Gwilym Roberts


Gwilym Edffrwd Roberts was a British Labour Party politician, who was Member of Parliament for South Bedfordshire from 1966 to 1970, and for Cannock from February 1974 to 1983.

Early life

Roberts was educated at Brynrefail Grammar School and the University of Wales. He was a lecturer in scientific management techniques and served as a councillor on Luton Borough Council from 1965.

Parliamentary career

Roberts contested Ormskirk in 1959 and Conway in 1964. He was Member of Parliament for South Bedfordshire from 1966 to 1970, and for Cannock from February 1974 to 1983. Boundary changes that year changed his seat to Cannock and Burntwood, but he lost it in Labour's landslide defeat to the Conservative Gerald Howarth. He stood again in that constituency in 1987, but Howarth increased his majority.

After Parliament

Following his Westminster defeat he resumed his career in local government, serving as leader of Cannock Chase District Council, where he represented the Rugeley ward of Brereton and Ravenhill until losing his seat in 2002. He served as a Labour councillor on Staffordshire County Council, representing the Brereton and Ravenhill division, which incorporates a slightly larger area than the district council ward of the same name. He retired from membership of the County Council in 2010.
He continued to live in Rugeley with his wife until his death in 2018.