In 1985, Whitty became the General Secretary of the Labour Party, a post he held until 1994. He was part of the reforming leadership of Neil Kinnock; in the role progressed a wide-ranging agenda including the modification of internal rules, a shift towards a national membership scheme, the expulsion of entryistMilitant group members and, following the 1987 election defeat, the internal Policy Review. Whitty's period as General Secretary meant that he oversaw two general elections (the later in 1992), and the election of John Smith and Tony Blair as leaders of the party. He was the European Co-ordinator for the Labour Party from 1994 to 1997.
Peerage
Whitty was created a life peer on 21 October 1996 as Baron Whitty, of Camberwell in the London Borough of Southwark.[2] From July 1998, Whitty was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions with responsibility for roads and road safety issues. From 1997 Lord Whitty was a Lord-in-Waiting (Government Whip) covering education and foreign affairs. He became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DEFRA with responsibility for Farming, Food and Sustainable Energy in June 2001, serving in this position until the general election of May 2005.
Consumer Focus
Whitty was appointed as the first Chairman of Consumer Focus in July 2007. Consumer Focus was created through the merger of three organisations – energywatch, Postwatch and the National Consumer Council (including the Scottish and Welsh Consumer Councils) – by the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007.[citation needed]
Personal life
Whitty is married, with two sons from a previous marriage. He is the brother of Geoff Whitty, a former director of the Institute of Education, London University.
References
↑"September: House of Lords Dinner". Latymerian. January 2016. p.6. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024– via Issuu. Speeches and toasts were given by our host, Lord WHITTY ([matriculated at Latymer] 1961)
