Aubrey Jones

Aubrey Jones was a prominent British politician and economic administrator, best known for his tenure as Minister of Fuel and Power and as the inaugural chairman of the National Board for Prices and Incomes. A Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party, his career was marked by a technocratic approach to economic management, often placing him at odds with traditional party lines. His work on incomes policy during the 1960s left a significant, though controversial, imprint on British economic policy.

Early life and education

Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, he was educated at Cyfarthfa Castle Grammar School before winning a scholarship to the London School of Economics. His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, during which he served with the Royal Artillery. After the war, he pursued a career in journalism, working for publications including *The Economist* and the *Financial Times*, which shaped his analytical perspective on industrial and economic affairs.

Political career

He was elected as the MP for Birmingham Hall Green in the 1950 general election, succeeding Edward Boyle. He quickly gained a reputation as an intellectual within the Conservative Party, often contributing to debates on economic planning and industrial strategy. His early parliamentary years coincided with the post-war Attlee ministry and the subsequent Churchill government.

Minister of Fuel and Power

Appointed as Minister of Fuel and Power by Prime Minister Anthony Eden in 1955, he oversaw a critical sector during a period of transition from post-war rationing. His tenure involved managing the relationship with the powerful National Union of Mineworkers and navigating the early stages of the shift from coal to oil as a primary energy source. He served under both Eden and his successor, Harold Macmillan, until 1957, when he left the government following a Cabinet reshuffle.

Prices and Incomes Board

In 1965, he resigned his seat in Parliament to accept an appointment from Harold Wilson's Labour government as the first chairman of the National Board for Prices and Incomes. This independent body was a cornerstone of the government's incomes policy, aimed at curbing inflation by reviewing and recommending limits on wage and price increases. His work brought him into direct conflict with both trade unions, like the Transport and General Workers' Union, and business leaders, making the board a focal point of political contention during the 1960s.

Later career and legacy

After the National Board for Prices and Incomes was abolished by the government of Edward Heath in 1971, he remained active in public life through directorships and writing. He authored several books on industrial policy and economic planning, and served on the board of British Steel Corporation. His legacy is that of a pragmatic, non-doctrinaire figure whose advocacy for managed prices and wages influenced successive governments, including the Social Contract of the 1970s. He died in London in 2003.

Category:1911 births Category:2003 deaths Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics Category:People from Merthyr Tydfil