John Butcher (British politician)
Encyclopedia
John Patrick Butcher was a British
Conservative Party
politician
.
Butcher was born in Doncaster
but grew up in Huntingdonshire
where he was educated at Huntingdon
Grammar School and the University of Birmingham
. He fought the seat of Birmingham Northfield in February 1974
and was a Birmingham City Council
lor from 1972 until 1978.
He was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Coventry South West
from 1979
until 1997
, when the seat was abolished by boundary changes. He was later chairman of Texas Instruments (1990–98) and the Institute of Directors
(1997–2001).
He was married with three children and despite living in Solihull
was a common sight in recent years at the Carlton Club
in London
.
to Leon Brittan in 1981 and became an Parliamentary Under-Secretary in 1982 at the Department of Trade. Butcher also served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Education and Science between 1988 and 1989, after being moved from what was then called the Department of Trade and Industry.
During his time as minister at the Department of Trade and Industry during the eighties he deregulated the mobile telephone market in the UK.
After he left ministerial office he introduced the Property Misdescriptions Act, which aimed to curb "the more extravagant claims of estate agents". He was also a euro-sceptic and was one of the Maastricht rebels
who voted against the Government in 1993.
He died of heart failure at the age of 60, on Christmas Day 2006, at 1500 feet, beside Alcock Tarn in the Lake District
with his three children.
The initial John Butcher Memorial lecture was held at University of Warwick
on 19 March 2008. The first guest speaker was Michael Howard
QC MP
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Butcher was born in Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
but grew up in Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
where he was educated at Huntingdon
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
Grammar School and the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. He fought the seat of Birmingham Northfield in February 1974
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
and was a Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
lor from 1972 until 1978.
He was 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,...
(MP) for Coventry South West
Coventry South West (UK Parliament constituency)
Coventry South West was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Coventry. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1979
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
until 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, when the seat was abolished by boundary changes. He was later chairman of Texas Instruments (1990–98) and the Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
(1997–2001).
He was married with three children and despite living in Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
was a common sight in recent years at the Carlton Club
Carlton Club
The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London which describes itself as the "oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs." Membership of the club is by nomination and election only.-History:...
in 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...
.
Westminster
Following his election in 1979, Butcher was appointed PPSPPS
PPS may refer to:In commerce and industry* Participating preferred stock or participating preferred share* Purchasing Power Standard* Pay Per Sale, a payment method used in affiliate marketing....
to Leon Brittan in 1981 and became an Parliamentary Under-Secretary in 1982 at the Department of Trade. Butcher also served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Education and Science between 1988 and 1989, after being moved from what was then called the Department of Trade and Industry.
During his time as minister at the Department of Trade and Industry during the eighties he deregulated the mobile telephone market in the UK.
After he left ministerial office he introduced the Property Misdescriptions Act, which aimed to curb "the more extravagant claims of estate agents". He was also a euro-sceptic and was one of the Maastricht rebels
Maastricht Rebels
The Maastricht Rebels were British Members of Parliament belonging to the then governing Conservative Party who refused to support the government of John Major in a series of votes in the House of Commons on the issue of the implementation of the Maastricht Treaty in British law.The Maastrict...
who voted against the Government in 1993.
After politics
When he left politics due to heart problems which would eventually take his life, he became chairman of the Institute of Directors . He was also director of a number of successful businesses in the West Midlands.He died of heart failure at the age of 60, on Christmas Day 2006, at 1500 feet, beside Alcock Tarn in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
with his three children.
The initial John Butcher Memorial lecture was held at University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
on 19 March 2008. The first guest speaker was Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
QC MP