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Richard Scurrah Wainwright (11 April 1918 – 16 January 2003) was a Liberal MP for Colne Valley, 1966-70 and February 1974-87.

Through an open scholarship he was able to attend Clare College, Cambridge (BA History, 1938). It was whilst studying for his degree that he developed his interst for the Liberal Party, as a member of the Cambridge University Liberal Club. During 1930s he was deeply affected by the social conditions in Britain. What he witnessed particuarly on the housing estates in Leeds was to shape his future political views. After leaving university he became a Merchant Banker, but later left the profession to focus on his political aspirations.

At the outbreak of World War II, Wainwright registered as a conscientious objector and joined the Friends' Ambulance Unit, a Quaker organisation. Between 1939 and 1946 he served with the Unit in France, Holland and Germany including in Normandy in 1944 and Antwerp in 1944 and 1945.

Wainwright stood as the Liberal Party candidate for the constituenncy of Pudsey in the General Election of 1950 and again in 1955, but was unsuccessful in both years. In 1956 he became the Liberal candidate for Colne Valley. Standing for the Liberals in his seat of Colne Valley in 1959, the 1963 byelection, and 1964, he increased his vote each time until he finally gained the seat in 1966. However at the following election he lost his seat to the Labour MP David Clark but regained at the Feburary election in 1974. He retained his seat until his retirement at the 1987 General Election.

Wainwright was an active member of the Liberal Party, working as Chairman between 1970 and 1972. His particular areas of interest were employment, trade and public finance. In 1953 he was elected to serve on the Liberal Party Executive. From 1961 he concentrated his work on local government at Liberal headquarters. He was a central spokesman for the Liberal Party on finance (representing his party on the Finance Bill Committee in 1968), trade and industry, the economy (1966-1970; 1979-1985) and employment (1985-1987). He was Chairman of the Liberal Party Research Department between 1968 and 1970. After 1974 Wainwright focused on the financial management of the party.

In the party's 1967 leadership election to replace Jo Grimond he was mooted as a possible 'Stop Jeremy Thorpe' candidate, but in the event did not stand due to his lack of parliamentary experience.

After 1987, although retired as an MP, Wainwright continued to be politically active, wotking for the Electoral Reform Society. Between 1986 and 1997 he was also Deputy Chairman of the Wider Share Ownership Council. When the Liberal Party merged with the Social Democratic Party to become the Liberal Democrats Wainwright became a member working as President of the Yorkshire Federation of Liberal Democrats between 1989 and 1997.

Wainwright was also an active member of his community. He was a dedicated Methodist preacher. Between 1948 and 1958 he served on the Leeds Grop B Hospital Management Committee, and was Chairman of the Arthington Hospital and Thorp Arch Hospital Committees.

Two of his children have a public profile: his son, Martin is the Northern Editor of The Guardian newspaper and Hilary Wainwright, one of his daughters, is the radical academic and editor of Red Pepper magazine.

External links

Account of the Friend's Ambulance Unit covering the period of Richard Wainwright's service in North-West Europe.
Martin Wainwright recounts his father and family choosing to give refuge to a displaced Ugandan Asian family in 1972 (Guardian, August 15, 2005)

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Patrick Duffy	Member of Parliament for Colne Valley 1966–1970	Succeeded by David Clark
Preceded by David Clark	Member of Parliament for Colne Valley 1974–1987	Succeeded by Graham Riddick

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 {{otherpeople|Richard Wainwright}}
-'''Richard Scurrah Wainwright''' ([[11 April]] [[1918]] &ndash; [[16 January]] [[2003]]) was a [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] for [[Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|Colne Valley]], 1966-70 and 1974-87.
+'''Richard Scurrah Wainwright''' ([[11 April]] [[1918]] &ndash; [[16 January]] [[2003]]) was a [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] for [[Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|Colne Valley]], 1966-70 and February 1974-87.
+Through an open scholarship he was able to attend [[Clare College, Cambridge]] (BA [[History]], 1938). It was whilst studying for his degree that he developed his interst for the Liberal Party, as a member of the Cambridge University Liberal Club. During 1930s he was deeply affected by the social conditions in [[United Kingdom|Britain]]. What he witnessed particuarly on the housing estates in [[Leeds]] was to shape his future political views. After leaving university he became a Merchant Banker, but later left the profession to focus on his political aspirations.
-Educated at [[Clare College, Cambridge]] (BA [[History]], 1938) he became a Merchant Banker.
-During [[World War II]], he served with the [[Friends' Ambulance Unit]], including in [[Normandy]] in [[1944]] and [[Antwerp]] [[1944]] and [[1945]].
+At the outbreak of [[World War II]], Wainwright registered as a conscientious objector and joined the [[Friends' Ambulance Unit]], a [[Religious Society of Friends|Quaker]] organisation. Between [[1939]] and [[1946]] he served with the Unit in [[France]], [[Holland]] and [[Germany]] including in [[Normandy]] in [[1944]] and [[Antwerp]] in [[1944]] and [[1945]].
-Standing for the Liberals in his seat of Colne Valley in 1959, the 1963 byelection, and 1964, he increased his vote each time until he finally gained the seat in 1966.
+Wainwright stood as the Liberal Party candidate for the constituenncy of [[Pudsey (UK Parliament constituency)|Pudsey]] in the General Election of 1950 and again in 1955, but was unsuccessful in both years. In 1956 he became the Liberal candidate for Colne Valley. Standing for the Liberals in his seat of Colne Valley in 1959, the 1963 byelection, and 1964, he increased his vote each time until he finally gained the seat in 1966. However at the following election he lost his seat to the Labour MP [[Dr David George Clark (UK Politican)|David Clark]] but regained at the Feburary election in 1974. He retained his seat until his retirement at the 1987 General Election.
+Wainwright was an active member of the Liberal Party, working as Chairman between 1970 and 1972. His particular areas of interest were employment, trade and public finance. In 1953 he was elected to serve on the [[Liberal Party Executive]]. From 1961 he concentrated his work on local government at Liberal headquarters. He was a central spokesman for the Liberal Party on finance (representing his party on the Finance Bill Committee in 1968), trade and industry, the economy (1966-1970; 1979-1985) and employment (1985-1987). He was Chairman of the [[Liberal Party Research Department]] between 1968 and 1970. After 1974 Wainwright focused on the financial management of the party.
 In the party's 1967 leadership election to replace [[Jo Grimond]] he was mooted as a possible 'Stop [[Jeremy Thorpe]]' candidate, but in the event did not stand due to his lack of parliamentary experience.
+After 1987, although retired as an MP, Wainwright continued to be politically active, wotking for the [[Electoral Reform Society]]. Between [[1986]] and [[1997]] he was also Deputy Chairman of the [[Wider Share Ownership Council]]. When the Liberal Party merged with the [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]] to become the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] Wainwright became a member working as President of the Yorkshire Federation of Liberal Democrats between [[1989]] and [[1997]].
-He lost his seat in the Liberal debacle of 1970, but regained it at the February 1974 election, and held it with a strong personal vote until his retirement in 1987.
+Wainwright was also an active member of his community. He was a dedicated [[Methodism|Methodist]] preacher. Between [[1948]] and [[1958]] he served on the Leeds Grop B Hospital Management Committee, and was Chairman of the Arthington Hospital and Thorp Arch Hospital Committees.
 Two of his children have a public profile: his son, [[Martin Wainwright|Martin]] is the Northern Editor of ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper and [[Hilary Wainwright]], one of his daughters, is the radical academic and editor of ''[[Red Pepper (magazine)|Red Pepper]]'' magazine.