- Edwin Brooks
Edwin Brooks (born
1 December ,1929 ) is a British-born,Australia resident academic and politician.Earlier career
Brooks was born in South Wales and went to Barry Grammar School. His
National Service was spent inSingapore , after which he went to St John's College,Cambridge University . After an undergraduate degree he also took his PhD there. He became a Lecturer in Geography atLiverpool University in 1954.Politics
In 1958 Brooks was elected to
Birkenhead County Borough Council as a Labour Party member. He was Labour candidate for Bebington in the 1964 general election, losing to future Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign SecretaryGeoffrey Howe .Parliament
However, Brooks turned the tables in the 1966 general election when he beat Howe. In Parliament he broke the Labour whip to support an amendment to the 1967 budget to relieve charities of
Purchase Tax on goods they bought to further their objects; early the next year he supported amendments to soften the Commonwealth Immigrants Bill. He opposed the government's attempt to negotiate a settlement withRhodesia . He also wanted all hereditary peers removed from theHouse of Lords , and called for a negotiated settlement to theVietnam war .He held his seat only until 1970 when he was defeated, and went back to his old job at Liverpool University. Two years later he was promoted to Senior Lecturer and he was Dean of College Studies from 1975 to 1977.
Australia
In 1977 he was appointed Dean of Business and Liberal Studies at Riverina College of Advanced Education, Wagga Wagga,
New South Wales , and emigrated to Australia. From 1982 to 1988 he was Dean of Commerce of the merged Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education, part of theCharles Sturt University . On retirement he was appointed Dean Emeritus.He co-founded Wagga Ratepayers Association, and is active in civic life in the town. He was President of Wagga Wagga Chamber of Commerce from 1988 to 1990.
References
* Philip Norton, "Dissension in the House of Commons 1945-74" (Macmillan, 1975)
* M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs", Vol. IV (Harvester Press, 1981)
* [http://www.riverinamediagroup.com.au/Home/news.asp?publication=The%20Area%20News&articleType=Local&ArticleID=13180 Local newspaper column] by Edwin Brooks.###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Member of Parliament for Bebington
years=1966–1970
before=Geoffrey Howe
after=Eric Cockeram
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