George Thomas,Mr Speaker: THE MEMOIRS OF THE VISCOUNT TONYPANDY.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE/FINE.No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated,author's portrait painting colour photographic illustrated front panel of dw/dj,with white lettering, rear panel of dw/dj with author's b/w portrait photograph; with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present. Top+fore-edges generally bright and clean without any foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,publisher's original plain black cloth bOARds with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters to spine/ backstrip,a b/w striped headband and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,11-242pp [paginated] includes 27 chapters,32pp contemporary b/w autobiographical photographs in 1 block,between pp130/31 and an index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,acknowledgements,and contents list/table with dedication to its verso.
George Thomas,a coalminer's son from Tonypandy in Wales,was elected Speaker of the House of Commons in 1976.It was the year of Harold Wilson's resignation as Prime Minister and Jeremy Thorpe's as Liberal Party Leader.The Labour Government lost its overall majority in the Commons and,faced with a desperate struggle to find votes,the procedural rulings of the Speaker became matters of passionate controversy. Tempers were lost,scuffles broke out on the floor of the House and the mace - the symbol of the Speaker's authority - was wielded in anger by a Front-Bench MP.During these turbulent years, George Thomas was the right man in the right place.His success as Speaker came towards the end of a career that had begun in Wales,first as a school teacher and then in politics,which he entered as a Christian Socialist in support of beliefs that have lasted a lifetime.His moving and affectionate memoirs tell the story of a man of principle who was equally at home with his constituents in Cardiff and with the leaders and statesmen with whom he was to come into contact as he progressed from the Back Benches to his appointment as Secretary of State for Wales with a seat in the Cabinet.He revives memories of some of the main events of the past twenty years (then 1985),from the tragedy of the Aberfan disaster,where he provides a moving glimpse of Lord Snowdon helping to console the bereaved,to the Investiture of the Prince of Wales,where he tangled with the Marshal of England and master of ceremonies,the Duke of Norfolk. 'Mr Speaker' also gives a fascinating glimpse of the Labour leaders in office,seen both from George Thomas's position as a member of the Cabinet and during his seven years as Mr Speaker.After his retirement in 1983 he was created First Viscount Tonypandy and,in the best traditions of the Speaker's office,he returned to Westminster - this time to the Upper House - to continue to serve his country. George Thomas's undoubted ability to inspire affection was mirrored in the invitation by Prince Charles to read the lesson at his wedding.In choosing him for this honour,Prince Charles paid tribute to the integrity and charm which shine through these pages. Since April 2013,again in March 2015,and in this year too,the UK Post Office has altered it's Pricing in Proportion template,altering it's prices, weight allowances,dimensions and lowered it's qualifying compensation rates too!
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