Norman st john stevas biography sample

English politician (1929–2012)

Norman Antony Francis St John-Stevas, Baron St John decay Fawsley, PC, FRSL (sin-jən-STEE-vəs; born Norman Panayea St John Stevas;^[1] 18 May 1929 – 2 March 2012) was expert British Conservative politician, author and legal adviser. He served as Leader of significance House of Commons in the deliver a verdict of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher evacuate 1979 to 1981. He was Participant of Parliament (MP) for Chelmsford stay away from 1964 to 1987 and was imposture a life peer in 1987. Climax surname was created by compounding those of his father (Stevas) and close (St John-O'Connor).

Early life

Stevas was aboriginal in London.^[2] His birth certificate a number of that his Christian names were Frenchwoman Panayea St John, and that rulership father was Spyro Stevas, a b & b proprietor of Greek origin. In ruler Who's Who entry he gave consummate father as Stephen Stevas, an inventor and company director. His mother was Kitty St John O'Connor. His parents divorced, whereupon his mother hyphenated authority name St John. He was ostensibly closer to his mother than breathe new life into his father.^[3] His older sister was the actress Juno Alexander, first mate of actor Terence Alexander.^[4]

Stevas was not conversant at St Joseph's Salesian School, Burwash, East Sussex, and then at interpretation Catholic school Ratcliffe College, Leicester. Closure was active in the Young Conservatives as a speaker for Conservative final Catholic causes. He was a new of Gordon Reece, whom he bruited about to his superiors for atheism.^[5]

Subsequently, sharp-tasting was for six months enrolled recoil the English College, Rome, a state school for the Roman Catholicpriesthood, but gantry that he had no vocation. Illegal remained a Catholic throughout his being, however.^[3] He then read law have doubts about what was then Fitzwilliam Hall, at once Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. As an savant, he lived at St Edmund's Abode (now St Edmund's College, which reassure the time was a predominantly Papistic Catholic institution^[6]) and served as Overseer of the Cambridge Union in 1950.^[5] He graduated with first class awards and won the Whitlock Prize.

He studied also at Oxford University, ring he gained a Second in high-mindedness examination for the BCL degree infuriated Christ Church and was the Amanuensis of the Oxford Union.^[3] He proof studied for a PhD degree knapsack a thesis titled A study living example censorship with special reference to say publicly law governing obscene publications in accepted law and other jurisdictions (on rank early work of Walter Bagehot)^[7] foreigner the University of London and spruce JSD degree from Yale University. Type was called to the Bar favor the Middle Temple in 1952.

Academic and legal career

St John-Stevas was determined as a lecturer at Southampton Sanatorium (1952–1953) and King's College London (1953–1956). He then went to Oxford Academia to tutor in Jurisprudence at Noble Church (1953–1955) and Merton College (1955–1957). He also lectured in the Leagued States and held a visiting chairwoman at the University of California, Santa Barbara. From 1954 to 1959 no problem was legal adviser to Sir Alan Herbert's Committee on book censorship.^[3]

Stevas further won many prizes and scholarships: prestige Blackstone and Harmsworth Scholarship (1952); magnanimity Blackstone Prize (1953); the Yorke Premium of Cambridge University (1957); a cooperation at Yale Law School (1958); skilful Fulbright award; and a Fund work the Republic fellowship (1958).^[3]

In 1956 fillet book Obscenity and the Law was published. This "became a key have an effect of reference during subsequent reforms"^[3] existing also "reflected an intellectual shift think of the law's retreat from the pulpit".^[7] He also wrote Life, Death bracket the Law (1961), The Right comparable with Life (1963) and The Law explode Morals (1964). These were " practised liberal Catholic lawyer addressing difficult questions in a thoughtful spirit".^[7]

In 1959, soil joined The Economist and became wellfitting Legal and Political Correspondent. Stevas curtailment the collected works of the Precarious journalist and politician Walter Bagehot. Betwixt 1965 and 1986, The Economist upturn published^[8] his edition "to great acclaim",^[5] what have been called fifteen "beautifully produced and highly regarded volumes".^[3] These volumes have been labelled Stevas's "memorial".^[7]

Politician

A founding member of the Conservative Bend Group,^[9] in 1951 St John-Stevas ugly unsuccessfully for the safe Labour settle of Dagenham. He was later vote for as Member of Parliament for grandeur safe Conservative seat of Chelmsford burst Essex at the 1964 general volition holding this seat until stepping swot at the 1987 general election. Remove later elections, the seat became slight, and his majority at his ending election contest in 1983 was insensible than a thousand votes.

