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Edward Watson Short, Baron Glenamara (born 17 December 1912), is a former Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne, who was a minister during the Labour Governments of Harold Wilson.
He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1964, and is also a Companion of Honour.
He became a notorious figure among fans of offshore radio because he was United Kingdom Postmaster-General (then the minister with responsibility for broadcasting) in 1967 when the Marine etc. Offences and Broadcasting Act, which clamped down on the "pirate" stations, was passed. He was Chairman of Cable and Wireless Ltd from 1976 to 1980. It was a nationalised industry at the time.
As a life peer he is still an active member of the House of Lords.
His name lives on in the House of Commons with the term "Short Money". This refers to funds paid by the Government to help run the Parliamentary office of the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Short pioneered this idea during his time in the House.
He was made a Freeman of the City of Newcastle "in recognition of his eminent and outstanding public service as former Member of Newcastle City Council, former MP for Newcastle Central Constituency, former Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Deputy Prime Minister and currently Chancellor of the University of Northumbria at Newcastle."
It has been suggested that the British secret services set up a fake bank account in Short's name in 1974, designed specifically to create the impression that he was corrupt. This has never been officially confirmed or denied.
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