John Wakeham

(Maldon 1974–1983)

• Roberta Wakeham

  ​

  ​

  (m. 1965;died 1984)​
• Alison Ward

  ​

  (m. 1985)​

The Right Honourable The Lord Wakeham PC DL
Official portrait, 2019
Leader of the House of Lords
In office 11 April 1992 –20 July 1994
In office 28 February 1974 –16 March 1992
Children	3
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford

John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham, PC DL (born 22 June 1932) is a British businessman and Conservative Party politician. ^[2] He was chancellor of Brunel University between 1998 and 2012, and since then has been its chancellor emeritus. ^[3]

Wakeham was a director of Enron from 1994 ^[4] until its bankruptcy in 2001. ^[5]

Early life and education

Wakeham as Chancellor of Brunel University

Wakeham was educated at two independent schools in Surrey: Aldro School in Shackleford, and Charterhouse near Godalming. He became a successful accountant and later a businessman.

Political career

He stood unsuccessfully in Coventry East in 1966 ^[6] and in Putney in 1970 ^[6] before his election to the House of Commons at the February 1974 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Maldon ^[6] in Essex. He became a minister following Margaret Thatcher's victory in 1979.

During the late 1980s he served as Leader of the House of Commons, in which capacity he was responsible for the televising of Parliament, and as Energy Secretary (1989–92), where he drew up plans for the privatisation of electricity supply. Following a recommendation by John Major, he was created a life peer on 29 April 1992 taking the title Baron Wakeham, of Maldon in the County of Essex, ^[7] serving as the Leader of the House of Lords until 1994.

He became chairman of the Press Complaints Commission in 1995, retiring in 2001. In 1997 he was appointed a Deputy lieutenant of Hampshire. Tony Blair appointed him in 1999 to head a Royal commission on reform of the House of Lords – the resulting Wakeham Report suggested a mainly-appointed Lords be maintained, with a small elected component.^{[ citation needed ]}

Personal life

His first wife, Roberta, was killed in the Brighton hotel bombing in October 1984 and he was trapped in rubble for seven hours, suffering serious crush injuries to his legs. The couple had two children. Wakeham married his secretary, Alison Ward MBE, in 1985 ^[8] and they have a son of their own. Before being Wakeham's secretary, Ward had been Margaret Thatcher's secretary.^{[ citation needed ]}

Arms

Coat of arms of John Wakeham

Coronet A Coronet of a Baron. Crest A Greyhound statant Or, crowned with a Mural Crown chequy Azure and Argent, and supporting by the dexter foreleg a Cross Raguly Argent, nailed of three Or. Escutcheon Per fess embattled Azure and Argent, a Pale counterchanged, in the azure a Lion's Head guardant Or, langued Gules, and in the argent, a Bugle Horn Azure, garnished and stringed Or. Supporters Dexter: a Sea-Lion Azure, Mane and Head in trian aspect Argent, langued Gules, crowned with a Crown Tridenty Gold; Sinister: a Sea-Horse Azure, Head and Neck Argent, and crowned also with a Crown Tridenty Gold, the whole upon a Compartment consisting of three Bars wavy Azure, Argent and Azure, in front thereof a Grassy Mount growing therefrom three Double Roses Argent, upon Gules, barbed and seeded stalked and leaved proper. Motto Vigilo (I watch)

References

1. "Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by John Wakeham". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Retrieved 9 April 2016.
2. "Mr John Wakeham". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Retrieved 14 May 2021.
3. "Chancellor". Brunel University. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
4. Staff and agencies (30 January 2002). "Enron's board of directors". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 January 2024.
5. "UC reaches $168-million settlement with Enron directors in securities fraud case". University of California. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008.
6. Roth, Andrew; Kerbey, Janice; Tench, Judy (1984). Parliamentary Profiles S–Z. Parliamentary Profile Services. pp. 854–856. ISBN   0-900582-24-3.
7. "No. 52907". The London Gazette . 29 April 1992. p. 7461.
8. "John Wakeham: The watchdog now has to explain why he didn't bark". The Independent . 3 February 2002. Archived from the original on 16 January 2011.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by John Wakeham
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Portraits of John Wakeham at the National Portrait Gallery, London
• Wakeham profile, apfn.org

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Brian Harrison	Member of Parliament for Maldon 1974–1983	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for South Colchester and Maldon 1983–1992	Succeeded by John Whittingdale
Political offices
Preceded by Michael Jopling	Chief Whip of the Conservative Party 1983–1987	Succeeded by David Waddington
	Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury 1983–1987
Preceded by John Biffen	Lord Privy Seal 1987–1988	Succeeded by The Lord Belstead
	Leader of the House of Commons 1987–1989	Succeeded by Geoffrey Howe
Preceded by The Viscount Whitelaw	Lord President of the Council 1988–1989
Preceded by Cecil Parkinson	Secretary of State for Energy 1989–1992	Energy merged into Department of Trade and Industry
Preceded by The Lord Waddington	Leader of the House of Lords 1992–1994	Succeeded by Viscount Cranborne
	Lord Privy Seal 1992–1994
Party political offices
Preceded by The Lord Waddington	Leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords 1992–1994	Succeeded by Viscount Cranborne
Media offices
Preceded by Oliver McGregor	Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission 1995–2002	Succeeded by Robert Pinker
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn	Gentlemen Baron Wakeham	Followed by The Lord Owen