1959–1974 Lord Richard had been an active member of the
Labour Party and the
Fabian Society since University and stood for Parliament in
Kensington South in the
general election of 1959. This was one of the most prosperous constituencies in the whole country, and he came third, but it was intended as no more than an opportunity to try his campaigning skills. For the
1964 election, Richard was adopted as candidate for
Baron's Court, a highly marginal constituency between
Hammersmith and
Fulham. Baron's Court had seen knife-edge contests before, and the presence of the
BBC television centre nearby ensured good media coverage. Richard won the seat by just over 1,000 votes. In Parliament he served briefly as an assistant to
Denis Healey as
Secretary of State for Defence and was appointed as Minister for the Army in 1969. He was lucky to keep his seat despite the swing to the Conservatives in the 1970 election, and he became an opposition spokesman on telecommunications. He lost this job when he voted in favour of joining the
European Communities (Common Market) in 1971, but was swiftly reappointed as a Foreign Affairs spokesman. However, the Baron's Court seat was too small to survive the redistribution that took effect in 1974. Richard found it difficult to find a new seat, as
pro-Europeanism was not popular within the Labour Party. He was eventually chosen at the last minute to fight
Blyth against the sitting Labour MP who had been deselected in a row over his allegations of the corruption of the local Labour Party. With no background in the area and a popular opponent, Richard was defeated convincingly.
1974–1985 The incoming Labour Government appointed him in June 1974 as the UK Permanent Representative to the UN, where he served for five years. Richard played a role in trying to bring together the sides in the Middle East and Rhodesia conflicts. He became a figure of controversy after the then US Ambassador,
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, criticised the UN for passing a resolution stating that
Zionism was a form of racism, and Richard denounced him for behaving "like the
Wyatt Earp of international politics." Richard presided as chairman over the
Geneva Conference on
Rhodesia from 28 October to 14 December 1976. The conference was called to implement the terms of Henry Kissinger's agreement with Prime Minister
Ian Smith of Rhodesia from the previous month on the creation of an interim government to preside. At the same time, a new majority-rule constitution was written. But the various African nationalists from Rhodesia refused to recognise the agreement and no progress was made during the six weeks of the conference. Smith was scathing in his treatment of Richard in his memoirs, citing Richard's "lack of integrity and courage" in failing to hold to the terms of the Kissinger agreement. The incoming Conservative government in 1979 replaced Richard within months. However, in 1980 he was chosen by the Labour Party to take one of the posts on the European Commission (replacing
Roy Jenkins). It was known that he was the Labour Party's third choice for the position: former Treasury Minister
Joel Barnett had rejected an invitation, and the Conservative government had vetoed former Defence Secretary
Fred Mulley. Richard took responsibility for Employment, Social Policy, Education and Training.
After 1985 Richard returned to Wales in 1985 and was appointed Chairman of World Trade Centre Wales Ltd., which tried to attract international investors for Welsh business. He unsuccessfully sought the Labour nomination for
Cardiff West losing to
Rhodri Morgan. In 1990, his name was included on a list of Labour Party 'Working Peers', and was created a
life peer on 14 May 1990 taking the title
Baron Richard, of
Ammanford in the
County of Dyfed and became an opposition spokesman in the
House of Lords. His barrister's style led to his appointment as Leader of the Labour Peers from 1992, which brought with it appointment to the
Privy Council. Richard led Labour in the Lords during their final spell in their near 20-year opposition before the landslide victory in 1997. Richard attempted to step up the Labour attack and in late 1993 pioneered an unprecedented (for the House of Lords)
Motion of No Confidence in the Government, although he acknowledged it was a symbolic gesture and would not bring down the government, due to the primacy of the
House of Commons. When Labour won the 1997 election, Richard became
Lord Privy Seal and
Leader of the House of Lords. With Labour policy favouring a reform of the House starting with removing the
hereditary peers, Richard began work on the new composition of the House but was shocked when he was suddenly removed at the first reshuffle in July 1998 to be replaced by
Baroness Jay of Paddington. His thoughts on the reform of the House were published in
Unfinished Business in 1999, and Richard became a
critical friend of the Government. Lord Richard latterly served as chairman of the parliamentary Joint Committee on the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill. ==Death==