Ian Lloyd (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Ian Stewart Lloyd was a British
Conservative Party
politician. Born in South Africa
to English parents, he worked as a civil servant in South Africa before moving permanently to the UK. He served as a backbench Member of Parliament
for constituencies near Portsmouth
nearly 30 years, from 1964 to 1992. He took an interest in African issues, shipping, and technology, and spoke about the dangers of global warming
as early as 1989.
in South Africa
, to where his great-grandfather, Walter Lloyd (1823–1878), had emigrated from Cardiganshire
, where the Lloyd family's Coedmore estate was situated. Lloyd was educated at St. John's Preparatory in Johannesburg
, at Michaelhouse
in Natal
, and at the University of Witwatersrand.
In the Second World War
, he served in the South African Air Force
as a Spitfire
pilot and then flying instructor. After the War, he attended King's College, Cambridge
. He was President of the Cambridge Union in 1947, served with the RAFVR, and sailed and skied for the university. He graduated with an MSc in 1952, and studied at the Administrative College at Henley-on-Thames
.
He married Frances Addison in 1951, who survived him. They had three sons together.
He returned to South Africa, where he joined the Torch Commando
protest group of World War II veterans, and the United Party
. He became a civil servant, serving as economic adviser at the Central Mining and Investment Corporation, part of the South African Board of Trade and Industries. He resigned and permanently left South Africa in 1955, driven away by his disagreement with the policy of apartheid. Returning to the UK, he became a shipping executive, as Director of Research at British and Commonwealth Shipping Company from 1956 to 1964. He remained its economic adviser until 1983.
of Portsmouth Langstone
in 1962, and duly elected as Member of Parliament
at the 1964 general election
. He remained an MP until his retirement at the 1992 election
, having changed constituency twice after boundary changes, to Havant and Waterloo
in 1974 and to Havant in 1983. All of his obituaries agreed that he had a cold, disdainful, superior, almost arrogant, manner, and was an "intellectual snob", and he had to fight for re-selection from 1971 to 1973, after the constituency boundaries changed, after the selection committee of his constituency party voted to deselect him. He was re-endorsed, but then his re-endorsement was challenged by Janet Fookes.
He served on the Council of Europe
, and on the parliamentary assembly of the Western European Union
, from 1968 to 1972.
In Parliament, he took a close interest in African issues, shipping, and science. He spoke against sanctions against Rhodesia
after UDI
, and compared Kenneth Kaunda
to Hitler. He remained a critic of the apartheid in South Africa; however, he later opposed economic sanctions and the sporting boycott, arguing that closer links would be more effective in stimulating reform.
Although he had left his native South Africa in protest against its apartheid policies, he became a hard right-winger where policies towards Africa were concerned, but in many other respects he was forward-thinking. Highly numerate, he was known for his expertise on computers, argued the case for continued technological innovation, and was among the earliest to call for a Minister of Information Technology.
As the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy in three successive parliaments, he was an advocate of nuclear power, although critical of the way in which the industry went about its business, and conscious of its relatively high costs. He recognised the dangers of global warming early, claiming in July 1989 that civilisation was clinging by its fingernails to the cliff over which it had fallen, the danger was so great; and he urged the Government to take compulsory measures to limit energy consumption. While he welcomed Margaret Thatcher's conversion to the cause in November 1989, he remained critical of the inadequacy of the investment in research to combat the threat.
He was a member of the Select Committee on Technology for 10 years, and then chairman of the Select Committee on Energy for 10 years. He drove the establishment of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee
(Pitcom), and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
(POST). He argued for the appointment of a minister for information technology, and was one of the first to bring a microchip
into the House of Commons
. He was knighted in 1986.
Widely read, well travelled and extremely well informed, Lloyd could be regarded as unlucky in not catching the whips' eyes when ministerial reshuffles were in train, but his somewhat disdainful manner did him no favours, and he was inclined, as another political journalist observed, to bore on about microchips. Peter Lloyd, who knew him as a neighbouring MP, put it more fairly and with a strong sense that both country and government were the worse for not harnessing his talents:
He was good at getting hold of major subjects, usually ones on which he was right and which were important to the future of this country, but he pursued them without any regard to matters of current political concern, and he therefore came to be regarded as boffinesque and slightly detached.
