Ex-union leader in BT battle dies, 83
A Willenhall-born union chief who led the fight against the privatisation of British Telecom has died, aged 83. Bryan Stanley, was also a former Walsall councillor.
He has been described as a "pillar of the community" by his family.
Educated at Queen Mary's grammar school in Walsall, he left aged just 14 to dig trenches for telephone cables. After qualifying as a telephone engineer, he become a technical officer.
He joined the Post Office Engineers Union when he started work, and the Labour Party in 1947.
Mr Stanley was elected to the union's national executive in 1956, spearheading a longstanding but ultimately unsuccessful fight to stop BT being privatised.
He later became a Walsall councillor, before fighting four parliamentary elections: at Hereford in a 1956 by-election; Worcester in 1959 and in a by-election the following year, against the young Peter Walker; and Walsall South in 1964.
Elected to the Labour Party's National Executive Committee in 1973, he stood down in 1978 to join the Trades Union Congress' General Council. In 1986, he was elected to Hertsmere council, becoming its leader in 1996 and the mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood in 1997.
Mr Stanley is survived by his wife of 58 years, Eileen, and their two sons Peter and Ian, and five grandchildren.
His son Peter paid tribute to his father. "My father had a lot of qualities," he said.
"He was an honourable and gentle man and I was very proud to be his son."
