Ray Powell (British politician)

For articles about other persons with the same name, see Ray Powell (disambiguation).

Sir Raymond Powell (19 June 1928 – 7 December 2001) was a Welsh politician who served as the Labour Member of Parliament for Ogmore. He continued as constituency MP until his death.^[1]

Sir Ray Powell
Powell giving the result of the Maastricht bill in 1993
Member of Parliament for Ogmore
In office 3 May 1979 – 7 December 2001
Preceded by	Walter Padley
Succeeded by	Huw Irranca-Davies
Personal details
Born	(1928-06-19)19 June 1928 Treorchy, Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Died	7 December 2001(2001-12-07) (aged 73) London, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Marion Evans ​ (m. 1950)​
Children	Janice Gregory
Alma mater	London School of Economics

Background

Powell was born at Treorchy, Mid Glamorgan, in 1928. He was educated at Pentre Grammar School, the National Council of Labour Colleges, and the London School of Economics^[2]

Career

A former shop worker and manager, he was sponsored by his trade union, USDAW,^[2] and entered Parliament at the 1979 election, after becoming chairman of the Welsh Labour Party in 1977; he was an opponent of Welsh devolution. He was an opposition whip from 1983 to 1995, when he retired to the backbenches. He was knighted in 1996. He was opposed to Sunday trading and was active in Parliament to block legislation to allow it.^[2]

Personal life and death

Powell married Marion Evans in 1950, and their daughter, Janice Gregory, was a member of the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2016.^[2]

Powell died from an apparent asthma attack at his home in London on 7 December 2001, at the age of 73.^[3]