Ronald Butt: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|British journalist}} |
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{{Orphan|date=October 2013}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
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'''Ronald Herbert Butt''', CBE (17 February 1920 – 13 December 2002) was a British journalist who wrote a political column for [[The Times]] from 1968 to 1991 and was the author of two books on Parliament. |
'''Ronald Herbert Butt''', [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (17 February 1920 – 13 December 2002) was a British journalist who wrote a political column for [[The Times]] from 1968 to 1991 and was the author of two books on Parliament. |
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== Early life and education == |
== Early life and education == |
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== Career == |
== Career == |
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Butt joined the ''[[Financial Times]]'' in 1951 where, after a spell as a commodities correspondent, he became a political correspondent and eventually political editor. A former colleague, |
Butt joined the ''[[Financial Times]]'' in 1951 where, after a spell as a commodities correspondent, he became a political correspondent and eventually political editor. A former colleague, [[Sir Geoffrey Owen]], described Butt as "having added another dimension to the FT with sophisticated, highly intelligent commentary and reportage".<ref>Quoted in The Financial Times December 2002</ref> In 1967 Butt joined ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' as a political columnist, assistant editor and leader writer. In 1983 he moved to its sister paper ''[[The Times]]'' as associate editor and leader writer. |
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Butt was best known for the weekly personal column he wrote for ''[[The Times]]'' between 1968 and 1991, commentating on British politics. He wrote from a conservative standpoint but criticised Mrs Thatcher’s government for the introduction of the poll tax. He also criticised policies that he saw as undermining family life. He retired in 1991. |
Butt was best known for the weekly personal column he wrote for ''[[The Times]]'' between 1968 and 1991, commentating on British politics. He wrote from a conservative standpoint but criticised Mrs Thatcher’s government for the introduction of the poll tax. He also criticised policies that he saw as undermining family life. He retired in 1991. |
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From 1964-65 he was a resident research fellow at |
From 1964-65 he was a resident research fellow at [[Nuffield College]], Oxford, where he worked on his first book ''The Power of Parliament'' published in 1967. This assessed the function of Parliament in contemporary British politics and questioned the prevailing view that the power of the House of Commons had declined. It argued that the Commons had rarely made or unmade governments in the past, and that back-bench MPs were still able to influence governments.<ref>Case for a facelift? Rudolf Klein, New Society 19 October 1967</ref> Regarded as an important contribution to the debate on Parliament’s role, it was mentioned in parliamentary debate.<ref>Hansard 14 November 1967, Column 245-246</ref> |
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His second book ''A History of Parliament: The Middle Ages'' was published in 1989 and it was the first history to describe in narrative form Parliament’s development throughout the Middle Ages. It emphasised the political impetus behind Parliament’s growth. He was working on a second volume at the time of his death. |
His second book ''A History of Parliament: The Middle Ages'' was published in 1989 and it was the first history to describe in narrative form Parliament’s development throughout the Middle Ages. It emphasised the political impetus behind Parliament’s growth. He was working on a second volume at the time of his death. |
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Butt was a member of the |
Butt was a member of the [[Butler Committee]] on Mentally Abnormal Offenders from 1972–75 and was a member of the Council of [[Westfield College]], [[University of London]], from 1971-1989. He was also involved in the work of Family and Youth Concern (which became the [[Family Education Trust]]). |
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He was appointed CBE in 1987. |
He was appointed CBE in 1987. |
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== Personal life == |
== Personal life == |
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[[File:Butt, Ronald 2002.jpg|thumb|150px|Grave of Ronald Butt in [[Highgate Cemetery]]]] |
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He was married to Margaret Chaundy, daughter of mathematician |
He was married to Margaret Chaundy, daughter of mathematician [[Theodore William Chaundy]] and Hilda Chaundy, and they had two sons and two daughters. He died on 13th December, 2002, and was buried on the eastern side of [[Highgate Cemetery]]. |
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== Books == |
== Books == |
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* ''The Power of Parliament'', Constable, London 1967, ''ISBN |
* ''The Power of Parliament'', Constable, London 1967, ''{{ISBN|0094502714}}'' |
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* ''A History of Parliament: The Middle Ages'', Constable, London 1989, ''ISBN |
* ''A History of Parliament: The Middle Ages'', Constable, London 1989, ''{{ISBN|0094562202}}'' |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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* |
* https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1416429/Ronald-Butt.html |
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* |
* https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/dec/20/guardianobituaries.obituaries |
