Frances Morrell

Who was Frances Morrell?

Frances Morrell was a British Labour politician who led the Inner London Education Authority 1983–87.

Frances Morrell was brought up in York and educated at Queen Anne's Grammar School there and at Hull University. Much later she undertook an MA at Goldsmiths College, London University. She worked as a schoolteacher from 1960 and married Brian Morrell in 1964. In 1970 she became a Press Officer, working for the Fabian Society and the National Union of Students. This latter role brought her into contact with Tony Benn, then coming to be seen as the leader of the Labour left, and with whom she then agreed on many important issues.

In 1973 Benn invited Morrell to be his Political Adviser should Labour win the next election. She was Labour candidate for Chelmsford in the February 1974 general election, and served as a Special Adviser to Benn at the Departments of Industry and Energy from 1974 to 1979. Benn was increasingly marginalised as the Parliament went on, but Morrell worked to link him with a network of activists outside Parliament. She was unlucky in failing to be selected for several Labour seats in the 1979 general election.