Education
Winchester College; New College.
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Douglas Thomas
Edit Profilejournalist politician secretary
Career
He was a Fellow of All Souls between 1930 and 1937. His early career was as an economics journalist working for The Times 1929-1933, The Economist 1933-1937, and the Daily Herald 1937-1941, then as a civil servant in the Ministry of Supply and Board of Trade, from 1943 as personal assistant to Hugh Dalton. Alongside Evan Durbin and Hugh Gaitskell, he brought the thinking of John Maynard Keynes to the Labour Party, especially in relation to price determination.
Later, his views somewhat mellowed, as he became influenced by the successful operation of rationing during the war.
He served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 1947–1950, Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1950–1951 and President of the Board of Trade from 1964 until being sacked in 1967. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1951.
He was opposed to the United Kingdom"s entry into the European Economic Community and campaigned for a "no" vote in the 1975 referendum. Jay was created a life peer as Baron Jay, of Battersea in Greater London, on 8 October 1987.
Achievements
Politics
In The Socialist Case in 1937 he had written: ‘in the case of nutrition and health, just as in the case of education, the gentleman in Whitehall really does know better what is good for people than the people know themselves.’ This statement was mercilessly exploited by the Conservatives and won him long-lasting notoriety. lieutenant was often misquoted as ‘the man in Whitehall knows best’, which was, as Jay often protested, exactly the opposite of his general conclusion.
Membership
38th United Kingdom Parliament. 39th United Kingdom Parliament. 40th United Kingdom Parliament.
41st United Kingdom Parliament.
42nd United Kingdom Parliament. 43rd United Kingdom Parliament.
44th United Kingdom Parliament. 45th United Kingdom Parliament.
46th United Kingdom Parliament.
47th United Kingdom Parliament. 48th United Kingdom Parliament]
Jay was elected member of Parliament for Battersea North at a by-election in July 1946, and held the seat until the constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election.
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Born
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Died
March 6, 1996 (aged 88) -
Nationality
United Kingdom -
Political Party
Labour Party