John Patten, Baron Patten
Encyclopedia
John Haggitt Charles Patten, Baron Patten, PC
(born 17 July 1945) is a former Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
in the British House of Commons
. He was raised Roman Catholic, and educated by the Jesuits at Wimbledon College
before graduating from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
.
He was first elected for Oxford
in 1979, transferring to Oxford West and Abingdon in 1983 after boundary changes divided his old seat. He stood down at the 1997 general election
. The seat was subsequently won by the Liberal Democrat Evan Harris
.
He served as Secretary of State for Education from 1992 to 1994. While he was Education Secretary, Patten described Birmingham education chief Tim Brighouse
as "a madman ... wandering the streets, frightening the children". Brighouse sued, and won substantial damages which were donated to educational charities.
He was made a life peer
as Baron Patten, of Wincanton
in the County of Somerset
, in 1997.
He is married to the businesswoman Louise Patten
, Lady Patten, and they have one daughter, Mary-Claire Patten.
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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 17 July 1945) is a former 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...
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,...
in the British 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 raised Roman Catholic, and educated by the Jesuits at Wimbledon College
Wimbledon College
Wimbledon College is a government-maintained voluntary-aided Jesuit Roman Catholic high school for boys aged 11 to 19. The school is based at Edge Hill, Wimbledon, London. It was founded in 1892 "for improvement in living and learning to the greater glory of God and the common good"...
before graduating from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
.
He was first elected for Oxford
Oxford (UK Parliament constituency)
Oxford was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. It comprised the city of Oxford in the county of Oxfordshire, and elected two Members of Parliament from its creation in 1295 until 1881...
in 1979, transferring to Oxford West and Abingdon in 1983 after boundary changes divided his old seat. He stood down at 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...
. The seat was subsequently won by the Liberal Democrat Evan Harris
Evan Harris
Evan Leslie Harris is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon from 1997 to 2010, losing his seat in the 2010 general election by 176 votes to Conservative Nicola Blackwood....
.
He served as Secretary of State for Education from 1992 to 1994. While he was Education Secretary, Patten described Birmingham education chief Tim Brighouse
Tim Brighouse
Sir Timothy Robert Peter Brighouse is a British educator, and was, until 2007, Schools Commissioner for London.-Biography:He was educated at grammar schools in Loughborough and Lowestoft and St Catherine's College, Oxford University. He began his career as a schoolteacher, becoming a deputy head...
as "a madman ... wandering the streets, frightening the children". Brighouse sued, and won substantial damages which were donated to educational charities.
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 Patten, of Wincanton
Wincanton
Wincanton is a small town in south Somerset, southwest England. The town lies on the A303 road, the main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry...
in the County of Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, in 1997.
He is married to the businesswoman Louise Patten
Louise Patten
Louise Patten, Lady Patten is a British businesswoman and author, who is the wife of the Conservative politician, John Patten and the granddaughter of the RMS Titanic Second Officer, Charles Lightoller. .- Background :...
, Lady Patten, and they have one daughter, Mary-Claire Patten.
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