Sir Richard Knowles, known commonly as Dick Knowles, who died on 17 February, 2008, was a Labour Party politician and the influential leader of Birmingham City Council during the 1980s.

He oversaw Birmingham’s revitalisation from a dour industrial city to a thriving cultural centre and was also noted for his efforts to improve racial integration in the metropolis. He was later made lord mayor of the city and knighted for his work.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair paid tribute to Sir Richard on his 90th birthday in May 2007, telling Parliament: "He did an immense amount for Birmingham. The work that he did is one of the reasons why Birmingham is such a thriving and successful European city today."

Richard Marchant Knowles was born on 20 May, 1917 in Plaxton, Kent. At 14 he began working with a building firm. He served with the Royal Engineers during the Second World War before returning to the construction trade.

In 1950, he became involved in trade union activism and over the next 20 years he worked in Kent, Dover, Leeds and eventually Birmingham. In 1972, his political career began when he was elected to Birmingham City Council under the banner of the socialist Co-operative Party.

He ascended through the ranks quickly, serving as a planning committee chairman, alderman and a member of the policy committee. In 1982, he was made leader of the local Labour party and two years later they were successfully elected to power in the city council.

During nine years in control, Sir Richard played a key role in such developments as the International Convention Centre, changing initial Tory plans for an out-of-city building to locate it more centrally, kick-starting a flurry of inner-city commercial developments.

He also oversaw the building of Birmingham’s Symphony Hall in 1991, as well as the foundation of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Birmingham Royal Ballet, helping shape a new image for a city previously seen as devoid of culture and reducing the city’s reliance on the faltering manufacturing trade.

He also helped ethnic minorities integrate into the local community with an approach that emphasised Birmingham’s historical diversity, likening Irish, Welsh and Scottish workers who arrived during the Industrial Revolution to the Asian, Caribbean and European peoples who had immigrated during the 20th century. "Today we are all Brummies working together for a brighter, richer future," he said at the ‘Together in Birmingham’ multicultural festival in 1993.

Sir Richard, who was knighted in 1989, stepped down as council leader in 1993, becoming the city’s lord mayor the following year. He continued to be politically active, campaigning on behalf of the local NHS hospital trust and standing (unsuccessfully) for re-election to the council as late as 2000.

His successor as leader of Birmingham City Council, Sir Albert Bore, spoke of what has been described as a ‘golden period’ in local politics: "When he came to power we were in the middle of recession … Dick was a leader who saw that the way out, since the Government weren’t assisting in any meaningful way, was to strike out ourselves and try and turn the basis of the economy around."

Former Conservative council leader Sir Neville Bosworth paid tribute to his former political rival, saying: "It was a relationship we had together which encompassed the best traditions of civilised politics. His integrity was first class. I hope people will study his career and take his life as an example of the way politics should be conducted."

Current leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby, said that Dick Knowles had playing a significant role in "the renaissance and rebirth of Birmingham" and also described him as an "exceptional raconteur" who "gained the respect of all parties".

Sir Richard was married twice. His first wife, Dorothy, died in 1979. He was survived by his second wife, Anne, and their son Bill. "He was a wonderful father. He was great fun and a great joker, as much as he could be in politics," he said. He also had a grandson, a step-granddaughter and two great grand-daughters. He died at the age of 90 from bladder cancer.