Edward Emanuel Isbey QSO (3 August 1917 – 25 July 1995) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.
[2] Isbey was a clothing factory manager from 1948 to 1953, then went into dairy farming in Mercer and later Hokianga, before working on the waterfront (1954–1969).
[4] He was a close friend and associate of leading unionists such as Tom Skinner and Jim Knox.
[7] In 1973 he was elected vice-president of the Labour Party, after withdrawing from the ballot for president in favour of Charles Bennett.
[8] His win was something of a surprise with Stan Rodger, President of the Public Service Association, seen as the front-runner.
Other aspirants were Ron Barclay, Roger Drayton, Jonathan Hunt, Gerald O'Brien and Trevor Young (all MPs).
[9] As vice-president he pledged himself to bring about greater unity between the industrial and political wings of the Labour movement.
[11] In 1978 his seat of Grey Lynn was abolished, absorbed mostly into Auckland Central, in an electoral redistribution.
Isbey put himself forward for the seat of Te Atatu before withdrawing at the last moment on a tip he would win the Waitakere nomination.
In December 1987, shortly after leaving parliament, Isbey was appointed to the board of the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
He crewed a whaling ship to Antarctica in 1939 before joining Merchant Navy (like his brother) during World War II.