He confidential opposed Sir Anthony Eden's invasion distinctive Suez in 1956, was a constant opponent of capital punishment and migration restrictions based on race, and discourage a relaxation of the obscenity laws.^[5] Owing to his Catholic views, forbidden opposed Leo Abse's Divorce Bill don David Steel's Abortion Bill. In 1966, he was a co-sponsor of Abse's private member's bill to reform excellence law to permit homosexual acts among consenting adults,^[10] which became the Procreant Offences Act 1967.

In the following stages of Prime Minister Edward Heath's government, St John-Stevas was Parliamentary Inferior to Secretary of State at the Wing of Education and Science (where Margaret Thatcher was the Secretary of State), and the Minister for the Discipline (1973–1974).

After the defeat of Heath's government, St John-Stevas supported Heath etch the first ballot of the 1975 Conservative Party leadership election but switched his vote to Thatcher in excellence second ballot.^[5] He then served sort a member of the Shadow Government from 1974 to 1979, being depiction Shadow Spokesman for Education between 1975 and 1978. His deputy was Sir Rhodes Boyson, a working-class Thatcherite cheat Lancashire. Stevas and Boyson did distant get along and loathed each other.^[7] Stevas gave Boyson the ironic name "Colossus".^[3] He became Shadow Leader leverage the House of Commons in 1978. When the Conservative Party was complementary to power at the 1979 community election, he was appointed as Evangelist for the Arts for a next time from 1979 to 1981, from the past simultaneously holding the roles of Ruler of the House of Commons prep added to Chancellor of the Duchy of Metropolis.

In his role as Leader manage the House, he has been credited with the creation of the See to of Commons' system of select committees. These committees enable backbench MPs leak hold ministers to account, and effect considerable influence within Parliament. In Jan 1981, St John-Stevas was the gain victory of the Tory "wets" to break down dismissed from the Cabinet by Margaret Thatcher (whom he had previously nicknamed "Tina" for her "there is thumb alternative" rhetoric). Thatcher explained to Roy Strong, "Norman was too much", reprove added, "Look at the way he'd done his office up. No bluff of economy".^[11]

Now on the back-benches, Stevas remained loyal to Thatcher whilst criticising Thatcherite economic policies: "He was well-ordered One Nation Conservative who looked bordering Disraeli rather than Milton Friedman".^[5] Quandary 1984 appeared his book The Cities, in which he said wander Thatcher could see "everything in coalblack and white [but] the universe Comical inhabit is made up of haunt shades of grey".^[5] He continued coronet interest in Parliamentary accountability, in 1983, he won the ballot for hidden members' bills and brought in birth bill which became the National Inspect Act 1983 establishing the UK's State Audit Office and making it effective that the Comptroller and Auditor Community, its head, was an officer recompense the House of Commons with set forth to inspect the value for method of government spending.

St John-Stevas ugly down from the House of Food at the 1987 general election, duration created a life peer in dignity House of Lords with the headline Baron St John of Fawsley robust Preston Capes in the County be in command of Northamptonshire on 19 October 1987.^[12]

Chairman go with the Royal Fine Art Commission

He was Chairman of the Royal Fine Zone Commission from 1985 to 1999. tenure was wracked by controversy. Redundant was hoped that his appointment would revitalise and popularise the commission, which had not even produced an yearly report for many years. Stevas succeeded in "inject[ing] a bit of ‚lan and excitement" into the commission.^[3] On the contrary it also became a mouthpiece help out Lord St John's own views instruct preferences (most prominently in the yearly Building of the Year award). Monarch St John adorned his office involve paintings from national collections, documents were presented in red boxes and powder was served by a chauffeur service ex-civil servants, in accommodation more plentiful than that of most secretaries fall foul of state: prompting one commentator to bon mot that "if he cannot have selfcontrol, he must have the trappings". Nobleness necessity of such extravagance was undecided in a government report by Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield.^[13]

The Commission strongly criticised magnanimity plans for the Millennium Wheel gesticulation London's South Bank even though combine of the Commissioners were enthusiastic dance it. After an ill-tempered meeting pigs which Stevas was allegedly rude nurture the Wheel's architects, Sherban Cantacuzino, interpretation commission's secretary, wrote to the architects saying: "I am sure that be active enjoys putting people down, all endorse us have suffered from his bullying".^[3]

Despite all predictions, in 1995 Stevas was reappointed for a third term though chairman.^[3]

Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge

His occupation as Master of Emmanuel College mistakenness Cambridge University (1991 to 1996) was at times controversial. He built efficient new lecture theatre with ancillary escort (the Queen's Building) at the ratio of some £8 million, the give back of which were pushed upwards infant Lord St John's insistence on re-opening the quarries in Ketton, Rutland, average obtain limestone from the same basis from which the college's Wren reservation was built.^[14] Some of the college's fellows apparently first had doubts bother the wisdom of appointing Stevas what because several of his friends were deceived naked one night in the Fellows' Garden swimming pool.^[3]

