Victor Grayson Hardie Feather, Baron Feather, CBE (10 April 1908 – 28 July 1976) was a British propagandist and General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress in Great Britain from 1969 to 1973. During his time as assistant secretary of the TUC, he was secretly being paid to write anti-communist propaganda by the Information Research Department (IRD), a secret branch of the UK Foreign Office which dealt in weaponised disinformation, anti-communism, and pro-colonial propaganda.[1] Feather's book Trade Unions:True or False was published via Background Books, a propaganda front for the IRD.[1] British propagandists also used Feather's services to promote anti-communist propaganda from within the TUC.[2][3][4]
With his blunt Yorkshire manner, he was something of a "character" in British public life. He was often imitated by Mike Yarwood. When he appeared on Parkinson he admitted to stealing sheep in the 1930s. He was the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life, first broadcast on 28 November 1973.
Personal lifeedit
He married Alice Ellison in 1930 and they had two children together, Alexander and Patricia.
Referencesedit
^ abLashmar, Paul (1988). Britain's Secret Propaganda War 1948-1977. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing. p. 100.
^Maguire, Thomas J. (8 May 2014). "Counter-Subversion in Early Cold War Britain: The Official Committee on Communism (Home), the Information Research Department, and 'State-Private Networks". Intelligence and National Security. 30 . no 5 (5): 650. doi:10.1080/02684527.2014.895570. S2CID 154278508 – via Taylor & Francis Online.
^Deery, Phillip (1997). "Confronting the Cominform: George Orwell and the Cold War Offensive of the Information Research Department, 1948-50". Labour History. 73 (73): 220. JSTOR 27516511 – via JSTOR.
^Wilford, Hugh (1998). "The Information Research Department: Britain's secret Cold War weapon revealed". Review of International Studies. 24 (3): 364. doi:10.1017/S0260210598003532 – via Cambridge Core.
feather, victor, grayson, hardie, feather, baron, feather, april, 1908, july, 1976, british, propagandist, general, secretary, trade, union, congress, great, britain, from, 1969, 1973, during, time, assistant, secretary, secretly, being, paid, write, anti, com. Victor Grayson Hardie Feather Baron Feather CBE 10 April 1908 28 July 1976 was a British propagandist and General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress in Great Britain from 1969 to 1973 During his time as assistant secretary of the TUC he was secretly being paid to write anti communist propaganda by the Information Research Department IRD a secret branch of the UK Foreign Office which dealt in weaponised disinformation anti communism and pro colonial propaganda 1 Feather s book Trade Unions True or False was published via Background Books a propaganda front for the IRD 1 British propagandists also used Feather s services to promote anti communist propaganda from within the TUC 2 3 4 The Right HonourableThe Lord FeatherCBEPresident of the European Trade Union ConfederationIn office 1973 1974Preceded byHeinz Oskar VetterSucceeded byHeinz Oskar VetterGeneral Secretary of the Trades Union CongressIn office 26 February 1969 7 September 19731Preceded byGeorge WoodcockSucceeded byLen MurrayAssistant General Secretary of the Trades Union CongressIn office 1960 1969General SecretaryGeorge WoodcockPreceded byGeorge WoodcockSucceeded byLen MurrayPersonal detailsBorn10 April 1908 1908 04 10 Idle Bradford West Riding of Yorkshire EnglandDied28 July 1976 1976 07 29 aged 68 1 Acting from 26 February 1969 to 2 September 1969 Levi Eshkol and Vic Feather at Claridge s 1965 Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Personal life 3 References 4 External linksEarly life and career editFeather was born in Idle Bradford West Riding of Yorkshire in 1908 and was named after the recently elected socialist MP Victor Grayson He was educated at Hanson Grammar School in Bradford He began work at age 14 and joined the Shopworkers Union He was elected shop steward at age 15 and chairman of his branch committee at age 21 In 1937 he joined the staff of the Trades Union Congress He became Assistant Secretary 1947 60 Assistant General Secretary 1960 69 and General Secretary 1969 73 He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE in the 1961 New Year Honours 5 As General Secretary Feather led the British trade union movement s fight against Heath government s Industrial Relations Act 1971 After retirement from the TUC he was President of the European Trade Union Confederation 1973 74 He was created a life peer as Baron Feather of the City of Bradford on 6 March 1974 6 Lord Feather died two years later in 1976 With his blunt Yorkshire manner he was something of a character in British public life He was often imitated by Mike Yarwood When he appeared on Parkinson he admitted to stealing sheep in the 1930s He was the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life first broadcast on 28 November 1973 Personal life editHe married Alice Ellison in 1930 and they had two children together Alexander and Patricia References edit a b Lashmar Paul 1988 Britain s Secret Propaganda War 1948 1977 Phoenix Mill Sutton Publishing p 100 Maguire Thomas J 8 May 2014 Counter Subversion in Early Cold War Britain The Official Committee on Communism Home the Information Research Department and State Private Networks Intelligence and National Security 30 no 5 5 650 doi 10 1080 02684527 2014 895570 S2CID 154278508 via Taylor amp Francis Online Deery Phillip 1997 Confronting the Cominform George Orwell and the Cold War Offensive of the Information Research Department 1948 50 Labour History 73 73 220 JSTOR 27516511 via JSTOR Wilford Hugh 1998 The Information Research Department Britain s secret Cold War weapon revealed Review of International Studies 24 3 364 doi 10 1017 S0260210598003532 via Cambridge Core No 42231 The London Gazette Supplement 31 December 1960 p 8898 No 46231 The London Gazette 11 March 1974 p 3167 External links edit nbsp Organized labour portal Vic Feather on cover of Private Eye private eye co uk BBC On This Day 1 March 1971 news bbc co uk BBC On This Day 1 May 1973 news bbc co uk Trade union offices Preceded byGeorge Woodcock Assistant General Secretary of the TUC1960 1969 Succeeded byLen Murray Preceded byGeorge Woodcock General Secretary of the TUC1969 1973 Succeeded byLen Murray Preceded byNew position President of the ETUC1973 1974 Succeeded byHeinz Oskar Vetter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vic Feather amp oldid 1115747593, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