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* http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/104475 |
* http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/104475 |
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* http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article2087606.ece |
* http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article2087606.ece |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{Persondata |
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| NAME =Butt, Ronald Herbert |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British journalist |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = February 17, 1920 |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = London |
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| DATE OF DEATH = December 13, 2002 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = London}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Butt, Ronald}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butt, Ronald}} |
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[[Category:1920 births]] |
[[Category:1920 births]] |
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[[Category:2002 deaths]] |
[[Category:2002 deaths]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Burials at Highgate Cemetery]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:English male journalists]] |
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[[Category:Financial Times people]] |
[[Category:Financial Times people]] |
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[[Category:The Times people]] |
[[Category:The Times people]] |
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[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]] |
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]] |
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[[Category:Fellows of Nuffield College, Oxford]] |
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[[Category:Alumni of St Catherine's College, Oxford]] |
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[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]] |
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Latest revision as of 11:16, 2 June 2022
Ronald Herbert Butt, CBE (17 February 1920 – 13 December 2002) was a British journalist who wrote a political column for The Times from 1968 to 1991 and was the author of two books on Parliament.
Early life and education
[edit]Butt was born and grew up in south London, the son of Herbert Butt and Elizabeth Clare Butt (née Morley). He was educated at St Dunstan's College, London. Before the outbreak of the Second World War he held pacifist views and had to wrestle with his conscience before deciding to join the Army.[1] He served in the Intelligence Corps and took part in the Normandy campaign after D-Day. After the war, he read history at St Catherine's College, Oxford, where he gained a first. He embarked on postgraduate research at Oxford but decided instead on a career as a journalist.
Career
[edit]Butt joined the Financial Times in 1951 where, after a spell as a commodities correspondent, he became a political correspondent and eventually political editor. A former colleague, Sir Geoffrey Owen, described Butt as "having added another dimension to the FT with sophisticated, highly intelligent commentary and reportage".[2] In 1967 Butt joined The Sunday Times as a political columnist, assistant editor and leader writer. In 1983 he moved to its sister paper The Times as associate editor and leader writer.
Butt was best known for the weekly personal column he wrote for The Times between 1968 and 1991, commentating on British politics. He wrote from a conservative standpoint but criticised Mrs Thatcher’s government for the introduction of the poll tax. He also criticised policies that he saw as undermining family life. He retired in 1991.
From 1964-65 he was a resident research fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, where he worked on his first book The Power of Parliament published in 1967. This assessed the function of Parliament in contemporary British politics and questioned the prevailing view that the power of the House of Commons had declined. It argued that the Commons had rarely made or unmade governments in the past, and that back-bench MPs were still able to influence governments.[3] Regarded as an important contribution to the debate on Parliament’s role, it was mentioned in parliamentary debate.[4]
His second book A History of Parliament: The Middle Ages was published in 1989 and it was the first history to describe in narrative form Parliament’s development throughout the Middle Ages. It emphasised the political impetus behind Parliament’s growth. He was working on a second volume at the time of his death.
Butt was a member of the Butler Committee on Mentally Abnormal Offenders from 1972–75 and was a member of the Council of Westfield College, University of London, from 1971-1989. He was also involved in the work of Family and Youth Concern (which became the Family Education Trust).
He was appointed CBE in 1987.
Personal life
[edit]
He was married to Margaret Chaundy, daughter of mathematician Theodore William Chaundy and Hilda Chaundy, and they had two sons and two daughters. He died on 13th December, 2002, and was buried on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery.
Books
[edit]- The Power of Parliament, Constable, London 1967, ISBN 0094502714
- A History of Parliament: The Middle Ages, Constable, London 1989, ISBN 0094562202
External links
[edit]- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1416429/Ronald-Butt.html
- https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/dec/20/guardianobituaries.obituaries
- http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/104475
- http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article2087606.ece
References
[edit]| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
