Anthony Crosland

The Right Honourable Anthony Crosland
Crosland in 1970
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office 8 April 1976 – 19 February 1977
Prime Minister	James Callaghan
Preceded by	James Callaghan
Succeeded by	David Owen
Secretary of State for the Environment
In office 5 March 1974 – 8 April 1976
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Geoffrey Rippon
Succeeded by	Peter Shore
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment
In office 19 June 1970 – 5 March 1974
Leader	Harold Wilson
Succeeded by	Margaret Thatcher
Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning
In office 6 October 1969 – 19 June 1970
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Tony Greenwood (Minister, Housing and Local Government)
Succeeded by	Peter Walker (Minister of State, Housing and Local Government)
President of the Board of Trade
In office 29 August 1967 – 6 October 1969
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Douglas Jay
Succeeded by	Roy Mason
Secretary of State for Education and Science
In office 22 January 1965 – 29 August 1967
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Michael Stewart
Succeeded by	Patrick Gordon Walker
Minister of State for Economic Affairs
In office 20 October 1964 – 22 January 1965
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Austen Albu
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
In office 19 October 1964 – 22 December 1964
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Maurice Macmillan
Succeeded by	Office abolished (eventually Jock Bruce-Gardyne)
Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby
In office 8 October 1959 – 19 February 1977
Preceded by	Kenneth Younger
Succeeded by	Austin Mitchell
Member of Parliament for South Gloucestershire
In office 23 February 1950 – 6 May 1955
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Frederick Corfield
Personal details
Born	Charles Anthony Raven Crosland (1918-08-29)29 August 1918 St Leonards-on-Sea, England
Died	19 February 1977(1977-02-19) (aged 58) Oxford, England
Political party	Labour
Spouses	Hilary Anne Sarson ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1957)​ Susan Catling ​ ​ (m. 1964)​
Parent	Jessie Raven Crosland (mother)
Education	Highgate School
Alma mater	Trinity College, Oxford

Charles Anthony Raven Crosland (29 August 1918 – 19 February 1977) was a British Labour Party politician and author. A social democrat on the right wing of the Labour Party, he was a prominent socialist intellectual. His influential book The Future of Socialism (1956) argued against many Marxist notions and the traditional Labour Party doctrine that expanding public ownership was essential to make socialism work, arguing instead for prioritising the end of poverty and improving public services. He offered positive alternatives to both the right wing and left wing of the Labour Party.

Having served as Member of Parliament (MP) for South Gloucestershire from 1950 to 1955, Crosland returned to Parliament for Great Grimsby (1959–1977). During Harold Wilson's governments of 1964–1970 he served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury (1964), then Minister of State for Economic Affairs (1964–1965). Entering the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Education and Science (1965–1967), he led the Labour campaign to replace grammar schools with comprehensive schools that did not use the eleven-plus for the selection of pupils. He later served as President of the Board of Trade (1967–1969), then Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning (1969–1970).

When Labour returned to power he served as Secretary of State for the Environment (1974–1976) and briefly as Foreign Secretary (1976–1977). In that role he promoted détente with the Soviet Union. He died suddenly in February 1977 of a cerebral haemorrhage, aged 58.