Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle pays tribute to father and former Nelson and Colne MP Lord Doug Hoyle

The Speaker of the House of Commons has paid tribute to his father Doug, the former MP for the Nelson and Colne constituency, who has died aged 98.
By Dominic Collis
Published 8th Apr 2024, 10:14 BST
Updated 8th Apr 2024, 10:15 BST
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Doug Hoyle first stood for Parliament at Clitheroe in 1964, but came second. In 1970, he stood in Nelson and Colne for the first time, and was defeated by the Conservative incumbent David Waddington. He fought the seat again in February 1974, and reduced Waddington's margin to 177. He was finally elected at the general election of October 1974 for Nelson and Colne by 669 votes.

Speaker Sir Lindsay said of his father: “There are few people who get to my age with their father still around – but I have been one of the lucky ones. His death has left me bereft, and with a huge hole in my life.

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“After all, it feels like we have always been together. In 1957, when I was just a babe in arms, he took me to my first Labour Party conference. Soon after that, in Scarborough, I was throwing bacon from my highchair at Hugh Gaitskell, then leader of the Labour Party.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle's daughter Emma, her husband Will, Sir Lindsay, his wife Catherine, and Lord Hoyle. Front row: Mr Speaker's grandchildren (Emma's children) Sophia, now 10, and Austin, now 12, taken at the time of the Queen's Speech in December 2019.Sir Lindsay Hoyle's daughter Emma, her husband Will, Sir Lindsay, his wife Catherine, and Lord Hoyle. Front row: Mr Speaker's grandchildren (Emma's children) Sophia, now 10, and Austin, now 12, taken at the time of the Queen's Speech in December 2019.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle's daughter Emma, her husband Will, Sir Lindsay, his wife Catherine, and Lord Hoyle. Front row: Mr Speaker's grandchildren (Emma's children) Sophia, now 10, and Austin, now 12, taken at the time of the Queen's Speech in December 2019.

“By the age of six, Dad put me on the campaign trail, delivering leaflets to help in his first attempt to stand for Parliament in Clitheroe in 1964. We kept on going, determined Dad was going to get a seat, particularly in Nelson and Colne, which he won in the third time of trying back in 1974.”

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Born in February 1926, Doug was educated at Adlington School and Horwich Technical College.

During his political career, he was chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party from 1992-97 where he served as a member of the Shadow Cabinet. He was president of the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union in 1990-91 and served on the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee.

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In 1997, Tony Blair asked him to take a seat in the House of Lords. After initially being reluctant, he made the move from green benches to the red benches in the Lords, where he served as a government minister from 1997-1999.

Sir Lindsay added: “Dad was easy to talk to and always willing to listen. He was my wing-man, and I was his. Not only have I lost my father – but I have also lost my best friend.”

Related topics:ColneNelsonHouse of CommonsHouse of Lords

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