William Rodgers, Baron Rodgers of Quarry Bank
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The Right Honourable The Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank PC |
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| Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords | |
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In office 19 December 1997 – 7 June 2001 |
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| Leader |
Paddy Ashdown Charles Kennedy |
| Preceded by | The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Williams of Crosby |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | |
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In office 14 June 1979 – 8 December 1980 |
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| Leader |
Jim Callaghan Michael Foot |
| Preceded by | Fred Mulley |
| Succeeded by | Brynmor John |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | |
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In office 4 May 1979 – 14 June 1979 |
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| Leader | Jim Callaghan |
| Preceded by | Norman Fowler |
| Succeeded by | Albert Booth |
| Secretary of State for Transport | |
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In office 10 September 1976 – 4 May 1979 |
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| Prime Minister | Jim Callaghan |
| Preceded by | John Gilbert (Minister of State) |
| Succeeded by | Norman Fowler (Minister of State) |
| Minister of State for Defence | |
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In office 4 March 1974 – 10 September 1976 |
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| Prime Minister |
Harold Wilson Jim Callaghan |
| Preceded by | George Younger |
| Succeeded by | John Gilbert |
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Member of Parliament for |
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In office 5 April 1962 – 9 June 1983 |
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| Preceded by | George Chetwynd |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 October 1928 Liverpool, England, UK |
| Political party |
Labour (Before 1981) Social Democrats (1981–1988) Liberal Democrats (1988–present) |
| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford |
William Thomas Rodgers, Baron Rodgers of Quarry Bank, PC (born Liverpool, Lancashire, 28 October 1928), usually known as William Rodgers but also often known as Bill Rodgers, was one of the "Gang of Four" of senior British Labour Party politicians who defected to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He subsequently helped to lead the SDP into the merger that formed the Liberal Democrats, and later served as that party's leader in the House of Lords.
Rodgers was educated at Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool and at Magdalen College, Oxford. He was general secretary of the Fabian Society 1953–1960 and a councillor on St. Marylebone Borough Council 1958–62. He also fought a byelection at Bristol West in 1957.
Rodgers first entered the British House of Commons at , and served in Labour Governments under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, becoming Secretary of State for Transport in Callaghan's Cabinet in 1976. Within the Labour Party he was known for being a highly effective organiser around centrist causes such as multilateral nuclear disarmament and Britain's membership of the EEC. He held the post until Labour's defeat in the 1979 general election. From 1979 to 1981 he was Shadow Defence Secretary. With Labour drifting to the left, Rodgers joined Shirley Williams, Roy Jenkins and David Owen in forming the Social Democratic Party in 1981. He led the negotiations on the split of seats with the Liberals for the SDP side and his decision to go public on the difficulties encountered has often been blamed for starting the Alliance's slide in the opinion polls. On the other hand, only three seats eventually saw rival Liberal and Alliance candidates in the 1983 General Election so his tactics were in that sense successful.
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