Shirley Williams
The Right Honourable The Baroness Williams of Crosby PC President of the Social Democratic Party In office 7 July 1982 – 29 August 1987 Leader Roy Jenkins David Owen Preceded by Office Created Succeeded by John Cartwright Secretary of State for Education and Science In office 10 September 1976 – 4 May 1979 Prime Minister James Callaghan Preceded by Fred Mulley Succeeded by Mark Carlisle Paymaster General In office 10 September 1976 – 4 May 1979 Prime Minister James Callaghan Preceded by Edmund Dell Succeeded by Angus Maude Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection In office 5 March 1974 – 10 September 1976 Prime Minister Harold Wilson James Callaghan Preceded by Office Created Succeeded by Roy Hattersley Shadow Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection In office 4 May 1973 – 5 March 1974 Leader Harold Wilson Preceded by Office Created Succeeded by Sally Oppenheim-Barnes Shadow Home Secretary In office 19 October 1971 – 4 May 1973 Leader Harold Wilson Preceded by James Callaghan Succeeded by Roy Jenkins Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Services In office 19 June 1970 – 19 October 1971 Leader Harold Wilson Succeeded by Roy Jenkins Minister of State for Home Affairs In office 13 October 1969 – 23 June 1970 Prime Minister Harold Wilson Preceded by Victor Collins Succeeded by Richard Sharples Minister of State for Education and Science In office 29 August 1967 – 13 October 1969 Prime Minister Harold Wilson Preceded by Goronwy Roberts Succeeded by Alice Bacon Member of Parliament for Crosby In office 26 November 1981 – 9 June 1983 Preceded by Graham Page Succeeded by Malcolm Thornton Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stevenage In office 28 February 1974 – 3 May 1979 Preceded by Constituency Created Succeeded by Bowen Wells Member of Parliament for Hitchin In office 15 October 1964 – 28 February 1974 Preceded by Martin Maddan Succeeded by Ian Stewart Personal details Born Shirley Vivian Teresa Brittain Catlin (1930-07-27) 27 July 1930 (age 84) Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom Political party Liberal Democrats (1988–present) Other political affiliations Labour (1964–1981) Social Democratic (1981–1988) Alma mater Somerville College, Oxford Columbia University Profession Journalist Religion Roman Catholicism Shirley Vivian Teresa Brittain Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, PC (born 27 July 1930), née Catlin, is a British politician and academic. Originally a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) and Cabinet Minister, she was one of the "Gang of Four" rebels who founded the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1981. Between 2001 and 2004, she served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and, from 2007 to 2010, as Adviser on Nuclear Proliferation to Prime Minister Gordon Brown. She currently serves as an active lawmaker in the House of Lords and as Professor Emerita of Electoral Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, among numerous other activities.