Michael Foot 1913 – 2010
By Michael Foot died today. He’s best known as leading Labour from 1980 until 1983, and having a hand in writing the “longest suicide note in history”, or officially the Labour Party Manifesto for the 1983 elections. Foot was as old Labour as they come, and his election as leader in 1980 prompted the “gang of four” to break off and form the Social Democratic Party, which would eventually merge with the Liberals.
Foot was also born and raised in Plymouth, and a life long supporter of Plymouth Argyle FC, and I believe that he was a director of the club for a while. For his 90th birthday the club formally registered him as a player and issued him with a squad number of 90.
Considering the quality of Argyle’s play of late, the running joke is obvious.
Ongoing tributes to Foot can be found at The Guardian here.
