Political History
Politically active all his life, he joined the Socialist Action League (SAL) in 1970. By 1972 he was both the National Secretary of the SAL and chairman of "Socialists for Labour". By 1985 Locke had left the SAL but was still involved in various issue movements. These included Latin America, the Philippines and East Timor solidarity movements and the anti-nuclear movement.
In 1989 Jim Anderton broke away from the Labour Party to form the NewLabour Party (NLP). Locke as well as several other former SAL members were given roles in the NLP's first National Council. Locke was their foreign affairs spokesperson and stood as the NLP candidate for Eden in the 1990 election.
In December 1991 the NLP merged with the Greens, Mana Motuhake and the Democrats to form the Alliance Party. Locke continued as foreign affairs spokesperson for the Alliance and stood in Eden in the 1993 election and Owairaka in the 1996 election.
However, by 1997 the Greens had decided to leave the Alliance. Soon after Locke left the Alliance and joined the Greens where he was made foreign affairs spokesperson.
Read more about this topic: Keith Locke
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