SHIRLEY WILLIAMS

Schooling: Studied philosophy, politics, and economics at Oxford; graduated 1951. Studied American trade unionism at Columbia University. Master's degree, Oxford, 1954. Political Career: Joined Labour Party at 16; ran unsuccessfully for Parliament in 1954, '55, and '59; elected in 1964, and served until 1979. She left the Labour Party in 1981 to co-found the Social Democratic Party. Elected to Parliament as Social Democrat, 1981-83.

Mrs. Williams served Labour in Parliament as paymaster general, minister of state for the Department of Education and Science, minister of state for the Home Office, and secretary of state for Prices and Consumer Protection.

Other: Williams has lectured at Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Harvard, and others. She is on leave from Harvard at the University of California, Berkeley.