Meacher’s ‘greatest honour’

HONOUR: Oldham Mayor Councillor John Hudson presents Mr Meacher with a framed scroll. Picture: Anthony Miller

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Labour MP Michael Meacher receives the Freedom of the Borough
OLDHAM West and Royton MP Michael Meacher has been awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Oldham.

He told assembled council members: “Truly I have never in my whole political career been so overwhelmed by the occasion as I am today.”

The MP plucked out the names of Oldham greats, including Churchill, Lees, Lord and Tweedale who were all granted the freedom of the borough.

Marvelling at his addition to the list, he said: “It is awesome to receive an honour which places me in the company of people for whom I have the profoundest respect.”

The ancient title goes back to 1885: “Apparently I can graze my sheep in the market square and I can march at the head of a procession once every four years, paid for by the council, with the Mayor taking the salute,” he said.

“But relax, I don’t intend to avail myself of these privileges.”

He added: “Oldham has not only been a very big part of my life, it has been my life — the greatest privilege ever granted me or that I could ever hope for.”

He came to Oldham in 1968 and was elected two years later, aged 30 — 43 years ago.

he said the changes in the borough over the last four decades have been “phenomenal”.

He recalled: “I shall never forget one of my first sights in Oldham was an elderly lady walking up the town centre with severely bowed legs. She had rickets, a disease of poverty which is utterly debilitating.”

He said the transformation since then had been stunning: a new cultural centre, Metrolink, the development of Oldham arts, the vision for the reconstruction of Oldham town centre and Royton market, Patrick Steptoe who produced the world’s first test-tube baby in 1987 and the investment in research to make Oldham a world leader in new design and technology.

He said Oldham’s politics too had changed out of all recognition. He recalled: “I will always remember being told in 1970 in no uncertain terms ‘Look here lad, keep your nose out of Oldham, leave that to us, your job is in Westminster.’”

From the start, Mr Meacher fought on the issues of housing, poverty, low pay, jobs and the need to make full employment the central goal of economic policy. He said change was already beginning to happen.

Born in 1939 in Hemel Hempstead, Mr Meacher is one of the longest-serving Labour MPs.

His long political career under several Labour party leaders has seen him serve in a number of roles including environment minister, junior minister for trade and industry, health and social security and 14 years as a member of the shadow cabinet, as shadow secretary for several departments.

Council leader Jim McMahon said Freedom of the Borough was an honour not given lightly or often.

He described Mr Meacher as “a rare breed, possibly the last of his kind, made more remarkable for the energy he had as an ambassador for the people of Oldham and the future, and his constant fight for social justice and fairness.”

The Mayor, Councillor John Hudson, told Mr Meacher: “We realise how much this award means to you and how much you deserve to have it.”

The Mayor presented him with a framed scroll with an illuminated copy of the resolution.

Freedom of the borough is the highest honour the local authority can grant; Mr Meacher is only the 23rd recipient since 1909.



Meacher factfile

ONE of Labour’s longest-serving MPs, Michael Meacher was first elected in June, 1970, as the MP for Oldham West, aged just 30, and has now represented his constituency for more than 40 years.

He had previously stood, and lost, for Labour in Colchester at the 1966 General Election, before fighting the 1968 Oldham West by-election after the resignation of Labour MP Leslie Hale — losing out to Conservative candidate Bruce Campbell.

His first speech after finally reaching the Commons demanded higher pensions for the over 80s.

Four years after being elected he served as a junior minister under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan — as Industry Minister between 1974-1975 and Health and Social Security from 1975-1979.

During Margaret Thatcher’s reign he served in Labour’s shadow cabinet for 14 years.

In 1983, he stood against Roy Hattersley in the deputy leadership election.

He returned to Government as Transport Minister — serving from 1997 to 2001— after Labour’s landslide victory under Tony Blair.

He served as Environment Minister from 2001 until 2003 - before quitting Government over the Iraq war.

A return to the backbenches saw him campaign on climate change, energy supply, the distribution of energy and power, and political accountability.

His main passion has been council housing and — with 8,000 people on the waiting list in Oldham alone — the need for a massive building programme.

In 2007, he announced in the Chronicle he was standing for leader of the Labour party to offer people a choice of a left-wing candidate - but failed to get enough nominations to get on the ballot paper.

Outside Parliament Michael is a keen writer and in September, 2006, became the sixth Labour MP to start a blog.

His latest book, “Destination of the Species: The Riddle of Human Existence” examines the meaning of life, while his previous three books include ones on the Bush administration and the 9/11 terror attack.