Michael Cocks
Michael Francis Lovell Cocks, Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe, PC was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.Cocks was born in Leeds, and was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, and Silcoates School, Wakefield. After obtaining a BSc at Bristol University he became a geography teacher and later lectured at Bristol Polytechnic.Political career
Cocks contested Bristol West in 1959 and South Gloucestershire in 1964 and 1966. He was Member of Parliament for Bristol South from 1970 until 1987, after being deselected as a candidate in 1986 and replaced by Dawn Primarolo.
During his time in the House of Commons, Cocks served as a Labour whip in government and in opposition, being Chief Whip from 1976–85.
Cocks was created a life peer on 6 October 1987, becoming Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe, of Chinnor in the County of Oxfordshire and served as vice-chairman of the BBC 1993–98.
He also served as Deputy Chairman of the London Docklands Development Corporation. As Government Chief Whip from 1976 to 1979 he had the task of ensuring Government majorities for a minority government.Personal life
Cocks and his first wife Janet, whom he married in 1954, separated in 1976. He was married to Valerie Davis from 1979 until his death in 2001.
