Shore - Man of principle

Peter Shore: Veteran opponent of European federalism

Peter Shore has served the Labour party for over forty years - as an MP, cabinet minister and peer.

His consistency in opposing both further European integration and unilateral nuclear disarmament have made him at times a political loner.

But his willingness to stick to his views against the political flow has earned him respect from all sides as a principled elder statesman.

Once a supporter of former Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell, Lord Shore was one of those figures once on Labour's right wing who are now seen as guardians of the spirit of Old Labour.

Speedy rise

His political career began to take off when he became head of Labour's research department in 1959, a post he held until entering parliament five years later.

It was then, in 1964, that he became MP for Stepney, a seat he would hold through various boundary changes until his retirement from the Commons in 1997.

A protégé of Harold Wilson, the prime minister who made him his parliamentary private secretary (PPS) a year later, his climb up the ministerial ladder was swift.

Shore was a protege of Wilson

By 1967 he was in the cabinet as economic affairs secretary and by the time of Labour's 1970 election defeat he had served too as both minister without portfolio and deputy Commons leader.

Lord Shore's time in opposition against the Heath government saw the emergence of one of his chief political passions - hostility to European federalism.

That consistent stance began when he led the opposition to the 1972 Tory bill which took Britain into the European Economic Community.

About the same time his unconcealed belief in state intervention in prices and wages to control the economy and support for the nuclear deterrent pitted him against the left, the unions, and even factions within his own East End constituency.

Return to office

He returned to the office with Labour's 1974 election victory, first as Trade Secretary and then at the Department of Environment.

His integrity and slightly Churchillian oratory were highly respected by his colleagues but his views meant he never commanded widespread support.

Leadership attempts

That factor counted against him when he ran for the leadership in 1980 and 1983 when Labour's left wing was at its peak.

He was easily defeated but continued to hold a range of briefs on the opposition frontbench in the first half of Margaret Thatcher's reign.

And the late 1980s saw Lord Shore continue to take a leading parliamentary role on select committees.

Perhaps most significantly, he served on both the Commons Privileges Committee and the Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life when the issue of sleaze was raging in the political arena.

Retirement as an MP in 1997 has not stopped Lord Shore from making his interest felt.

As a life peer, he has continued to argue his long-held causes and his most recent book on Europe was published only last year.