Peter Harry Steve Griffiths was a British Conservative politician best known for gaining the Smethwick seat by defeating the Shadow Foreign Secretary Patrick Gordon Walker in the 1964 general election, against the national trend, by using anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric.
12 Facts About Peter Griffiths
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Peter Griffiths was educated at Leeds Teacher Training College and, after his National Service, studied for an external London University Economics degree and a master's degree in education at Birmingham University, while teaching in West Bromwich.
3.
Peter Griffiths was elected to Smethwick County Borough Council in 1955.
4.
Peter Griffiths became leader of the council's Conservative group in 1960, serving as a local councillor until 1963 when he resigned to stand again for the Smethwick parliamentary seat in the forthcoming general election.
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Peter Griffiths denied that there was any "resentment in Smethwick on the grounds of race or colour".
6.
Peter Griffiths both supported and arranged for Smethwick council to purchase a row of houses with the intention of letting them exclusively to white families.
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Peter Griffiths was defeated by the actor and Labour candidate Andrew Faulds in the 1966 general election.
8.
Peter Griffiths wrote his own account of his election in 1964.
9.
Peter Griffiths blamed immigration from the Caribbean for the spread of disease.
10.
Peter Griffiths unsuccessfully stood for Portsmouth North constituency at the February 1974 general election, but was elected for the seat at the 1979 general election.
11.
Peter Griffiths held the constituency until the Labour landslide at the 1997 election, when he was defeated.
12.
Peter Griffiths was married to Jeannette, nee Rubery; the couple had a son and daughter.