Peter Pike (British politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Peter Pike MP.jpg

| caption = Pike as an MP

| constituency_MP = Burnley

| parliament = United Kingdom

| majority =

| predecessor = Dan Jones

| successor = Kitty Ussher

| term_start = 9 June 1983

| term_end = 11 April 2005

| birth_name = Peter Leslie Pike

| birth_date = {{birth date|1937|06|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Ware, Hertfordshire, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|12|27|1937|06|26|df=y}}

| death_place = Burnley, England

| spouse = {{marriage|Shelia Bull|1962|2017|end=died}}

| party = Labour

| relations =

| children = 2

| alma_mater =

| occupation =

| profession =

| signature =

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Peter Leslie Pike (26 June 1937 – 27 December 2021) was a British Labour politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Burnley from June 1983 to April 2005.{{Cite web |url=http://www.longridgenews.co.uk/news/local/mps-expenses-scandal-ex-burnley-mp-peter-pike-in-the-clear-1-1693910 |title=MPs' expenses scandal – ex-Burnley MP Peter Pike in the clear |work= Longridge News |date=28 October 2009 |access-date=28 February 2022 |archive-date=8 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308070502/http://www.longridgenews.co.uk/news/local/mps-expenses-scandal-ex-burnley-mp-peter-pike-in-the-clear-1-1693910 |url-status=dead }}

Life and career

Pike was born on 26 June 1937.{{Who's Who | id= U30873 | title=Pike, Peter Leslie }} He was evacuated to Burnley in his childhood during the Second World War and decided then that he wanted to be the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lancashire town. Returning to the town as an adult, he worked in the Mullards Factory, where he swiftly gained a reputation as an effective shop steward and was also an agent for the then MP for Burnley, Dan Jones.{{Cite web|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 19 May 2005 (pt 9)|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050519/debtext/50519-09.htm|access-date=27 December 2021|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom|archive-date=27 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227211641/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050519/debtext/50519-09.htm|url-status=live}}{{rp|298}}

He was an official frontbench spokesperson for Labour at the beginning of the 1990s on rural affairs and then on environment and housing.{{Cite news|date=21 October 2002|title=Peter Pike|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2056153.stm|access-date=27 December 2021|archive-date=27 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227211644/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2056153.stm|url-status=live}} He was seen as an effective parliamentarian, and his committee work included chairing the committee in the House of Commons on Regulatory Reform from July 2001 to April 2005.{{Cite web|title=Parliamentary career for Mr Peter Pike|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/466/career|work=MPs and Lords|accessdate=10 January 2022|publisher=UK Parliament|archive-date=27 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227211650/https://members.parliament.uk/member/466/career|url-status=live}} He made three visits to South Africa from 1986 to 1990.{{cite web|url=http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/ex-mp-pays-tribute-to-nelson-mandela-1-6300030|title=Ex-MP pays tribute to Nelson Mandela|work=Burnley Express|date=6 December 2013|accessdate=7 March 2017|archive-date=8 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308044247/http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/ex-mp-pays-tribute-to-nelson-mandela-1-6300030|url-status=live}}

He announced his intention in October 2002 to retire as an MP at the next general election.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/oct/23/houseofcommons.uk1|title=Campbell in spotlight as MPs race for seats|work=The Guardian|date=23 October 2002|accessdate=11 January 2022|archive-date=11 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111150127/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/oct/23/houseofcommons.uk1|url-status=live}} Labour announced in December 2002 they were preparing to choose a woman as his successor.{{cite web|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5927408.Woman_MP_for_Burnley_/|title=Woman MP for Burnley?|work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=23 December 2002|accessdate=19 February 2016|archive-date=2 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302144650/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5927408.Woman_MP_for_Burnley_/|url-status=live}} An all-women shortlist was created in January 2003 to determine his successor.{{cite web|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5861140.Labour_reveals_short_list_of_three/|title=Labour reveals short-list of three|work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=23 January 2004|accessdate=19 February 2016|archive-date=2 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302153201/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5861140.Labour_reveals_short_list_of_three/|url-status=live}} His youngest daughter Jane was a firm favourite to succeed him, but she did not make the shortlist.{{cite web|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5923830.Daughter_linked_to_fill_dad_s_shoes/|title=Daughter linked to fill dad's shoes|work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=15 January 2013|accessdate=19 February 2016|archive-date=2 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302134456/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5923830.Daughter_linked_to_fill_dad_s_shoes/|url-status=live}} Kitty Ussher was chosen as his successor in February 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5856911.Kitty_chosen_as_Pike_s_successor/|title=Kitty chosen as Pike's successor|work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=13 February 2004|accessdate=19 February 2016|archive-date=2 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302153205/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5856911.Kitty_chosen_as_Pike_s_successor/|url-status=live}}

