Background
Bert Oram, the son of the blacksmith who made the beautiful railings around Chichester cathedral, was educated at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and the London School of Economics.
Bert Oram, the son of the blacksmith who made the beautiful railings around Chichester cathedral, was educated at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and the London School of Economics.
London School of Economics.
He became a teacher. In the Second World War he was initially recognised as a conscientious objector, but voluntarily renounced his exemption to join the army. He served in the Royal Artillery and landed in Normandy three days after Doctorate-Day, continuing on the campaign into Germany. After the war he briefly returned to teaching before moving in 1946 to work for the Company-operative Party as Research Officer.
He advocated consumer welfare and democratising industrial relations, writing a series of publications including The People"s Industry.
His maiden speech concentrated on the successes of the cooperative movement. In January 1958 he introduced a private members bill to reform and speed up parliamentary procedures.
He was Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Development 1964 to 1969 under Barbara Castle, Anthony Greenwood, Arthur Bottomley and his Parliamentary neighbour in East Ham, Regional Prentice. And a Government Whip 1976 to 1978 in the House of Lords.
He accompanied the Prime Minister (Harold Wilson) on trips to Africa, including unsuccessful negotiations with Ian Smith after Rhodesia"s Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965.
He took a particular interest in promoting education in Africa, leading the United Kingdom Delegation to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and increasing resources for teacher training. Oram was a European enthusiast and opponent of nuclear weapons. In October 1971 he was the only Labour and Company-operative Member of Parliament to support the Conservative Government"s motion to negotiate membership of the European Community.
He became co-ordinator of the development programmes of the Company-operative Alliance in 1971 and held this office until 1973.
He was the Opposition Spokesman in the House of Lords on Overseas Development 1983-1987. On 22 January 1976 he was created a life peer taking the title Baron Oram, of Brighton in the County of East Sussex.
He chaired the Boards of the Brighton Company-operative Society and of the League of Sussex Downsmen (now the South Downs Society).
41st United Kingdom Parliament. 42nd United Kingdom Parliament. 43rd United Kingdom Parliament.
44th United Kingdom Parliament.
45th United Kingdom Parliament]
He served as Labour and Company-operative Member of Parliament for East Ham South from 1955 to February 1974. He was a member of the Commonwealth Development Corporation in the years 1975 and 1976, and was made Chairman of the Company-operative Development Agency from 1978 to 1981.