Former Labour depuuty leader Roy Hattersley has left a portion of his estate to the Dogs Trust. The £25,000 donation honors his dog, Buster, following a famous 1996 incident in St James's Park.
Maggie Hattersley inherits the literary and financial bulk
Roy Hattersley's estate, valued at £586,018, reflects a life spent in the highest echelons of British politics and literature. According to the report, the majority of these funds, totaling approximately £431,018 after gifts to friends, is destined for his widow, Maggie.
Maggie Hattersley, the late politician's widow and former literary agent, is also set to inherit his entire literary estate. This includes every published and unpublished manuscript, letter, and copyright he left behind, representing the work of a man who authored more than 20 books during his career.
A £25,000 tribute to the infamous Buster
The Dogs Trust has been named as a beneficiary of a £25,000 legacy in the late politician's will. This specific donation serves as a poignant tribute to Buster, the mongrel dog that became a part of British political folklore after a walk in St James's Park in April 1996.
The 1996 incident in St James's Park, involving Buster and a royal goose, remains a defining piece of Hattersley's personal history. After the dog killed one of the Queen's geese, Hattersley pleaded guilty by letter and was fined £75. He later famously reframed the event in his book, Buster's Diaries, which was written from the dog's perspective.
From Birmingham Sparkbrook to the Deputy Leadership
Roy Hattersley's political career spanned over three decades of service in the House of Commons. Representing the Birmingham Sparkbrook constituency from 1964 to 1997 , he held several significant ministerial positions, including employment minister and deputy defence minister under Harold Wilson.
The report states that Hattersley also served as minister of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs and held the role of secretary for prices and consumer protection in James Callaghan's cabinet.. He eventually rose to become the deputy leader to Neil Kinnock between 1983 and 1992,a period during which he was famously satirized by Spitting Image.
Which charities will receive the remaining £25,000?
The specific recipients of the remaining £25,000 charitable fund have yet to be determined. While the Dogs Trust is a confirmed beneficiary, the will instructs trustees to select other organizations while bearing in mind any specific wishes Hattersley may have left behind.
It remains unknown which specific charities the trustees will choose or what particular instructions regarding those wishes were documented. The final distribution of these funds will depend on the trustees' interpretation of the late politician's personal values and unstated preferences.
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