David Penhaligon - Parliamentary Activity

Parliamentary Activity

Penhaligon was readopted and worked on trying to persuade the remaining Labour voters in the seat to back him. In the October 1974 election he was elected with a majority of 464 votes – the only Liberal gain of that election. Due to House of Commons rules on 'offices of profit under the crown' he transferred his sub-postmastership to his wife. In Parliament he swiftly won a reputation for humorous speeches, urging a national minimum wage and increased state pensions. He voted for fellow Cornish MP John Pardoe over David Steel in the Liberal leadership election of 1976. He was hard to place in conventional political terms: he changed his mind over capital punishment, initially voting against in December 1974, but supporting it in December 1975.

Although frequently speaking on national issues, it was clear that Penhaligon's main concern was local. He became known in particular for defending the Cornish tin mining industry and the local Fishing fleets. He spoke with conviction and knowledge about the problems of rural areas in Cornwall with road fuel costs and inadequate infrastructure.