George Russell Strauss, Baron Strauss PC (18 July 1901 – 5 June 1993) was a long-serving British Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament (MP) for 46 years and was Father of the House of Commons from 1974 to 1979.

The Lord Strauss
Minister of Supply
In office
7 October 1947 – 26 October 1951
Prime MinisterClement Attlee
Preceded byJohn Wilmot
Succeeded byDuncan Sandys
Member of Parliament
for Vauxhall
In office
23 February 1950 – 7 April 1979
Preceded byNew constituency
Succeeded byStuart Holland
Member of Parliament
for Lambeth North
In office
23 October 1934 – 3 February 1950
Preceded byFrank Briant
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
In office
30 May 1929 – 7 October 1931
Preceded byFrank Briant
Succeeded byFrank Briant
Personal details
Born(1901-07-18)18 July 1901
Died5 June 1993(1993-06-05) (aged 91)
Political partyLabour
Spouses
(m. 1932; died 1987)
(m. 1987)
Parent(s)Arthur Strauss
Minna Cohen

Early life

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Strauss was the son of the Conservative (and previously a Liberal Unionist) MP Arthur Strauss (1847–1920), who later joined the Labour Party. George Strauss was educated at Rugby School, where the hostile treatment experienced by him and other Jewish boys left him as a vehement supporter of racial equality. He became a metal merchant and a leading member of the London County Council, on which his wife Patricia also served.[1]

Political career

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Strauss' first parliamentary contest was in Lambeth North in 1924, when he lost by just 29 votes; however, he gained the seat in 1929. He lost it in Labour's landslide defeat of 1931, but regained it in a 1934 by-election. In 1939 Strauss was expelled from the Labour Party for seven months for supporting the 'Popular Front' movement of Stafford Cripps, whom he had served as Parliamentary Private Secretary.

Strauss was parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of Transport 1945–47 and was the Minister of Supply from 1947 to 1951. After boundary changes, he became MP for Vauxhall in 1950, which he represented until 1979. On 9 July 1979 he was created a life peer as Baron Strauss, of Vauxhall in the London Borough of Lambeth.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Dalyell, Tam (9 June 1993). "Obituary: Lord Strauss". The Independent. Retrieved 21 April 2009.
  2. ^ "No. 47901". The London Gazette. 12 July 1979. p. 8777.

Bibliography

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Lambeth North
19291931
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Lambeth North
19341950
Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Vauxhall
19501979
Succeeded by
Preceded by Father of the House
1974–1979
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Supply
1947–1951
Succeeded by