There was also a tendency in Margaret Thatcher's time to regard an MP who had not made the front bench earlier as having been passed over rightly. Lloyd may well have made a more substantial contribution to the shaping of public policy as a backbencher than he was ever likely to achieve as a junior minister, but, as Peter Lloyd hints, his namesake's failure to achieve high office speaks volumes about the inability of Britain's political system to identify significant longer-term issues.
Ian Lloyd had that gift, but was not honoured for it.
Further to John Barnes's perceptive obituary of Ian Lloyd he was, indeed, more respected and comfortable at all-party events, than among Tory colleagues may I testify to his huge service to Parliament, as a holder of every office on the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee? writes Tam Dalyell.
"Ian's trouble," mused our Honorary President from 1983 to 1986, the Nobel Chemistry laureate Lord Todd, "is that he insists on being before his time. And timing is everything in politics, isn't it?"
Lloyd was almost certainly the last surviving economist who was personally taught and supervised by John Maynard Keynes. This showed and did not help him with his Tory colleagues. If only he had done more to conceal how clever he was.
, published in 1978. He was also a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
.
In retirement, he was a member of the council of Save British Science, and a member of the Science Policy Support Group
. He died in Chichester
, West Sussex
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. Born in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to English parents, he worked as a civil servant in South Africa before moving permanently to the UK. He served as a backbench Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for constituencies near Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
nearly 30 years, from 1964 to 1992. He took an interest in African issues, shipping, and technology, and spoke about the dangers of global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
as early as 1989.
Early and private life
Lloyd was born in DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, to where his great-grandfather, Walter Lloyd (1823–1878), had emigrated from Cardiganshire
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
, where the Lloyd family's Coedmore estate was situated. Lloyd was educated at St. John's Preparatory in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, at Michaelhouse
Michaelhouse
Michaelhouse is a full boarding senior school for boys founded in 1896. It is located in the Balgowan valley in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.- History :...
in Natal
Natal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
, and at the University of Witwatersrand.
In the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served in the South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
as a Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
pilot and then flying instructor. After the War, he attended King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
. He was President of the Cambridge Union in 1947, served with the RAFVR, and sailed and skied for the university. He graduated with an MSc in 1952, and studied at the Administrative College at Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
.
He married Frances Addison in 1951, who survived him. They had three sons together.
He returned to South Africa, where he joined the Torch Commando
Torch Commando
The Torch Commando was born out of the work of the Springbok Legion, a South African organisation of World War II veterans, founded in 1941 during the second world war by progressive anti-fascist servicemen, and the War Veterans Action Committee established with the involvement of Springbok...
protest group of World War II veterans, and the United Party
United Party (South Africa)
The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party...
. He became a civil servant, serving as economic adviser at the Central Mining and Investment Corporation, part of the South African Board of Trade and Industries. He resigned and permanently left South Africa in 1955, driven away by his disagreement with the policy of apartheid. Returning to the UK, he became a shipping executive, as Director of Research at British and Commonwealth Shipping Company from 1956 to 1964. He remained its economic adviser until 1983.
Political career
He was selected for the safe seatSafe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
of Portsmouth Langstone
Portsmouth Langstone (UK Parliament constituency)
Portsmouth Langstone was a borough constituency in Portsmouth. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
in 1962, and duly elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
at the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
. He remained an MP until his retirement at the 1992 election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, having changed constituency twice after boundary changes, to Havant and Waterloo
Havant and Waterloo (UK Parliament constituency)
Havant and Waterloo was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Havant and Waterlooville in Hampshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :The constituency was...
in 1974 and to Havant in 1983. All of his obituaries agreed that he had a cold, disdainful, superior, almost arrogant, manner, and was an "intellectual snob", and he had to fight for re-selection from 1971 to 1973, after the constituency boundaries changed, after the selection committee of his constituency party voted to deselect him. He was re-endorsed, but then his re-endorsement was challenged by Janet Fookes.
He served on the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
, and on the parliamentary assembly of the Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
, from 1968 to 1972.
In Parliament, he took a close interest in African issues, shipping, and science. He spoke against sanctions against Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
after UDI
Unilateral Declaration of Independence (Rhodesia)
The Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Rhodesia from the United Kingdom was signed on November 11, 1965, by the administration of Ian Smith, whose Rhodesian Front party opposed black majority rule in the then British colony. Although it declared independence from the United Kingdom it...
