Patrick Duffy (UK politician)

Sir Albert Edward Patrick Duffy (born 17 June 1920) is an economist and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was a Member of Parliament for Colne Valley 1963-1966, and for Sheffield Attercliffe 1970-1992. He was a Minister of the Navy in the 1970s, and President of the NATO Assembly in the 1980s.

Duffy was educated at the London School of Economics and Columbia University, and served in the Fleet Air Arm in World War II.

He contested the Parliamentary seat of Tiverton in 1950, 1951 and 1955 before moving to the more promising seat of Colne Valley, which he won in a by-election in 1963, and held until the 1966 general election, when he was defeated by the Liberal Richard Wainwright, despite the national swing to Labour.

He was selected to stand for Sheffield Attercliffe at the 1970 general election following a close selection contest with George Caborn, father of Richard Caborn.

He was Opposition Spokesman on Defence 1979–1981 and 1983–1984, and Under Secretary of State for the Royal Navy in Jim Callaghan's Government 1976–1979. Duffy was on the Right of the Labour Party; a staunch pro-European and opponent of unilateral nuclear disarmament. He voted for John Silkin in the 1980 leadership campaign rather than Michael Foot, the successful candidate. Following the death of Bobby Sands in May 1981, Duffy was, according to The New York Times, the sole member of the British House of Commons to condemn Margaret Thatcher.

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