John Wakeham

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

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
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	The Lord Waddington
Succeeded by	Viscount Cranborne
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
In office 11 April 1992 – 20 July 1994
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	The Lord Waddington
Succeeded by	Viscount Cranborne
In office 13 June 1987 – 10 January 1988
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John Biffen
Succeeded by	The Lord Belstead
Secretary of State for Energy
In office 24 July 1989 – 11 April 1992
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher John Major
Preceded by	Cecil Parkinson
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Lord President of the Council
In office 10 January 1988 – 24 July 1989
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	The Viscount Whitelaw
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Howe
Leader of the House of Commons
In office 13 June 1987 – 24 July 1989
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John Biffen
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Howe
Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
In office 9 June 1983 – 13 June 1987
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Michael Jopling
Succeeded by	David Waddington
Minister of State for the Treasury
In office 6 April 1982 – 9 June 1983
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	The Lord Cockfield
Succeeded by	Barney Hayhoe
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office 15 September 1981 – 6 April 1982
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Michael Marshall
Succeeded by	John Butcher
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
In office 9 January 1981 – 15 September 1981
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	David Waddington
Succeeded by	Tony Newton
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Life peerage 29 April 1992
Member of Parliament for South Colchester and Maldon (Maldon 1974–1983)
In office 28 February 1974 – 16 March 1992
Preceded by	Brian Harrison
Succeeded by	John Whittingdale
Personal details
Born	(1932-06-22) 22 June 1932
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	Roberta Wakeham ​ ​ (m. 1965; died 1984)​ Alison Ward ​ (m. 1985)​
Children	3
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford

Wakeham was a director of Enron from 1994 until its bankruptcy in 2001.

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

Wakeham stood unsuccessfully in Coventry East in 1966 and in Putney in 1970 before his election to the House of Commons at the February 1974 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Maldon 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, serving as the Leader of the House of Lords until 1994.

Wakeham 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.

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 and they have a son of their own. Before being Wakeham's secretary, Ward had been Margaret Thatcher's secretary.

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)

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 Archived 4 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine, apfn.org