14 Facts About Reg Goodwin

Sir Reginald Eustace Goodwin CBE, DL was a British politician.

Reg Goodwin was Leader of the Greater London Council from 1973 to 1977.

Reg Goodwin went to Strand School, leaving at 16 to become a tea-buyer for a City firm.

Reg Goodwin joined the Labour Party in 1932, and began his political career when he was elected to Bermondsey Borough Council in 1937.

Reg Goodwin became a member of the Greater London Council for Southwark after its first election in 1964 and chaired the Finance Committee in the Labour administration.

Reg Goodwin was knighted on the recommendation of Harold Wilson in the 1968 New Year Honours and was almost always known as 'Sir Reg' thereafter.

Labour had not opposed the Conservative GLC's policy of building urban motorways in 1970 but by June 1972 Reg Goodwin had been convinced by the strength of public opinion, and said "Labour pledges itself to abandon the disastrous plans to build two motorways which threaten the environment of Central London".

Reg Goodwin called on the GLC not to enter into contracts to build the motorways so that Londoners could have a choice at the 1973 elections.

Sir Reg Goodwin then changed the whole political decision making process in the GLC, ensuring that officers left after presenting their papers to the Labour cabinet who then made a decision and Peter Walker acted as secretary conveying the decisions to the Officers after going through the Labour group.

Reg Goodwin was forced to cut investment programmes and increase transport fares and as a result became unpopular with the left.

Reg Goodwin was re-elected Leader when Labour lost the 1977 GLC election but few expected him to continue in the post.

Reg Goodwin announced his resignation very suddenly by leaving 28 copies of a resignation letter on the desk of the Chief Whip, with a note suggesting he might like to distribute them.

Reg Goodwin let his membership of the Labour Party lapse in 1982, but was declared an honorary member on 21 February 1983.

Reg Goodwin died at a nursing home in West Sussex on 29 September 1986, aged 78, after a long illness.