Inga-Stina Robson
Encyclopedia
Inga-Stina Robson often known as Stina Robson, was an Anglo
-Swedish
political activist.
Born to a wealthy family in Stockholm
as Inga-Stina Arvidsson, she attended Ölinska Girls' School before becoming a secretary in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs
' London
office. While there, she met Lawrence William Robson, an accountant, and the two married in 1940. During World War II
, she worked as a translator for the British Ministry of Information.
Robson settled at Kiddington Hall near Woodstock, Oxfordshire
, and worked on her husband's unsuccessful candidature for the Liberal Party
in Banbury
at the 1950 general election
. Their house was used as a conference centre and was popular for Liberal Party events. In the run-up to the 1955 general election
, Lawrence was the Liberals' prospective candidate in Eye
, but he was appointed to a government commission and withdrew, leaving Inga-Stina to fight the seat, although she was not successful. Later in the year, she became a magistrate
.
Robson stood again in Eye at the 1959 general election
, then in Gloucester
in 1964
and 1966
. Although she never came close to election to Westminster
, she was elected to Chipping Norton Rural District Council.
In 1968, Robson became President of the Women's Liberal Federation
, standing down in 1970 when she was elected President of the Liberal Party. As president, she opposed radicalism and, in particular, the policies advocated by the National League of Young Liberals
. She was created Baroness Robson of Kiddington in 1974, becoming the Liberals' spokesperson on agriculture and the environment in the House of Lords
. In 1982, she succeeded her husband as Chair of the National Liberal Club
, and also as Chair of the Anglo-Swedish Society
. She joined the Liberal Democrats, successors of the Liberal Party, and in 1988, she chaired a panel investigating fraud in the European Union
. She stood down as a magistrate in 1989, by which time she was the longest-serving magistrate in the country. In 1993, she became the party spokesperson on health.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
political activist.
Born to a wealthy family in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
as Inga-Stina Arvidsson, she attended Ölinska Girls' School before becoming a secretary in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for Swedish foreign policy.Current ministers:*Carl Bildt Head of Office and Minister for Foreign Affairs.*Ewa Björling as Minister for Foreign Trade...
' London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
office. While there, she met Lawrence William Robson, an accountant, and the two married in 1940. During World War II
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...
, she worked as a translator for the British Ministry of Information.
Robson settled at Kiddington Hall near Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Woodstock is a small town northwest of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. It is the location of Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874 and is buried in the nearby village of Bladon....
, and worked on her husband's unsuccessful candidature for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
in Banbury
Banbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Banbury is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a strongly Conservative seat.The constituency was created January 26, 1554 through the efforts of Henry Stafford and Thomas Denton...
at the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
. Their house was used as a conference centre and was popular for Liberal Party events. In the run-up to the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
, Lawrence was the Liberals' prospective candidate in Eye
Eye (UK Parliament constituency)
Eye was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election...
, but he was appointed to a government commission and withdrew, leaving Inga-Stina to fight the seat, although she was not successful. Later in the year, she became a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
.
Robson stood again in Eye at the 1959 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, then in Gloucester
Gloucester (UK Parliament constituency)
Gloucester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was established in 1295 to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons but in 1885 representation was reduced to one member under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885...
in 1964
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...
and 1966
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
. Although she never came close to election to Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, she was elected to Chipping Norton Rural District Council.
In 1968, Robson became President of the Women's Liberal Federation
Women's Liberal Federation
The Women's Liberal Federation was an organisation which was part of the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom during the 1880s.During this period women became more active in politics. The Women's Liberal Federation attempted to make the Liberal Party introduce a measure which gave women the vote...
, standing down in 1970 when she was elected President of the Liberal Party. As president, she opposed radicalism and, in particular, the policies advocated by the National League of Young Liberals
National League of Young Liberals
The National League of Young Liberals , often just called the Young Liberals, was the youth wing of the British Liberal Party. It was founded in 1903 and by 1906 it had over three hundred branches. In 1934 it called for David Lloyd George to lead a Liberal New Deal revival based on the Yellow Book...
. She was created Baroness Robson of Kiddington in 1974, becoming the Liberals' spokesperson on agriculture and the environment in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. In 1982, she succeeded her husband as Chair of the National Liberal Club
National Liberal Club
The National Liberal Club, known to its members as the NLC, is a London gentlemen's club, now also open to women, which was established by William Ewart Gladstone in 1882 for the purpose of providing club facilities for Liberal Party campaigners among the newly-enlarged electorate after the Third...
, and also as Chair of the Anglo-Swedish Society
Anglo-Swedish Society
A bridge in the English and Swedish calendars, the Anglo-Swedish Society in London, has celebrated the strong bond between the two nations since 1918.-History:...
. She joined the Liberal Democrats, successors of the Liberal Party, and in 1988, she chaired a panel investigating fraud in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. She stood down as a magistrate in 1989, by which time she was the longest-serving magistrate in the country. In 1993, she became the party spokesperson on health.