17/06/2026
We were saddened to hear of the passing of former Labour Deputy Leader and Hull alumnus Roy Hattersley this weekend.
Like generations of students before and since, Roy Hattersley arrived at the University of Hull determined to make a difference. He graduated in 1953 with a BSc in Economics, a degree he believed to be essential to his political calling.
Active in politics at the University, he set about transforming the then Socialist Society into the Labour Club, broadening its base and its international connections - projects he pursued throughout his career, shaping the modern Labour Party as its Deputy Leader.
Roy Hattersley believed passionately in expanding educational opportunities and offering diverse routes into higher education. More than seventy years on, the University of Hull is proud to share his goal of globally connected education delivering opportunities and growth for our diverse students and communities. We offer our sympathies to his wife and many friends and former colleagues at this sad time.
With John Prescott and Tom Watson, Roy Hattersley is one of three Labour Deputy Leaders who studied at the University of Hull.