Ifor Davies

Ifor Davies (9 June 1910 – 6 June 1982), born Ivor Davies, was a Welsh Labour Party politician.

Davies was born in Gowerton, Swansea, the youngest of the six children of Jeffrey and Elizabeth Jane Thomas. His father was employed in the local tinplate mill. He was educated at Gowerton School, Swansea Technical College and Ruskin College, Oxford, worked as an industrial personnel officer.

Political career

From 1958 to 1961, Davies served as a councillor on Glamorgan County Council. Prior to election to Parliament, he was election agent to his predecessor David Grenfell.

Davies was Member of Parliament (MP) for Gower from 1959 until he died in office in 1982. He was succeeded by Gareth Wardell. Under Harold Wilson, Davies was a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and Welsh whip from 1964 to 1966 and a junior minister at the Welsh Office from 1966-69. He was a former Chairman of the Welsh Grand Committee and Member of the Speaker's Panel of Chairmen.

In 1971, Davies was one of the 69 Labour MPs who defied the Labour Whip to vote in favour of entry to the EEC. He campaigned for a 'No' vote in the 1978 referendum in Wales on the establishment of a Welsh Assembly, along with other members of the 'Gang of Six', Neil Kinnock, Leo Abse, Donald Anderson, Alfred Evans and Ioan Evans. Throughout his tenure as MP, he was sponsored by the white-collar trade union APEX.

Davies was Secretary of Tabernacle Chapel, Gowerton, continuing in that role while a Member of Parliament. He was a former Chairman of the Council of Swansea University.

Personal life

He married Doreen Griffiths; the couple had two children, Janet and Wyn, Director of Music with New Zealand Opera.

His nephew Huw Irranca-Davies has been MP for Ogmore since 2002.

His brother Benjamin was a grammar school teacher of Gravesend, Kent.

References

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1966 & 1979
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages