Born in 1905, in The Dingle, Liverpool. His mother was a factory worker and his father was a harbour master. He had two brothers. One died at sea in the great war and the other was a crane operator on the docks of Liverpool and a musician. he was one of the youngest Labour councillors in Liverpool, becoming a councillor in 1927, aged 22. He also led an ILP Youth Delegation to the Soviet Union, where he met Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. During the General Strike in 1926 he was a TUC messenger, delivering important messages to the Trades Union Congress from individual unions.
Edwards was secretly the recipient of the Order of the People's Friendship from the Soviet Union, the third-highest Soviet medal, which was shown to him in Brussels by Leonid Zaitsev, the KGBresident (or rezident), at Copenhagen. Former KGB officer, Oleg Gordievsky, who defected to the UK in 1985, stated that Edwards had been a KGB agent for many years. Edwards had met Stalin and Trotsky while leading a youth delegation to the USSR in 1926. He became a "fully-paid-up KGB agent" providing "high-grade secrets", with MI5 stating that he "would have passed on all he could get hold of".[2][3][4]
Edwards stood down in 1987 aged 82, and was succeeded by Dennis Turner. The former Labour Party leader Michael Foot became the oldest sitting MP after Edwards' retirement.
Deathedit
Edwards died in June 1990, aged 85, three years after his retirement from Parliament.
Familyedit
His nephew Bert Edwards was an international speedway rider.[5]
Referencesedit
^Orwell biography by Michael Shelden, Minerva paperback 1992 page 282
^Macintyre, Ben (2019); The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War, Penguin Books Ltd., ISBN0241972132
^Sanderson, David; "Veteran MP Bob Edwards was honoured by the Soviet Union", The Times, 15 September 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2023
^"Black Country MP Bob Edwards DID spy for the KGB, claims new book", Express & Star, 8 Jun 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2023
^"Speedway team man and Individualist". Harrow Observer. 20 September 1956. Retrieved 15 November 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
edwards, politician, other, people, named, robert, edwards, robert, edwards, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged,. For other people named Robert Edwards see Robert Edwards disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Bob Edwards politician news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Robert Edwards 16 January 1905 4 June 1990 was a British trade unionist and an Independent Labour Party ILP and Labour Co operative politician He was a Member of Parliament MP from 1955 to 1987 Contents 1 Early life 2 Soviet espionage 3 Parliamentary career 4 Death 5 Family 6 ReferencesEarly life editBorn in 1905 in The Dingle Liverpool His mother was a factory worker and his father was a harbour master He had two brothers One died at sea in the great war and the other was a crane operator on the docks of Liverpool and a musician he was one of the youngest Labour councillors in Liverpool becoming a councillor in 1927 aged 22 He also led an ILP Youth Delegation to the Soviet Union where he met Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin During the General Strike in 1926 he was a TUC messenger delivering important messages to the Trades Union Congress from individual unions In the Spanish Civil War he led the ILP Contingent in the Workers Party of Marxist Unification POUM on the Aragon front 1 They left Spain in May 1937 Edwards was a leading member of the ILP after it split from the Labour Party in the 1930 and 1940s serving as the party s Chairman from 1943 to 1948 Between 1947 and 1971 he was the General Secretary of the Chemical Workers Union and was also a member of the Transport and General Workers Union Soviet espionage editEdwards was secretly the recipient of the Order of the People s Friendship from the Soviet Union the third highest Soviet medal which was shown to him in Brussels by Leonid Zaitsev the KGB resident or rezident at Copenhagen Former KGB officer Oleg Gordievsky who defected to the UK in 1985 stated that Edwards had been a KGB agent for many years Edwards had met Stalin and Trotsky while leading a youth delegation to the USSR in 1926 He became a fully paid up KGB agent providing high grade secrets with MI5 stating that he would have passed on all he could get hold of 2 3 4 Parliamentary career editAs an ILP candidate Edwards unsuccessfully contested Chorley at the 1935 general election and Stretford at a by election in 1939 and the Newport by election in 1945 where he won 45 5 of the votes He was elected as Labour Co operative MP for Bilston in the 1955 general election The constituency was abolished in 1974 so in the February 1974 election he stood successfully for Wolverhampton South East which covers a similar area In 1983 then 78 he became the oldest sitting MP Edwards stood down in 1987 aged 82 and was succeeded by Dennis Turner The former Labour Party leader Michael Foot became the oldest sitting MP after Edwards retirement Death editEdwards died in June 1990 aged 85 three years after his retirement from Parliament Family editHis nephew Bert Edwards was an international speedway rider 5 References edit Orwell biography by Michael Shelden Minerva paperback 1992 page 282 Macintyre Ben 2019 The Spy and the Traitor The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War Penguin Books Ltd ISBN 0241972132 Sanderson David Veteran MP Bob Edwards was honoured by the Soviet Union The Times 15 September 2018 Retrieved 18 April 2023 Black Country MP Bob Edwards DID spy for the KGB claims new book Express amp Star 8 Jun 2016 Retrieved 18 April 2023 Speedway team man and Individualist Harrow Observer 20 September 1956 Retrieved 15 November 2023 via British Newspaper Archive Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPsParliament of the United KingdomPreceded byWill Nally Member of Parliament for Bilston1955 Feb 1974 Constituency abolishedNew constituency Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South EastFeb 1974 1987 Succeeded byDennis TurnerHonorary titlesPreceded byDavid Weitzman Oldest sitting member not Father of the House 1979 1987 Succeeded byMichael FootParty political officesPreceded byElijah Sandham Lancashire Division representative on the Independent Labour Party National Administrative Council1934 1943 Succeeded byFred BartonPreceded byJohn McGovern Chairman of the Independent Labour Party1943 1948 Succeeded byDavid Gibson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bob Edwards politician amp oldid 1185264827, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
