Basil Goldstone

Basil Eric Goldstone (October 1909 – November 1988) was an English Liberal Party activist. He served for some years on Kingsclere and Whitchurch Rural District Council. He studied at Richmond Hill School and Dover College before joining the Royal Air Force. He stood repeatedly for the Liberal Party in general elections, but was never elected: in Hendon in 1935, Petersfield in 1945, Dover in 1950 and 1959, Basingstoke in 1964, Peterborough in 1966, Norfolk South in 1970, and Harlow in February and October 1974. He was more successful locally as he was elected in 1961 to the Kingsclere and Whitchurch Rural District Council by 450 to 50 votes.

Animal welfare

A long-term supporter of animal welfare, in 1978, he proposed wide-ranging animal protection legislation, which the party voted to support. In 1980, Goldstone founded the Liberal Animal Welfare Group. Richard D. Ryder has commented that Goldstone "rapidly made the Liberal Party the most active of the four major parties in the whole field of animal welfare".

Goldstone was an opponent of fox hunting and in 1986 criticized Henry Bellingham's arguments that fox hunting is a humane way to kill.

Death

Goldstone died at his home in King's Lynn, aged 79.