Donald Anderson

The Right Honourable Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea PC (b. 17 June 1939), is a British Labour politician and was a Member of Parliament until 2005.

Related Topics:
The Right Honourable - PC - 17 June - 1939 - Labour - Member of Parliament - 2005

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Anderson was one of the longest-serving Members of Parliament in the UK of recent years, having first been elected for Monmouth in 1966, although he lost this seat in 1970 and was out of Parliament for four years.

Related Topics:
UK - Monmouth - 1966 - 1970

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He was unfortunate in that his time as a frontbencher coincided neatly with Labour's wilderness years, depriving him of ministerial office.

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Nonetheless, he achieved a high profile as chairman of the Commons foreign affairs select committee and survived a government attempt to oust him after the 2001 general election.

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He speaks with authority on international matters and was one of the Commons' leading opponents of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Related Topics:
Apartheid - South Africa

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Anderson has been a consistent supporter of the European Union, since before Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

Related Topics:
European Union - European Economic Community

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He is socially conservative on matters like abortion, homosexuality, and alcohol and was a supporter of the "Keep Sunday Special" campaign against Sunday trading.

Related Topics:
Abortion - Homosexuality - Alcohol - Keep Sunday Special - Sunday trading

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Anderson retired from Parliament at the 2005 general election. On 13 May 2005 it was announced that he would be created a life peer, and on 28 June 2005 he was created Baron Anderson of Swansea, of Swansea in the County of West Glamorgan.

Related Topics:
2005 general election - 13 May - 2005 - Life peer - 28 June

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