He was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham All Saints from 1955 to 1959, and MP for Birmingham Small Heath from 1961 to 1992. In 1992, he was made a life peer and became a Member of the House of Lords.
From 1955 to 1959, he represented Birmingham All Saints in Parliament, followed by a stint as MP for Birmingham Small Heath until 1992. Two years later, he was appointed a life peer and joined the House of Lords.