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Eric Douglas Harvey Hoyle, Baron Hoyle, JP (born 17 February 1930) is a British Labour politician and former Member of Parliament for Nelson and Colne and Warrington North.
Parliamentary career
Hoyle first stood for Parliament at Clitheroe in 1964, but came second. In 1970 he first fought Nelson and Colne, and was defeated by the Conservative incumbent David Waddington by 1410 votes. He fought the seat again in February 1974 and reduced Waddington's margin to 177.
He was finally elected at the October 1974 general election for Nelson and Colne by 669 votes (this was the first Labour gain to be announced on election night). He narrowly lost his seat at the 1979 general election, but returned to Parliament in 1981 when he saw off a strong challenge from Roy Jenkins in a traditional safe Labour seat, in a notable by-election in Warrington when enthusiasm for the newly created Social Democratic Party was at its peak. Constituency boundaries were redrawn for the 1983 general election.
House of Lords
Hoyle stepped down at the 1997 general election, and on 14 May 1997 he was created a Life Peer as Baron Hoyle, of Warrington in the County Palatine of Cheshire.
Other interests
He is the chairman of Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club and a non-executive director of the major local employer Debt Free Direct.
Lord Hoyle, already having received the Freedom of Gibraltar in 2004, was awarded the Gibraltar Medallion of Honour, in March 2010, for being a 'supporter of Gibraltar and its people'.
In November 2010, Lord Hoyle was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by the University of Chester for his 'outstanding contribution to the Borough of Warrington'.
Family
His son, Lindsay Hoyle, is the Member of Parliament for Chorley (Labour) and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.
Styles of address
- 1930-1958: Mr E. Douglas H. Hoyle
- 1958-1974: Mr E. Douglas H. Hoyle JP
- 1974-1979: Mr E. Douglas H. Hoyle JP MP
- 1979-1981: Mr E. Douglas H. Hoyle JP
- 1981-1997: Mr E. Douglas H. Hoyle JP MP
- 1997: Mr E. Douglas H. Hoyle JP
- 1997-: The Right Honourable The Lord Hoyle JP