Harriet Slater represented Stoke-on-Trent in Westminster from 1953 until 1966. Her victory came in a by-election and prior to her election, Harriet served as the National Organiser for the Co-operative Party. During her thirteen years representing our City in Westminster, Harriet became the first woman to serve as a Government whip. Harriet broke through a glass ceiling which, today, seems unimaginable but at the time, her appointment as a whip was ground breaking in politics.
And yet her achievements and contributions to our society has been, sadly, forgotten but more importantly, her status as a successfully women politicians in, what was at the time, a very male dominated world.
To celebrate her, we are launching the ‘Harriet Slater Memorial Lectures’. This series of lectures will be entirely delivered by woman who have made significant contribution to the world of politics, current affairs, business and the labour. As a tribute to Harriet’s time as the first women to serve as a Government whip, we are delighted to announce that the first lecture will be given by The Rt. Hon. Baroness Taylor of Bolton who was the first women to serve as Government Chief Whip, doing so between 1998 and 2001. Baroness Taylor was also the first women to serve as Leader of the House of Commons. To this day, Baroness Taylor remains an active member of the House of Lords. movement.
The first of these lectures is taking place at 6.30pm on Friday 6th July 2018 and it kindly being co-sponsored by the North Staffordshire Co-operative Party and the National Co-operative Party and will be held at the Co-operative Academy, Westport Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4LD. Light refreshments will be served from 6.00pm