Eric Douglas Harvey Hoyle, Baron Hoyle, known as Doug Hoyle (born 17 February 1930) is a British Labour politician and former member of parliament for Nelson and Colne and Warrington North.
First elected in 1974 for Nelson and Colne, he narrowly lost his seat at the 1979 General Election, but returned to Parliament in 1981 when he saw off a strong challenge from Roy Jenkins in a normally safe Labour seat, in a notable by-election in Warrington when enthusiasm for the newly-created SDP was at its peak. Constituency boundaries were redrawn for the 1983 general election.
He stepped down at the 1997 general election, and on 14 May 1997 he was made a life peer as Baron Hoyle, of Warrington, in the County of Cheshire.[1]
He is the current chairman of Warrington Wolves rugby league club and a non executive director of the major local employer Debt Free Direct.[2][3]
Lord Hoyle, already a Freeman of the City of Gibraltar, was awarded the Gibraltar Medallion of Honour in March 2010 for being a 'supporter of Gibraltar and its people'.[4]
In November 2010 Lord Hoyle received a Doctor of Letters from the University of Chester for his outstanding contribution made to the Borough of Warrington.[5]
Hoyle's son Lindsay Hoyle is the Labour Member of Parliament for Chorley.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David Waddington |
Member of Parliament for Nelson and Colne October 1974 – 1979 |
Succeeded by John Lee |
| Preceded by Sir William Thomas Williams |
Member of Parliament for Warrington 1981 – 1983 |
Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Warrington North 1983 – 1997 |
Succeeded by Helen Jones |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by David Blunkett |
Chair of The Labour Party 1994–1995 |
Succeeded by Diana Jeuda |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Stanley Orme |
Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party 1992–1997 |
Succeeded by Clive Soley |