Preceded by Hervey Rhodes Role British Politician Nationality British Party Labour Party | Political party Labour Succeeded by David Heyes Name Robert Baron | |
Born 13 September 1923 (age 100) ( 1923-09-13 ) Children Gillean, Terence Michael | ||
Robert Edward Sheldon, Baron Sheldon PC (born 13 September 1923) is a British Labour politician.
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Biography
Sheldon came from a family of Jewish immigrants from Iraq. His father was Meir Jack Shamash and his mother was Betty Shamash. He was born Isaac Ezra Shamash until he changed his name by deed poll in 1943. He married his first cousin Eileen Shamash at the age of 21. Sheldon was educated at Burnley Grammar School, technical colleges and the University of London. He was a Manchester City Councillor and a director of a textile firm.
Sheldon first stood for Parliament at Manchester Withington in 1959. Subsequently, he was elected member of Parliament for Ashton under Lyne at the 1964 general election, serving until the 2001 general election, at which he was replaced by David Heyes. He served on the Public Accounts Committee 1965–66, holding the chairmanship 1983–1997. He was also Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1975–1979. During his tenure as the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, he was made a Privy Counsellor in 1977. He was created a life peer as Baron Sheldon, of Ashton-under-Lyne in the County of Greater Manchester on 22 June 2001. He retired from the House of Lords on 18 May 2015.