David Pitt, Baron Pitt of Hampstead

David Thomas Pitt, Baron Pitt of Hampstead, Hampstead in Greater London and of of Grenada ( born October 3, 1913 in Saint David, Grenada, † December 18, 1994 in London) was a native of Grenada British physician and politician of the Labour Party, campaigned in campaigns against racial discrimination and homelessness and 1975 as a life peer, due to the Life peerages Act 1958 a member of the House of Lords was.

Life

Studies and general practitioners

Pitt began after the school with the support of a scholarship to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine (MB). Another post-graduate studies of surgery he finished 1938 with a Bachelor of Surgery ( Ch.B. ) and was thereafter from 1941 to 1947 as a general practitioner in San Fernando down. During this time he began his political activism and served 1943-1947 as President of the West Indian National Party in Trinidad and Tobago.

1947 Pitt walked out to the UK and settled as a general practitioner in London, where he ran his own practice from 1947 until his death in 1994.

Unsuccessful House candidate in 1959 and local politics

For many Labour members Pitt was surprisingly candidate of the party in the general election on 8 October 1959 Hampstead constituency. However, he lost the constituency owner of the Conservative Party and former Minister of Housing and Local Government in the government of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, Henry Brooke significantly. While Brooke on 25,506 votes came ( 53.4 percent), which accounted for Pitt only 13,500 votes ( 28.3 percent).

In 1961 he became a member of the London County Council ( LCC) and represented there until 1965, the interests of the Metropolitan Borough of Hackney. After the establishment of the Greater London Council (GLC ) from 1965 to 1977 he was the member representing the London Borough of Hackney.

Commitment against racial discrimination

During this time, Pitt founded, which was 1966, Justice of the Peace ( Justice of the Peace ), 1965 the campaign against racial discrimination CARD ( Campaign Against Racial Discrimination ). The founding of this organization had him in the eyes of some appear as a revolutionary of the U.S. civil rights movement Black Power. As a representative of CARD he demanded that more person of color should join the police, but also led to criticism from many younger colored people because of their racist and frightening experiences with the police. Pitt argued, however, that one of the ways to amend institutions would enter into these institutions, what he thought particularly in the police to be necessary.

During this time he was also one of the participants of the peace movement Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament ( CND) organized Easter marches and also appeared against apartheid in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia as part of the Anti- Apartheid Movement (AAM ) and the successor organization, citing the words:

"You can not campaign against injustice here and ignore what is happening elsewhere. It is all part and parcel of the same struggle. "

"You can not campaigns against local injustice perform and ignore what is happening elsewhere. It's all part and parcel of the same struggle. "

Between 1968 and 1977 he was deputy chairman of the Community Relations Commission, one by the Race Relations Act 1968 ( Race Relations Act ) appointed commission to improve relations in the residential districts, and was last in 1977 its chairman. Previously, he had campaigned for this law which made it illegal to refuse housing, employment or public services on the grounds of color, race, ethnicity or nationality. On the other hand, he spoke out against the 1968 also envisaged by the Labour government under Harold Wilson Act, which was to restrict the civil rights and the entry of British from East Africa and Asia, with the words:

"You can not simultaneously hold these views. If we believe here at outlawing racial discrimination, we can not do this with the words Stop them out '. "

Unsuccessful House candidate in 1970, Upper House member and the fight against homelessness

During the elections on June 18, 1970 Pitt ran again for a parliamentary seat in the House, this time in the constituency of Clapham. However, he was defeated there as well the opposing candidate of the conservative Tories, Bill Shelton, although the constituency was previously represented by the Labour politician Margaret McKay. In the case of an election victory against Shelton Pitt would become the first black member of Parliament.

Pitt was raised because of its many years of service by a Letters Patent dated 3 February 1975 as a life peer with the title Baron Pitt of Hampstead, of Hampstead in Greater London and of Grenada to the peerage, and was until his death in the House of Lords as a member of. His maiden speech ( Maiden Speech ) he said on 12 May 1975 on the promotion of cigarettes.

In addition, it 1976, the Trinity Cross ( TC) was awarded the highest award of Trinidad and Tobago.

In 1979 he became chairman of the company founded in 1966 charity Shelter, an organization to combat homelessness, and has held this position until 1990. Afterwards it was between 1990 and 1994 Vice - President of Shelter. In addition, he was at the same time from 1985 to 1986 President of the Medical Organization British Medical Association ( BMA).