Walter Harrison

Walter Harrison PC (2 January 1921 – 19 October 2012) was a British Labour politician that served as Member of Parliament of Wakefield from October 1964 to May 1987. Biography Harrison was educated at Dewsbury Technical College and School of Art. He was a foreman electrician and was active in the Electrical Trades Union. He served as a councillor on West Riding County Council and as an alderman of Castleford Borough Council. Elected Labour MP for Wakefield in 1964, Harrison served as a Government whip from 1966 to 1970 and as deputy Chief Whip from 1974 to 1979. On one occasion in 1968, Harrison was whipping on two bills simultaneously, trapping his leg in the door of a division lobby on the second vote; famously ruling that most of Harrison's body was in the lobby, the chairman of the bill committee declared the vote passed 22¾–22 in Labour's favour. In the Conservative landslide at the 1983 general election, he held his seat - which had undergone substantial boundary changes - with a majority of only 360 votes over the Conservative candidate. Harrison retired from parliament in 1987. He died on 19 October 2012, aged 91.