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Jim Mortimer, who has died aged 92, was a true socialist who dedicated his working life as a trade unionist and a prominent public official to a wholehearted attempt to fulfil his political ambitions. Despite an evident lack of progress, most notably during his period as general secretary of the Labour party, during the darkest years of its internal strife in the early 1980s, his optimism remained undimmed.Jim Mortimer, who has died aged 92, was a true socialist who dedicated his working life as a trade unionist and a prominent public official to a wholehearted attempt to fulfil his political ambitions. Despite an evident lack of progress, most notably during his period as general secretary of the Labour party, during the darkest years of its internal strife in the early 1980s, his optimism remained undimmed.
In his last published essay, written during the first Blair government in 2000, he drew on the history of the Labour party to provide topical lessons for the socialists of the new century. Attacking New Labour for consolidating capitalism, he wrote: "The main task today [for] the labour movement [is to have] policies that will serve the independent interests of working people and help lay the foundations of a socialist society."In his last published essay, written during the first Blair government in 2000, he drew on the history of the Labour party to provide topical lessons for the socialists of the new century. Attacking New Labour for consolidating capitalism, he wrote: "The main task today [for] the labour movement [is to have] policies that will serve the independent interests of working people and help lay the foundations of a socialist society."
The power and passion that underpinned his politics was inherited from his parents and from his personal experience of the transformation from poverty to public service made possible by education. He was born in Bradford, where his father sold newspapers on a street corner and his mother worked in a cotton mill from childhood. During the 1930s economic depression, the family moved to Portsmouth, where Jim joined the naval dockyard as an apprentice. He was a shipfitter, a machinist and an engineer and, most importantly, joined his first union at the age of 15.The power and passion that underpinned his politics was inherited from his parents and from his personal experience of the transformation from poverty to public service made possible by education. He was born in Bradford, where his father sold newspapers on a street corner and his mother worked in a cotton mill from childhood. During the 1930s economic depression, the family moved to Portsmouth, where Jim joined the naval dockyard as an apprentice. He was a shipfitter, a machinist and an engineer and, most importantly, joined his first union at the age of 15.
He won a TUC scholarship to study under the formative influence of the legendary GDH Cole at Ruskin College, Oxford, in 1945, and the following year joined the TUC economic department. He was there for two years while continuing his studies at the London School of Economics. In 1948, he began his steady rise through the trade union movement when he joined the leftwing Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association and established himself as a thoughtful and principled activist and a trusted public speaker at the TUC.He won a TUC scholarship to study under the formative influence of the legendary GDH Cole at Ruskin College, Oxford, in 1945, and the following year joined the TUC economic department. He was there for two years while continuing his studies at the London School of Economics. In 1948, he began his steady rise through the trade union movement when he joined the leftwing Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association and established himself as a thoughtful and principled activist and a trusted public speaker at the TUC.
His policies were predictably defiant on contentious issues of public policy, opposing the Common Market and prices and incomes policies in particular. It came as a huge surprise, therefore, when he accepted an invitation from Barbara Castle in 1968 to join the Prices and Incomes Board (PIB), which was part of the then Labour government's ill-fated attempt at union reform. Castle was delighted at hooking a big fish. "The left really is going to start and sit up," she recorded in her diary.His policies were predictably defiant on contentious issues of public policy, opposing the Common Market and prices and incomes policies in particular. It came as a huge surprise, therefore, when he accepted an invitation from Barbara Castle in 1968 to join the Prices and Incomes Board (PIB), which was part of the then Labour government's ill-fated attempt at union reform. Castle was delighted at hooking a big fish. "The left really is going to start and sit up," she recorded in her diary.