His role in the Anti-Apartheid Movement was praised in Parliament in December 2013 during tributes to Nelson Mandela.{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10869899.former-burnley-mp-peter-pike-praised-tributes-nelson-mandela/|title=Former Burnley MP Peter Pike praised during tributes to Nelson Mandela|work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=11 December 2013|accessdate=10 January 2022|archive-date=11 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111091708/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10869899.former-burnley-mp-peter-pike-praised-tributes-nelson-mandela/|url-status=live}}

He was re-elected as chair of Burnley Constituency Labour Party in June 2015. He stood down from this role in January 2016, citing his belief that the party needed a younger and more active chair. Upon his resignation, Pike had held positions within the Labour Party for almost sixty years. He had first arrived in Burnley in 1963.{{cite web|url=http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/13348500.Peter_Pike_remains_chair_of_Burnley_Labour_Party/|title=Peter Pike remains chair of Burnley Labour Party|work=The Bolton News|date=23 June 2015|accessdate=7 March 2017|archive-date=8 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308044916/http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/13348500.Peter_Pike_remains_chair_of_Burnley_Labour_Party/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Ex-MP to quit as Burnley Labour Party boss|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14198513.ex-mp-quit-burnley-labour-party-boss/|access-date=2022-02-28|website=Lancashire Telegraph|date=12 January 2016|archive-date=28 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228225645/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14198513.ex-mp-quit-burnley-labour-party-boss/|url-status=live}} He was a strong supporter of Burnley Football Club and served as chair of the Clarets Trust.{{cite press release |last=Cotterill |first=Nigel |title=Peter Pike, Clarets Trust Chair – 1937–2021 |url=https://claretstrust.co.uk/2021/12/27/peter-pike-clarets-trust-chair-1937-2021/ |publisher=Clarets Trust |access-date=2022-02-28 |date=2021-12-27 |archive-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228225632/https://claretstrust.co.uk/2021/12/27/peter-pike-clarets-trust-chair-1937-2021/ |url-status=live }}

He was also the driving force behind the establishment of the social enterprise Emmaus Burnley, for which he received a special medal in June 2021.{{Cite web|date=22 June 2021|title=Medal awarded to Emmaus Burnley founder Peter Pike|url=https://emmaus.org.uk/burnley/medal-awarded-to-our-founder-peter-pike/|access-date=27 December 2021|publisher=Emmaus Burnley|language=en|archive-date=27 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227211650/https://emmaus.org.uk/burnley/medal-awarded-to-our-founder-peter-pike/|url-status=live}}

Personal life

He married Shelia Bull in 1962; she died in November 2017 at the age of 83.{{Cite web|date=17 November 2017|title=Sheila Pike|url=https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/burnleyexpress-uk/187267311|access-date=11 January 2022|website=Legacy.com|language=en|archive-date=11 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111150127/https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/burnleyexpress-uk/187267311|url-status=live}}

Pike died on 27 December 2021 at the age of 84.{{cite news |last1=Plunkett |first1=Susan |title=Family announce death of former long serving and well known Burnley MP Peter Pike |url=https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/people/family-announce-death-of-former-long-serving-and-well-known-burnley-mp-peter-pike-3507946 |access-date=27 December 2021 |work=Burnley Express |date=27 December 2021 |archive-date=27 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227142434/https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/people/family-announce-death-of-former-long-serving-and-well-known-burnley-mp-peter-pike-3507946 |url-status=live }} He was survived by his two daughters, Carol and Jane.{{Cite web|date=27 December 2021|title=Peter Pike, former Labour MP for Burnley, dies aged 84|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/27/peter-pike-former-labour-mp-for-burnley-dies-aged-84|access-date=28 December 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=27 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227235455/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/27/peter-pike-former-labour-mp-for-burnley-dies-aged-84|url-status=live}} Former Pendle MP Gordon Prentice paid tribute to him in his blog shortly afterwards.{{cite web|date=30 December 2021|title=Peter Pike|url=https://www.shrinkslessorsquare.ca/1106-peter-pike|accessdate=10 January 2022|website=Gordon Prentice at Large – Politics in Newmarket|last=Prentice|first=Gordon|archive-date=10 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110150629/https://www.shrinkslessorsquare.ca/1106-peter-pike|url-status=live}}