Sir George Young - Into Politics
Visit these pages for different aspects of my life, family and career:
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Councillor Young
After Oxford, George's first experience in politics was as a Councillor on the London Borough of Lambeth from 1968 to 1971 - along with Councillor John Major and Councillor Lady Young. In a landslide result, the Conservatibes won 57 out of the 60 seats on the council. George represented Clapham Town ward, and served on the Housing Committee. The previous policy of wide-scale clearance and subsequent construction of tower blocks was stopped, and the emphasis placed on rehabilitation. George also served on the Council for Community Relations.
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Campaigning the Lambeth way: would you vote for any of these men?
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While serving on that Council, the refuse collectors went on strike. Sir George and other Councillors worked as refuse collectors at week-ends, clearing the backlog, until the strikers went back to work on the terms on offer at the beginning of the strike and gave up the unhygienic practice of "totting". He and John Major lost their seats on the Council in 1971, when the newly elected Conservative Government was going through a difficult time. They were to meet again over the river at Westminster.
A baronet on the bins attracts media attention |
By 1971, George had been elected to the Greater London Council as one of four Members for the London Borough of Ealing, and served on the GLC from 1970 and 1973. During that time he was Vice-Chairman of the Strategic Planning Authority, under Sir Desomnd Plummer's leadership, and worked on the Greater London Development Plan. He was later to become one of the local Government Ministers who abolished the GLC.
He did not contest his seat on the GLC in 1973, having been selected in October 1971 as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the newly created constituency of Ealing Acton - comprising all the then Labour held seat of Acton, and part of the Conservative seat of Ealing South, which was abolished. |
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First and Last MPs for Acton
In 1972, George visited Acton's first Member
of Parliament, Sir Harry Brittain, who
represented the seat from 1918 to 1929.
Born in 1873, Sir Harry was 99 years old
and was sitting for a bust by Oscar Nemon.
A distinguished promoter of Anglo-American
friendship, Sir Harry died in 1974. |
Other Biographical Pages:
Early Years - Into Parliament - 'The Bicycling Baronet'
On (and off) The Front Bench - Active Backbencher - Member for North West Hampshire
Aurelia (Lady Young) - The Young Family
Return to Summary Profile
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Sir George Young Bt MP: Constituency and Parliamentary Website 