was his next potential hero, about her friend Antonella Lothian, social reformer concerned with like him, Jo Grimond. He had heard him the Marchioness of Lothian. She women’s rights, sexuality and the at a meeting of the Assembly and urged the meeting not to be put role of youth. He acted as a bridge helped the had later spoken to him. Dholakia off by her title. Antonella herself between the leadership and these recalled being mesmerised by Gri- was aware of the problem and liked groups within the party. party to mond, his original thinking, his to be called Tony. For Benjamin, Cole argued that Wainwright concern for the rest of the world Tony Lothian was an extraordinary recognised that the fight against survive in its and his focus on poverty and com- woman, full of vision, compas- the tyrannies of conformity and traditional munity. Grimond had also assured sion and wisdom. She had known poverty would never cease, that it him that the party that would con- her for thirty years as a friend and was unfinished business, and that form and tinue to support him. mentor: a rock-like supporter who he also realised the importance of Despite that, Dholakia’s hero had motivated her and thousands of deciding how to take on that fight. took it for- was not Jo Grimond or even a other women. She saw the human These remained as true today as member of the Liberal Party. He being in all and their talent and they had in Wainwright’s time. ward to the was a man described by the Mar- potential. The way she lived her life Navnit Dholakia started his talk quess of Salisbury as ‘too clever by had been summed up for Benjamin by recalling that he had known Liberal Dem- half’, Ian Macleod. What inspired by a remark she had made whilst on Richard Wainwright and declaring Dholakia was Macleod’s imple- a fact-finding mission to Moscow: that what Dr Cole had said was true ocrats and mentation of what he believed in, ‘Never be afraid to speak out and in every sense. He then proceeded particularly in the area of colo- do what is morally right.’ to work towards his hero in the to becoming nial policy. He often visited the Tony Lothian had a charismatic, manner, as he put it, of a Liberal countries concerned, promoted striking appearance, and when Democrat raffle, starting with the a party of independence and had encouraged Benjamin had known her, dyed fourth placed person first. Macmillan to make his ‘wind of black hair and a black patch over one His first thought was Aung San government. change’ speech. No Liberal could eye, which she had lost as a result Suu Kyi, whose Reith lectures he have said the things that Macleod of cancer. She always wore either had recently attended via tapes did on a Conservative platform black and white or red and white.
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