, and compared Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth David Kaunda, known as KK, served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:Kaunda was the youngest of eight children. He was born at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali, Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia...
to Hitler. He remained a critic of the apartheid in South Africa; however, he later opposed economic sanctions and the sporting boycott, arguing that closer links would be more effective in stimulating reform.
Although he had left his native South Africa in protest against its apartheid policies, he became a hard right-winger where policies towards Africa were concerned, but in many other respects he was forward-thinking. Highly numerate, he was known for his expertise on computers, argued the case for continued technological innovation, and was among the earliest to call for a Minister of Information Technology.
As the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy in three successive parliaments, he was an advocate of nuclear power, although critical of the way in which the industry went about its business, and conscious of its relatively high costs. He recognised the dangers of global warming early, claiming in July 1989 that civilisation was clinging by its fingernails to the cliff over which it had fallen, the danger was so great; and he urged the Government to take compulsory measures to limit energy consumption. While he welcomed Margaret Thatcher's conversion to the cause in November 1989, he remained critical of the inadequacy of the investment in research to combat the threat.
He was a member of the Select Committee on Technology for 10 years, and then chairman of the Select Committee on Energy for 10 years. He drove the establishment of the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee
Parliamentary Information Technology Committee
The Parliamentary Information Technology Committee is a United Kingdom Parliament Associate Parliamentary Group set up "to address the public policy issues generated by IT and its application across the UK economy, public and private"....
(Pitcom), and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, is the Parliament of the United Kingdom's in-house source of independent, balanced and accessible analysis of public policy issues related to science and technology...
(POST). He argued for the appointment of a minister for information technology, and was one of the first to bring a microchip
Microchip
Microchip can also refer to:* Integrated circuit, a set of electronic components on a single unit.* Microchip Technology, a company that makes popular 8, 16 and 32-bit microcontroller lines.* Microchip implant , a microchip implanted into animals....
into the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. He was knighted in 1986.
Widely read, well travelled and extremely well informed, Lloyd could be regarded as unlucky in not catching the whips' eyes when ministerial reshuffles were in train, but his somewhat disdainful manner did him no favours, and he was inclined, as another political journalist observed, to bore on about microchips. Peter Lloyd, who knew him as a neighbouring MP, put it more fairly and with a strong sense that both country and government were the worse for not harnessing his talents:
He was good at getting hold of major subjects, usually ones on which he was right and which were important to the future of this country, but he pursued them without any regard to matters of current political concern, and he therefore came to be regarded as boffinesque and slightly detached.
There was also a tendency in Margaret Thatcher's time to regard an MP who had not made the front bench earlier as having been passed over rightly. Lloyd may well have made a more substantial contribution to the shaping of public policy as a backbencher than he was ever likely to achieve as a junior minister, but, as Peter Lloyd hints, his namesake's failure to achieve high office speaks volumes about the inability of Britain's political system to identify significant longer-term issues.
Ian Lloyd had that gift, but was not honoured for it.
Further to John Barnes's perceptive obituary of Ian Lloyd he was, indeed, more respected and comfortable at all-party events, than among Tory colleagues may I testify to his huge service to Parliament, as a holder of every office on the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee? writes Tam Dalyell.
"Ian's trouble," mused our Honorary President from 1983 to 1986, the Nobel Chemistry laureate Lord Todd, "is that he insists on being before his time. And timing is everything in politics, isn't it?"
Lloyd was almost certainly the last surviving economist who was personally taught and supervised by John Maynard Keynes. This showed and did not help him with his Tory colleagues. If only he had done more to conceal how clever he was.
Outside politics
He wrote a series of books on the history of Rolls RoyceRolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
, published in 1978. He was also a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and arguably the world. Its clubhouse is located in Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom...
.
In retirement, he was a member of the council of Save British Science, and a member of the Science Policy Support Group
Science Policy Support Group
The Science Policy Support Group Ltd contributed to UK science policy between 1986-2003. SPSG was set up by the Economic and Social Research Council , with the initial support of the other Research Councils, to organise programmes of research and information on issues of science and technology...
. He died in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.