Peter Pike (British politician)

Peter Leslie Pike (26 June 1937 – 27 December 2021) was a British Labour politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Burnley from June 1983 to April 2005.[1]

Peter Pike
Pike as an MP
Member of Parliament
for Burnley
In office
9 June 1983 – 11 April 2005
Preceded byDan Jones
Succeeded byKitty Ussher
Personal details
Born
Peter Leslie Pike

(1937-06-26)26 June 1937
Ware, Hertfordshire, England
Died27 December 2021(2021-12-27) (aged 84)
Burnley, England
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Shelia Bull
​
​
(m. 1962; died 2017)​
Children2

Life and career

Pike was born on 26 June 1937.[2] He was evacuated to Burnley in his childhood during the Second World War and decided then that he wanted to be the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lancashire town. Returning to the town as an adult, he worked in the Mullards Factory, where he swiftly gained a reputation as an effective shop steward and was also an agent for the then MP for Burnley, Dan Jones.[3]: 298 

He was an official frontbench spokesperson for Labour at the beginning of the 1990s on rural affairs and then on environment and housing.[4] He was seen as an effective parliamentarian,[3][4] and his committee work included chairing the committee in the House of Commons on Regulatory Reform from July 2001 to April 2005.[5] He made three visits to South Africa from 1986 to 1990.[6]

He announced his intention in October 2002 to retire as an MP at the next general election.[7] Labour announced in December 2002 they were preparing to choose a woman as his successor.[8] An all-women shortlist was created in January 2003 to determine his successor.[9] His youngest daughter Jane was a firm favourite to succeed him, but she did not make the shortlist.[10] Kitty Ussher was chosen as his successor in February 2004.[11]

His role in the Anti-Apartheid Movement was praised in Parliament in December 2013 during tributes to Nelson Mandela.[12]

He was re-elected as chair of Burnley Constituency Labour Party in June 2015. He stood down from this role in January 2016, citing his belief that the party needed a younger and more active chair. Upon his resignation, Pike had held positions within the Labour Party for almost sixty years. He had first arrived in Burnley in 1963.[13][14] He was a strong supporter of Burnley Football Club and served as chair of the Clarets Trust.[15]

He was also the driving force behind the establishment of the social enterprise Emmaus Burnley, for which he received a special medal in June 2021.[16]

Personal life

He married Shelia Bull in 1962; she died in November 2017 at the age of 83.[17]

Pike died on 27 December 2021 at the age of 84.[18] He was survived by his two daughters, Carol and Jane.[19] Former Pendle MP Gordon Prentice paid tribute to him in his blog shortly afterwards.[20]

References
  1. "MPs' expenses scandal – ex-Burnley MP Peter Pike in the clear". Longridge News. 28 October 2009. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  2. "Pike, Peter Leslie". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 19 May 2005 (pt 9)". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  4. "Peter Pike". BBC News. 21 October 2002. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  5. "Parliamentary career for Mr Peter Pike". MPs and Lords. UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  6. "Ex-MP pays tribute to Nelson Mandela". Burnley Express. 6 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  7. "Campbell in spotlight as MPs race for seats". The Guardian. 23 October 2002. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  8. "Woman MP for Burnley?". Lancashire Telegraph. 23 December 2002. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  9. "Labour reveals short-list of three". Lancashire Telegraph. 23 January 2004. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  10. "Daughter linked to fill dad's shoes". Lancashire Telegraph. 15 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  11. "Kitty chosen as Pike's successor". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 February 2004. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  12. "Former Burnley MP Peter Pike praised during tributes to Nelson Mandela". Lancashire Telegraph. 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  13. "Peter Pike remains chair of Burnley Labour Party". The Bolton News. 23 June 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  14. "Ex-MP to quit as Burnley Labour Party boss". Lancashire Telegraph. 12 January 2016. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  15. Cotterill, Nigel (27 December 2021). "Peter Pike, Clarets Trust Chair – 1937–2021" (Press release). Clarets Trust. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  16. "Medal awarded to Emmaus Burnley founder Peter Pike". Emmaus Burnley. 22 June 2021. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  17. "Sheila Pike". Legacy.com. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  18. Plunkett, Susan (27 December 2021). "Family announce death of former long serving and well known Burnley MP Peter Pike". Burnley Express. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  19. "Peter Pike, former Labour MP for Burnley, dies aged 84". The Guardian. 27 December 2021. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  20. Prentice, Gordon (30 December 2021). "Peter Pike". Gordon Prentice at Large – Politics in Newmarket. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
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