Michael Roberts (politician)

Michael Hilary Arthur Roberts (6 May 1927 – 10 February 1983) was a British Conservative Party politician.

Early life

He was the first Headteacher of the Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School when it opened in 1963.

Parliamentary career

Roberts contested Aberdare in a 1954 by-election, placing third. He fought Cardiff South East in 1955 and 1959, being defeated both times by future Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, on the second occasion by only 868 votes.

He was Member of Parliament for Cardiff North from 1970 to February 1974, and thereafter for Cardiff North West. He became a junior Welsh Office minister when the Margaret Thatcher government came to power in 1979.

Death

Roberts was taken ill while speaking at the despatch box in the House of Commons (he was replying to an adjournment debate) and was pronounced dead, aged 55, on arrival at hospital. Some allege that he died in the House of Commons but as that is illegal he was declared dead at the hospital. Ordinarily there would have been a by-election to succeed him but none was called due to the impending 1983 general election, in which boundary changes abolished his Cardiff North West seat.

References

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