The reality was that Mortimer recognised the necessity to do business with the government while his union executive had moved to the far left. Although he had resigned from the Young Communist League in 1948, he did retain membership of an anglo-communist friendship society which was proscribed by the Labour party and this led to a four-year suspension of his Labour membership, but by the 1960s he was in the leftwing mainstream. George Woodcock, then TUC general secretary, told Castle he thought her new appointee was still a communist. "But I don't say he is any the worse for that," Woodcock added. "I'm all in favour of experiments."The reality was that Mortimer recognised the necessity to do business with the government while his union executive had moved to the far left. Although he had resigned from the Young Communist League in 1948, he did retain membership of an anglo-communist friendship society which was proscribed by the Labour party and this led to a four-year suspension of his Labour membership, but by the 1960s he was in the leftwing mainstream. George Woodcock, then TUC general secretary, told Castle he thought her new appointee was still a communist. "But I don't say he is any the worse for that," Woodcock added. "I'm all in favour of experiments."
When the Heath government wound up the PIB in 1971, Mortimer served as a board member of the London Transport Executive until Labour returned to power in 1974 and his friend Michael Foot, appointed employment secretary, asked him to run the newly established Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). Here Mortimer proved his skills as a negotiator, in a series of controversial disputes which dominated the 1970s, although he was unsuccessful in achieving any conciliation of the long-running Grunwick strike or the 1978 year-long closure of Times Newspapers. None of his experiences in seven years at Acas was adequate preparation, however, for taking over the Labour party headquarters in Walworth Road in 1982. Again he stood for the post at the request of Foot.When the Heath government wound up the PIB in 1971, Mortimer served as a board member of the London Transport Executive until Labour returned to power in 1974 and his friend Michael Foot, appointed employment secretary, asked him to run the newly established Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). Here Mortimer proved his skills as a negotiator, in a series of controversial disputes which dominated the 1970s, although he was unsuccessful in achieving any conciliation of the long-running Grunwick strike or the 1978 year-long closure of Times Newspapers. None of his experiences in seven years at Acas was adequate preparation, however, for taking over the Labour party headquarters in Walworth Road in 1982. Again he stood for the post at the request of Foot.
The party was already in the throes of a disastrous period of disputes which led to the formation of the breakaway Social Democratic party and the expulsion of the Trotsky-inspired Militant tendency. Mortimer found himself fire-fighting on all fronts. During the 1983 general election, the strain showed at a press conference when the general secretary unaccountably announced that the election campaign committee had taken the unanimous view "that Michael Foot is the leader of the Labour party …" This led to the erroneous supposition that Foot's leadership had been under discussion and subject to a vote of confidence. This was a contributing factor in the torrent that led to Labour's humiliating electoral defeat.The party was already in the throes of a disastrous period of disputes which led to the formation of the breakaway Social Democratic party and the expulsion of the Trotsky-inspired Militant tendency. Mortimer found himself fire-fighting on all fronts. During the 1983 general election, the strain showed at a press conference when the general secretary unaccountably announced that the election campaign committee had taken the unanimous view "that Michael Foot is the leader of the Labour party …" This led to the erroneous supposition that Foot's leadership had been under discussion and subject to a vote of confidence. This was a contributing factor in the torrent that led to Labour's humiliating electoral defeat.
He retired from the job in 1985, two years earlier than expected, and it swiftly became evident that he disagreed with the revisionism of the party's policies under Neil Kinnock's leadership. He did not hesitate to criticise moves towards accepting some of the employment and trade-union reforms instituted by Margaret Thatcher.He retired from the job in 1985, two years earlier than expected, and it swiftly became evident that he disagreed with the revisionism of the party's policies under Neil Kinnock's leadership. He did not hesitate to criticise moves towards accepting some of the employment and trade-union reforms instituted by Margaret Thatcher.
Mortimer was a visiting professor and fellow at a number of universities and published several books on trade unionism, including three volumes on the boilermakers' union.Mortimer was a visiting professor and fellow at a number of universities and published several books on trade unionism, including three volumes on the boilermakers' union.
He is survived by his second wife, Pat, and by two sons and a daughter from his first marriage, to Renee.He is survived by his second wife, Pat, and by two sons and a daughter from his first marriage, to Renee.
• James Edward Mortimer, trade unionist and public official, born 12 January 1921; died 23 April 2013• James Edward Mortimer, trade unionist and public official, born 12 January 1921; died 23 April 2013
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