Michael Roberts (politician)

British politician (1927–1983)

For other people named Michael Roberts, see Michael Roberts (disambiguation).

Michael Roberts

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
In office
5 May 1979 – 10 February 1983

Serving with Wyn Roberts

Member of Parliament
for Cardiff North West
In office
28 February 1974 – 10 February 1983
Preceded by| Constituency established
Succeeded by| Constituency abolished
Member of Parliament
for Cardiff North
In office
18 June 1970 – 8 February 1974
Preceded by| Ted Rowlands
Succeeded by| Ian Grist
Personal details
Born|

Michael Hilary Arthur Roberts

(1927-05-06)6 May 1927
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales
Died| 10 February 1983(1983-02-10) (aged 55)
Westminster, London, England
Political party| Conservative
Education| University College of Wales, Cardiff
Profession| Educator

Michael Hilary Arthur Roberts (6 May 1927 – 10 February 1983) was a British Conservative Party politician.

## Early life

[edit]

Roberts was born in Aberystwyth, and was educated at the Neath Grammar School for Boys and the University College of Wales, Cardiff.[1] He was the first Headteacher of the Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School when it opened in 1963, and was president of the Cardiff branch of the National Union of Teachers.[1]

## Parliamentary career

[edit]

Roberts contested Aberdare in a 1954 by-election, placing third. He fought Cardiff South East in 1955 and 1959, being defeated both times by future Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, on the second occasion by only 868 votes.

He was Member of Parliament for Cardiff North from 1970 to February 1974, and thereafter for Cardiff North West. He became a junior Welsh Office minister when the Margaret Thatcher government came to power in 1979.

## Death

[edit]

At around 9:44PM on 10 February 1983, Roberts collapsed from a massive heart attack while speaking at the despatch box in the House of Commons during an adjournment debate and was pronounced dead, aged 55, on arrival at hospital.[1][2] Roberts had been in poor health for two years prior to his death.[1] Ordinarily there would have been a by-election to succeed him but none was called due to the impending 1983 general election, in which boundary changes abolished his Cardiff North West seat.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Jones, John Graham. "ROBERTS, MICHAEL HILARY ADAIR (1927-1983), Conservative politician". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
2. ^ "Welsh Affairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 February 1983. col. 1231.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1979
* Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages [self-published source] [better source needed]

Parliament of the United Kingdom

Preceded by

Ted Rowlands

|  Member of Parliament for Cardiff North
1970–Feb 1974 | Succeeded by

Ian Grist

New constituency |  Member of Parliament for Cardiff North West
Feb 1974–1983 | Constituency abolished