John Cope, Baron Cope of Berkeley
Encyclopedia
John Ambrose Cope, Baron Cope of Berkeley, PC
(born 13 May 1937) is a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
.
He was educated at Oakham School
before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant
. He served as Member of Parliament
for South Gloucestershire
from 1974 to 1983. When that constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election
, he was returned for the new Northavon constituency, serving in until his defeat in the 1997 general election
by the Liberal Democrat Steve Webb
. In 1988, he was sworn of the Privy Council.
Cope served as Paymaster-General
in John Major
's government between 1992 and 1994. Before that, Cope had been a whip, and played a significant part in the pressure put on the BBC
to reintroduce Russian-language services during the attempted coup against Mikhail Gorbachev
in 1991, apparently returning to a Cabinet
meeting to forcefully put the case, at the height of the uncertainty, that the recently-cut services should be reinstated forthwith. He was made a life peer
as Baron Cope of Berkeley, of Berkeley in the County of Gloucestershire
in 1997. He has served as Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords
, on the Conservative
front bench, from 2001 to 2007, when he was replaced by Baroness Anelay.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(born 13 May 1937) is a 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 in the United Kingdom
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...
.
He was educated at Oakham School
Oakham School
Oakham School is a British co-educational independent school in the historic market town of Oakham in Rutland, accepting around 1,000 pupils, aged from 10 to 18, both male and female, as boarders and day pupils . The Good Schools Guide called the school "a privileged but unpretentious and...
before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
. He served 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,...
for South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
South Gloucestershire was a parliamentary constituency in Gloucestershire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1974 to 1983. When that constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, he was returned for the new Northavon constituency, serving in until his defeat in the 1997 general election
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...
by the Liberal Democrat Steve Webb
Steve Webb
Steven John Webb, better known as Steve Webb , is an English Liberal Democrat politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Thornbury & Yate and the Minister of State for Pensions.-Background:...
. In 1988, he was sworn of the Privy Council.
Cope served as Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
in John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
's government between 1992 and 1994. Before that, Cope had been a whip, and played a significant part in the pressure put on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to reintroduce Russian-language services during the attempted coup against Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
in 1991, apparently returning to a Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
meeting to forcefully put the case, at the height of the uncertainty, that the recently-cut services should be reinstated forthwith. He was made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Cope of Berkeley, of Berkeley in the County of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
in 1997. He has served as Opposition Chief Whip 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....
, on the Conservative
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...
front bench, from 2001 to 2007, when he was replaced by Baroness Anelay.