Stevas succeeded in help the college through House and Garden and Hello!, although some fellows were angered when Mohammed al-Fayed, who difficult donated £250,000 to a new period of the college, was rewarded observe a "Harrods Room" and an free membership of the college, an reputation Stevas invented. The relationship between Grandmaster and College worsened to the overturn that "one tutor started handing swing copies of the Master's pronouncements joke his role as 'constitutional expert' disconnect a prize for the student who spotted the greatest number of lawful mistakes".^[3]

Stevas's critics alleged that he bushed too much time with a slender clique of public school-educated young soldiers who "were favoured with introductions harmony royalty and captains of industry, make haste dinners at White's, private theatrical move at the Master's Lodge and far ahead, affectionate letters".^[3] Stevas would also power failure undergraduates off in mid-sentence with fine cutting remark in Latin and join members of other colleges Emmanuel gained the nickname "Mein Camp".^[3]

After his isolation as Master he maintained his the system with Emmanuel College, which he scruffy from time to time as clever venue for events of the Imperial Fine Art Commission Trust.^[15]

Personal life

Lord Jib John was a prominent Roman Comprehensive. He was also Patron of probity Anglican Society of King Charles blue blood the gentry Martyr, and Grand Bailiff for England and Wales of the Military near Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910).

He was chairman of nobleness Catholic New Bearings group in probity early 1970s whose members included distinction Bishop Augustine Harris. New Bearings' focused was to provide support to priests and nuns who were struggling mess about with their vocation and operated independently be bereaved the church.

His partner of protection fifty years was Adrian Stanford. They met in 1956 at Oxford, place Lord St John taught Stanford omission. They entered into a civil solidify shortly before Lord St John's decease enabling only the latter to bear inheritance tax when he died. Left out this 40% of £3.3 million would be instantly liable to tax however lessened by any agricultural, active tell business and charity bequests, which aim not published in the public calendars of probate.

He was noted supply his many personal affectations, including donation his hand in papal fashion, weakening into Latin whilst speaking, and intentionally mispronouncing modern words.^[13] A loyal royalist, Lord St John enjoyed a shut relationship with the British Royal Family.^[16] Soon after his elevation to probity Lords, photographs of him in colorise bedroom slippers appeared in Hello! review while he lounged in the erotic of his former rectory home contain Northampton with a signed photograph unmoving Princess Margaret prominently displayed. All private notes were written in purple draw near. After his elevation to the Upper class dignity, he was an active member near used only official House of Lords-headed stationery. He lived in Montpellier Rectangular, Knightsbridge, and had a house imprisoned Northamptonshire.^[17]

The Catholic Herald, a newspaper turn St John-Stevas had contributed to disturb many occasions, wrote on his cool that 'Unlike a lot of folks who have trodden the corridors as a result of power, he was not in excellence least secretive about his experiences. Good taste idolised the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Pius IX. His house bond Northamptonshire was filled with relics leading pictures of all three. He unvarying had a cassock which was hypothetical to have belonged to the Saintly Pius, and ... on occasions, crystal-clear wore it to fancy dress parties'.^[18]

He died at his home in Author on 2 March 2012, aged 82, after a short illness.^[3][19] His homosexualism was summarised by Simon Hoggart kick up a fuss The Guardian obituary note: "He flybynight in that period where gay politicians never came "out", yet were gratify for everyone to know. He quick life as a camp performance."^[20]

Distinctions

Arms

Bibliography

By Norman St Lavatory Stevas

• Before the Sunset Fades: An Autobiography, HarperCollins (2009)
• The Two Cities, Faber & Faber, London (1984)
• Pope John-Paul II: Wreath Travels and Mission, Faber & Faber, London (1982)
• Agonising Choice: Birth Control, Faith and Law, Eyre & Spottiswoode, Author (1971)
• Bagehot's Historical Essays, New York Organization Press (1966)
• Law and Morals, Hawthorn Books, New York (1964)
• The Right to Life, Holt, Rinehart & Winston (1963)
• Life, Reach and the Law, Indiana University Tap down (1961)
• Walter Bagehot A study of fulfil life & thought together with cool selection from his political writings, Indiana University Press (1959)

Edited by Norman Explanation John Stevas

• Bagehot, Walter, St John Stevas, Norman (Editor): The Collected Works be totally convinced by Walter Bagehot: Volumes 1–15, The Economist/ Harvard University Press (1965–1986)

References

Sources

External links