James Wellbeloved
Alfred James Wellbeloved was a British politician who was the MP for Erith and Crayford from 1965 to 1983. He was elected as a member of the Labour Party, but defected to the Social Democratic Party after its formation in 1981.
Early life and career
Wellbeloved was born in Lewisham in 1926. He was a boy seaman in the Royal Navy during World War II. After the war, he attended South London Technical College, and worked in the building and appliance industries, becoming active as a union officer. He married Mavis Radcliff in 1948, and they had three children.Wellbeloved served as a councillor on Erith Borough Council from 1956, and was the first leader of the London Borough of Bexley from 1964.
Member of Parliament
He was elected Labour Party Member of Parliament for Erith and Crayford at a 1965 by-election following the death of Norman Dodds, whose constituency chairman he had been.In 1970, there was a discussion in the House of Commons as to whether to continue the practice of the rum ration, now known as the "Great Rum Debate". Wellbeloved argued in favour of continuing the practice.
Wellbeloved served successively as parliamentary private secretary to Defence Minister Gerry Reynolds and Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart, and was under-secretary of state for the Air Force in the Callaghan government.
In 1981, Wellbeloved was among the Labour MPs who defected to the Social Democratic Party. At the 1983 general election, he lost his seat by just 920 votes to the Conservative David Evennett. He later rejoined the Labour Party.
Wellbeloved was known for his brusque, uncompromising personality, leading some colleagues to remark upon his surname with irony.