Derek Enright

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For the poet, see D. J. Enright.

Derek Anthony Enright (August 2, 1935 – October 31, 1995) was a Labour politician in the United Kingdom.

He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford and worked as a school teacher before being elected Member of the European Parliament for Leeds in 1979. He was British Labour group spokesman on third world affairs and women's rights, and was later an EC delegate in Guinea Bissau.

He was Member of Parliament for Hemsworth in Yorkshire from a by-election in 1991 until his death.

[edit] Anecdote

He once made recordings of the Beatles songs Yellow Submarine and Eleanor Rigby - in Latin!

In fact, Derek Enright sang Yellow Submarine in the House Of Commons when the Education Reform Bill was being argued. During this time, Derek spoke only in Latin, and when challenged by a Tory that "he might be able to speak Latin, but he cannot sing Latin", Enright immediately stood up and sang "Yellow Submarine" — much to the surprise of the house. The Deputy Speaker of the House, Geoffrey Lofthouse, let him have his fun, but then asked him to stop. It is forbidden to sing in the House of Commons.

One can read about this story in detail in the book, published by his friends, called: The Man Who Sang Yellow Submarine In The House of Commons.