Mikardo, Ian

▪ 1994

      British politician (b. July 9, 1908, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England—d. May 6, 1993, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England), was one of the Labour Party's most outspoken and influential members of Parliament (1945-59; 1964-87) although he was never named to a ministerial post and remained a backbencher all his life. Mikardo, the son of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants, grew up in London's East End and spoke mainly Yiddish as a child. He worked at a variety of odd jobs until he entered politics. At the 1944 Labour Party national conference, he delivered a fiery speech demanding a return to socialist principles and successfully introduced a resolution calling for the wholesale nationalization of British industry. In the 1945 general election, Labour swept to victory, and Mikardo took the previously safe Tory seat for Reading, which he represented until he was unexpectedly ousted in 1959. He returned in 1964 as the member for Poplar, and in subsequent Labour governments he led the radical backbench opposition to Prime Ministers Harold Wilson and James Callaghan. Mikardo held many party positions, including party chairman (1970-71) and chairman of the international committee (1973-78). In 1980 he helped engineer the election of his friend and ally Michael Foot as Labour leader. A lifelong leftist, Mikardo was vice president (1978-83) and honorary president (1983-93) of the Socialist International. He retired in 1987 and published his autobiography, Back-Bencher, in 1988.

* * *