Edward Short, Baron Glenamara
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- Edward Short redirects here; for the Canadian judge, see Edward Short (Canadian judge).
The Right Honourable Edward Watson Short, Baron Glenamara, CH, PC (born 17 December 1912) is a former Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central, who was a minister during the Labour Governments of Harold Wilson.
Short was elected a councillor on Newcastle City Council where he led the Labour Group. He was first elected to Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne Central at the 1951 general election. He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1964, and is also a Companion of Honour.
He became a notorious figure among fans of offshore radio because he was United Kingdom Postmaster-General (then the minister with responsibility for broadcasting) in 1967 when the Marine etc. Offences and Broadcasting Act, which clamped down on the "pirate" stations, was passed.
He subsequently served as Education Secretary from 1968-70, and became Labour's deputy leader in 1972 when Roy Jenkins resigned over differences on European policy. Short was seen at the time as a "safe pair of hands." His main rival for the job was the left-winger Michael Foot who was viewed by many on the centre and right of the party as a divisive figure.
Short's new seniority was reflected in his appointment as Lord President of the Council - though not Deputy Prime Minister - from 1974-76, but he did not have the stature to mount a leadership bid himself on Wilson's retirement. He was not offered a Cabinet post on James Callaghan's election as Premier. His resignation letter said that the time had come to step aside for a younger man; this was sarcastic, as he was replaced by Michael Foot, who is only slightly younger than himself. He refused to resign as Labour's deputy leader until he was made a life peer and left the Commons. He was appointed Chairman of Cable and Wireless Ltd; he served from 1976 to 1980. It was a nationalised industry at the time.
As a life peer he is still an active member of the House of Lords.
His name lives on in the House of Commons with the term "Short Money". This refers to funds paid by the Government to help run the Parliamentary office of the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Short pioneered this idea during his time in the House.
He was made a Freeman of the City of Newcastle "in recognition of his eminent and outstanding public service as former Member of Newcastle City Council, former MP for Newcastle Central Constituency, former Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Deputy Prime Minister and currently Chancellor of the University of Northumbria at Newcastle."
It has been suggested that the British secret services set up a fake bank account in Short's name in 1974, designed specifically to create the impression that he was corrupt. This has never been officially confirmed or denied.
Template:Start box {{succession box
| title = MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central | years = 1951–1976 | before = L Wilkes | after = Harry Cowans
}} {{succession box
| title = Postmaster General | years = 1966–1968 | before = Tony Benn | after = Roy Mason
}} {{succession box
| title = Secretary of State for Education and Science | years = 1968–1970 | before = Patrick Gordon Walker | after = Margaret Thatcher
}} {{succession box two to two
| title1 = Lord President of the Council | years1 = 1974–1976 | title2 = Leader of the House of Commons | years2 = 1974–1976 | before = James Prior | after = Michael Foot