WESTM NSTER HAUL
Page 7
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"I'VE emerged from hauling away at an oar down below, and am now standing on the deck."
Not a bad simile from Roger Stott, who had just been appointed to Albert Booth's shadow transport team.
For the pleasant 37-year-old Member from Westhoughton has sailed the ocean wave — though he does not think that his five years as a merchant seaman will mean that he will concentrate on any docks and ships left under Government control, "We haven't quite decided how the duties will be shared out," he explains. "At the moment we are looking at the Transport Bill, and I would imagine that the major work here will be done by Albert (Booth) and John (Prescott).
"I will have to read myself in — that's a task for the post-Christmas period. expect to be dealing with road safety — in close touch with such organisations as RoSPA, and the AA — and paying attention to such topics as drinking and driving."
But if Mr Stott is taking his first tentative steps on deck, he has not spent all time lying down below. After seeing a fair part of the world on tramp steamers — including a period on charter for the Chinese Government — he came ashore to work as a telephone engineer, and eventually to join the Council in his hometown of Rochdale.
His first attempt to enter Parliament was in 1970, when he represented Labour in the no-hope seat of Cheadle, which was won by the Tories from the Liberals. Reward came three years later when the MP for Westhoughton died, and the young telephone engineer won the seat he has held ever since.
In two years he had taken that first step up to the deck when Eric Varley was appointed Industry Secretary. Mr Stott became his Parliamentary Private Secretary, a sort of midshipman, whose job is to stay quiet and see that life runs smoothly for his officer.
He must have managed the job pretty well, for in 1976 he got the same job with the captain, Prime Minister Jim Callaghan himself.
Now, in the normal course of events a man who makes life easier for a Premier can look forward to promotion. A general election put paid to that, for the time being at least, and instead of handling his PPS a junior Ministerial job, the outgoing Prime Minister saw to it that he got a CBE.
This adornment which would seem to fit in with Mr Stott's political life style. For up to now he has given no indication that he is a Jolly Roger type.
But, though he may not be piratical, Roger Stott is likable and industrious. He should make a handy lieutenant for Mr Booth.