Michael Carr (Labour politician)
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Michael Carr (May 27, 1947 – July 20, 1990) was a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament for Bootle for 57 days in 1990 from his election until his death.
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[edit] Career
Carr was born in his future constituency of Bootle. He went to St Mary's College in nearby Crosby but was not academic and on leaving obtained employment as a wharfinger in the docks on the Mersey. He joined the Transport and General Workers Union which represented the dock workers, and became active in union affairs. During the 1970s he was elected as a Labour councillor on West Lancashire district council.
[edit] Labour politics
From 1984, Carr became a full-time TGWU official. He moved to Liverpool and was also made Secretary of Liverpool Walton Constituency Labour Party. Following the death from cancer of Allan Roberts, Carr was selected as Labour candidate and easily won the byelection to replace him as Member of Parliament on May 24, 1990.
[edit] Sudden death
On July 20, 1990 Carr attended a meeting of the General Management Committee of Liverpool Walton CLP in his role as Secretary. The meeting was extremely heated as followers of the Militant Tendency were gearing up to increase their influence in the constituency party in preparation for the Parliamentary selection following the retirement of Eric Heffer. Carr felt chest pains and went outside for some fresh air, but broke into a cold sweat and had to sit down. He complained of 'pins and needles' and his hands were numb. An ambulance was called and Carr was admitted to Walton Hospital at 9:54 PM.
To Carr's surprise, at the hospital he was told that his problem was hyperventilation, and at 10:25 he was discharged with a letter telling him to see his Doctor, and sent home in a taxi. When he arrived home he became ill again, and another ambulance was called. Carr had a heart attack and fell into a coma; efforts to revive him in the Accident and Emergency department of Walton Hospital were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 11:50 PM.
[edit] Aftermath
The circumstances of Carr's death required an inquest and one was convened on February 26, 1991. When the full story emerged, the Merseyside coroner Stanley Barter postponed the inquest to consider criminal charges for negligence against some of the health care personnel involved. On April 9, 1992 (coincidentally the same day as the general election), the coroner decided against charges. Lynda Carr, Michael Carr's widow, then successfully sought a Judicial review of this decision (May 28, 1993) and a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, although insufficient evidence was found to prosecute.
The judicial review also nullified the proceedings at the first inquest, and ordered a new one under a different coroner. This second inquest opened on February 20, 1995. On February 23, 1995 a verdict of death by natural causes was recorded. After Carr's death another by-election for the seat had to be held in November of the year, and was won by the Labour candidate, Joe Benton.
[edit] External links
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by Allan Roberts |
Member of Parliament for Bootle May 1990–November 1990 |
Succeeded by Joe Benton |
