Roy Jenkins.
ROY JENKINS
GLADSTONE: A BIOGRAPHY (1997)
Winner of the Whitbread Biography of the Year.
William Gladstone (born 1809) was a British Liberal politician who was Prime Minister for a total of twelve years between 1868 and 1894. His service as Prime Minister was made up of four non-consecutive terms. Substantial reforms were passed during his first term as Prime Minister; these included the disestablishment of the Church in Ireland, and the bringing in of secret voting. In his later spells as Prime Minister he was a determined advocate of Home Rule for Ireland. His first attempt to achieve this was defeated in the House of Commons. He was eventually successful in the Commons, but his proposal was defeated in the House of Lords.
The Times described Roy Jenkins’ biography of Gladstone as: ‘A splendid biography, which deals justly and fairly with all the controversies of Gladstone’s life … It is a notable achievement and will not be easily superseded. The Guardian wrote: ‘Deliciously spiced with mordant wit, Gladstone can be read for sheer pleasure. But it is the wisdom as well as the wit that ensures this biography will live on.’
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Roy Jenkins (born 1920) was a prolific and successful author as well as being a highly influential and effective Labour Minister. In 1965 he was appointed Home Secretary by Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. During his time as Home Secretary he initiated a sweeping programme of social reforms, This included the liberalisation of both divorce and abortion law, the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, and the virrtual abolition of capital punishment. He also oversaw the aboltion of theatre censorship. The son of Arthur Jenkins, a coal miner and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins attended Oxford University, of which in retirement he beame Chancellor.
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BIOGRAPHIES BY ROY JENKINS
Roosevelt, Franklin. American President. By Roy Jenkins 2005.
Churchill, Winston. Wartime Prime Minister. By Roy Jenkins. 2001.
Gladstone, William. British Prime Minister. By Roy Jenkins. 1995.
Truman, Harry. President of the USA. By Roy Jenkins. 1986.
Baldwin, Stanley. British Prime Minister. By Roy Jenkins. 1984.
Asquith, Herbert. British Prime Minister. By Roy Jenkins. 1964.
Dilke, Charles. A Victorian tragedy. By Roy Jenkins. 1958.
Attlee, Clement. Labour Prime Minister. By Roy Jenkins. 1948.