Kenneth Robinson

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Kenneth Robinson bigraphy, stories - British politician

Kenneth Robinson : biography

19 March 1911 – 16 February 1996

Sir Kenneth Robinson PC (19 March 1911 – 16 February 1996) was a British Labour politician who served as Minister of Health in Harold Wilson’s first government, from 1964 to 1968, when the position was merged into the new title of Secretary of State for Social Services.

Early life

The son of Dr Clarence Robinson and a nurse, Ethel Marion Linell, Kenneth Robinson was born on 19 March 1911 in Warrington, north west England and educated at Oundle School up to the point of his father dying when he was just 15 years old. After his mother pulled him from the school on cost grounds he later worked as a writer, insurance broker and company secretary. He joined the Royal Navy during World War II as an ordinary seaman, was commissioned in 1942 and promoted to lieutenant-commander in 1944. He served on the HMS King George V. Robinson’s education was remarkable in that he received no further education after the age of 15 and was entirely self-taught.

Obituary in Independent 21 February 1996

Other Roles

Robinson served as Chairman of English National Opera from 1972 to 1977, of the Greater London Council’s London Transport Executive from 1975 to 1978, and of the Arts Council of Great Britain from 1977 to 1982.

He was knighted in April 1983 for services to the Arts.

Robinson died in London on 16 February 1996.

Political career

Robinson was a St Pancras borough councillor 1945-1949. He was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Pancras North in a by-election in 1949. He was a government assistant whip from 1950 until 1951. He joined the cabinet and was made a Privy Counsellor in 1964. Reforms he oversaw include the banning on cigarette television advertising and the reintroduction of prescription charges. When his position of Minister of Health was abolished in 1968, Robinson was appointed Minister for Planning and Land, only for this position to be abolished a year later. Robinson left Parliament in 1970.

Robinson was probably one of the UK’s most respected Health Ministers. He was always willing to listen, and indeed took informal advice from his local GPs during difficult negotiations over the GP Charter in 1965. John Horder stated of Robinson’s role as Minister of Health: "Kenneth brought to this crisis a mind that was well prepared and the calmness, consideration and personality which we all have known."

 Robinson noticed problems with Britain's approach to General Practice Medicine, and quickly sought to reach agreement with practitioners and change the organization, funding, and nature of practice in the system. Robinson published the first consultative document on reorganisation and the need for administrative reform of the National Health System. One compromise he instituted was to reduced the number of hospital beds, under an argument of current under-utilization, and in agreement with the medical profession. In return, the government lifted the limits on fees that medical consultants could charge to patients. These actions helped to form the basis for the 1966 General Practitioner's Charter, which Robinson negotiated with Dr. James Cameron, the General Medical Services Committee chairman. Robinson also placed emphasis on nursing, appointing Sir Brian Salmon to a special committee of management experts and nurses, which looked into ways to advise and prepare senior staff at hospitals for their posts. 

Opposed Scientology in 1960s

Robinson had served as the first chairman of the National Association of Mental Health (now known as Mind). His interest in mental health issues brought him into conflict with the Church of Scientology, considered to hold controversial views on mental health: as Minister, he told the House of Commons that he was satisfied that "Scientology is socially harmful". Robinson stated that there was a "grave concern" among local government at the time about Scientology, and its potential effects on the town of East Grinstead.