Denis Winston Healey Biography and Timeline — Page 2

Demobilisation

Healey leaves the British Army with the rank of major after service in North Africa and Italy.

Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945

MBE

Healey is awarded the MBE.

Role range: 1939-1945

Member of the British Empire

Healey receives appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire for wartime service.

Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945

Military Rank

Healey leaves the army with the rank of major after wartime service.

Role range: 1939-1945 – 1940-1945

European Socialist Relations

Healey strengthens Labour’s contacts with democratic socialist parties rebuilding across postwar Europe.

Role range: 1945-1952

European Socialists

Healey builds links with European socialist parties through Labour's international work.

Role range: 1945-1952

Anti-Communism

Healey promotes a democratic socialist foreign policy that firmly opposes Soviet-backed communism.

Role range: 1945-1952

Cold War

Healey argues for a firm anti-communist Labour foreign policy during the early Cold War.

Role range: 1945-1952

Royal Institute of International Affairs

From 1948 to 1960 he was a councillor for the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Chatham House

Healey serves as a councillor of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Role range: 1948-1960

Royal Institute of International Affairs

Healey begins service as a councillor of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Role range: 1948-1960

Atlantic Alliance

Healey supports Britain’s participation in NATO as a foundation of collective security in Western Europe.

Role range: 1945-1952

NATO

Healey supports Labour's commitment to Atlantic security during the creation of NATO.

Role range: 1945-1952

General Election

Healey again contests Pudsey and Otley but remains outside the House of Commons.

Role range: 1950-1950

Pudsey and Otley

Healey contests Pudsey and Otley again but does not win the seat.

Role range: 1950-1950

By-election

Healey wins the Leeds South East by-election and enters the House of Commons.

Role range: 1952-1955

Parliamentary Entry

Healey enters Parliament after winning the Leeds South East by-election for Labour.

Role range: 1952-1955

Election

Healey is elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Leeds South East at a by-election with a majority of 7000 votes.

Maiden Speech

Healey begins his parliamentary career as a Labour specialist on defence and foreign affairs.

Role range: 1952-1955

Member of Parliament

Healey is elected Member of Parliament for Leeds South East.

Role range: 1952-1992

Foreign Affairs Spokesman

Healey builds a parliamentary reputation through speeches on defence, Europe and international security.

Role range: 1952-1959

Fabian Executive

Healey joins the Fabian Society executive and contributes to Labour policy debate.

Role range: 1954-1961

Fabian Society

Healey joins the Fabian Society executive and contributes to its policy discussions.

Fabian Society

Healey serves on the Fabian Society executive from 1954 until 1961.

Leeds East Election

Healey wins the newly created Leeds East constituency and represents it until retiring from the Commons.

Role range: 1955-1992

Leeds East

Healey moves to Leeds East at the general election and holds it for decades.

Role range: 1955-1992

Election

Healey wins Leeds East at the 1955 general election.

Role range: 1955-1992

Member of Parliament

Healey begins representing Leeds East, a constituency he retains until his Commons retirement in 1992.

Role range: 1955-1992

Opposition to Suez

Healey opposes the Conservative government’s military intervention during the Suez Crisis.

Role range: 1955-1992

Suez Crisis

Healey criticises the Conservative government's Suez policy from the Labour benches.

Role range: 1955-1992

International Institute for Strategic Studies

Healey serves with the International Institute for Strategic Studies from 1958 until 1961.

Role range: 1958-1961

International Institute for Strategic Studies

Healey becomes associated with strategic studies debates during the nuclear age.

Role range: 1958-1961

Strategic Studies

Healey participates in strategic studies discussions concerning NATO, nuclear deterrence and conventional defence.

Role range: 1958-1961

Shadow Cabinet Appointment

Healey enters Labour’s Shadow Cabinet and works on foreign affairs.

Role range: 1959-1961

Shadow Cabinet

Healey begins a period as a Labour front-bench shadow secretary of state.

Role range: 1959-1961

Foreign Affairs

Healey develops Labour policy on European security, NATO and relations with the Soviet Union.

Role range: 1959-1961

Colonial Affairs

Healey moves to a new shadow secretary role as Labour reorganises its front bench.

Role range: 1961-1964

Shadow Cabinet

Healey continues as a Labour shadow secretary of state before taking the defence portfolio.

Role range: 1961-1964

Southern Rhodesia

Healey challenges racial inequality and political repression in Southern Rhodesia during a Commons debate.

Role range: 1961-1964

Defence Policy

Healey leads Labour's defence policy work before the 1964 general election.

Role range: 1963-1964