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Guiding light : the collected speeches of John Smith
The sudden death of the British Labour Party leader John Smith in 1994 stunned the world of politics. If he had lived, he would have undoubtedly become Prime Minister instead of Tony Blair. His influence lives on in this collection of speeches and the book will serve as a lasting remembrance of a politician much admired and loved on both sides of the House of Commons.
278 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
John Smith
2 books2 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John Smith was a British Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden death from a heart attack in May 1994. He first entered parliament in 1970 and was the Secretary of State for Trade from 1978–1979 and then the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer under Neil Kinnock from 1987-1992.
Smith was born in Dalmally, the son of a headmaster, and grew up in Ardrishaig in Argyll and Bute. He attended Dunoon Grammar School (Dunoon, Cowal), lodging in the town with a landlady and going home during the holidays, before enrolling at the University of Glasgow, where he studied History from 1956 to 1959, and then Law, from 1959 to 1962. He joined the Labour Party in 1956.
He became involved in debating with the Glasgow University Dialectic Society and the Glasgow University Union. In 1962, he won The Observer Mace debating competition, speaking with Gordon Hunter. In 1995, after his death, the competition was renamed the John Smith Memorial Mace in his honour.
After graduating, Smith practised as a solicitor for a year. He was then elected to the Faculty of Advocates, and later to the British Parliament as an MP. He became a Queens Counsel in 1983.
John Smith was a British Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden death from a heart attack in May 1994. He first entered parliament in 1970 and was the Secretary of State for Trade from 1978–1979 and then the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer under Neil Kinnock from 1987-1992.
Smith was born in Dalmally, the son of a headmaster, and grew up in Ardrishaig in Argyll and Bute. He attended Dunoon Grammar School (Dunoon, Cowal), lodging in the town with a landlady and going home during the holidays, before enrolling at the University of Glasgow, where he studied History from 1956 to 1959, and then Law, from 1959 to 1962. He joined the Labour Party in 1956.
He became involved in debating with the Glasgow University Dialectic Society and the Glasgow University Union. In 1962, he won The Observer Mace debating competition, speaking with Gordon Hunter. In 1995, after his death, the competition was renamed the John Smith Memorial Mace in his honour.
After graduating, Smith practised as a solicitor for a year. He was then elected to the Faculty of Advocates, and later to the British Parliament as an MP. He became a Queens Counsel in 1983.
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