Lynda Chalker
Encyclopedia
Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey PC
(née Bates; born 29 April 1942) is a British
Conservative
politician who was Member of Parliament
for Wallasey
from 1974 to 1992. She served as Minister of State for Overseas Development at the Foreign Office
, in the Conservative government from 1989 to 1997.
Baroness Chalker headed the British delegation which participated in the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development
in October 1993.
She was educated at Roedean
(where she was head girl), Heidelberg University, Queen Mary, University of London
and the Polytechnic of Central London
, and worked as a statistician and market research manager, including a spell with Shell-Mex and BP
, before entering Parliament
as MP for Wallasey, Merseyside
, succeeding the former Cabinet minister Ernest Marples
. She held a number of government posts, including spells as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Security
from 1979–82 and at the Department of Transport
from 1982–83. In 1983 she became Minister of State at Transport, being appointed Minister for Europe in 1986. Chalker was granted a life peerage as Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, of Leigh-on-Sea in the County of Essex
in 1992, after losing her seat at the General Election
of that year.
She jointly holds the 20th century record for continuous government service, along with Kenneth Clarke
, Malcolm Rifkind
, Tony Newton
and Patrick Mayhew
, as she held office for the entire duration of the Conservatives' eighteen years in power.
negative media image and investment potential.
Lynda Chalker held the position of Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Committee for Unilever
retiring in May 2007 having served three terms of three years. Lynda joined the Board of Unilever as an Advisory Director in 1998 becoming a Non-Executive Director in 2004. She also served on the Advisory Board of Merchant International Group
and the Africa Advisory Board of Renaissance Capital
.
Lady Chalker is a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation
, an organisation which works to promote good governance
around the world. Lynda Chalker is also Chairman of the Medicines for Malaria Venture, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to reducing the burden of malaria in disease endemic countries and Africa Matters Limited, an independent consultancy which provides advice and assistance to companies initiating,developing or growing their activities in Africa. She is currently a Non-Executive Director of Group Five (Pty), and a member of the international advisory boards of Lafarge
et Cie and Merchant Bridge International. In addition, Lynda Chalker sits on the Board of Trustees of the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF - www.icfafrica.org) an organization that works to remove the barriers of trade facing African nations.
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...
(née Bates; born 29 April 1942) is a British
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
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 who 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,...
for Wallasey
Wallasey (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallasey is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
from 1974 to 1992. She served as Minister of State for Overseas Development at the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, in the Conservative government from 1989 to 1997.
Baroness Chalker headed the British delegation which participated in the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development
Tokyo International Conference on African Development
is a conference held every five years in Tokyo, Japan, with the objective "to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners." Japan is a co-host of these conferences. Other co-organizers of TICAD are the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa...
in October 1993.
She was educated at Roedean
Roedean School
-Roedeanians in fiction:* Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward * Dawn Drummond-Clayton * Emily James...
(where she was head girl), Heidelberg University, Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
and the Polytechnic of Central London
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
, and worked as a statistician and market research manager, including a spell with Shell-Mex and BP
Shell-Mex and BP
Shell-Mex and BP Ltd was a British joint marketing venture between Shell and British Petroleum. It was formed in 1932 when both companies decided to merge their United Kingdom marketing operations, partly in response to the difficult economic conditions of the times.The parent organisations...
, before entering Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
as MP for Wallasey, Merseyside
Wallasey (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallasey is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, succeeding the former Cabinet minister Ernest Marples
Ernest Marples
Alfred Ernest Marples, Baron Marples PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Postmaster General and Minister of Transport. After his retirement from active politics in 1974 Marples was elevated to the peerage...
. She held a number of government posts, including spells as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Security
Department of Health and Social Security
The Department of Health and Social Security was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Social Services.-History:...
from 1979–82 and at the Department of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
from 1982–83. In 1983 she became Minister of State at Transport, being appointed Minister for Europe in 1986. Chalker was granted a life peerage as Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, of Leigh-on-Sea in the County of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1992, after losing her seat at the General 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...
of that year.
She jointly holds the 20th century record for continuous government service, along with Kenneth Clarke
Kenneth Clarke
Kenneth Harry "Ken" Clarke, QC, MP is a British Conservative politician, currently Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. He was first elected to Parliament in 1970; and appointed a minister in Edward Heath's government, in 1972, and is one of...
, Malcolm Rifkind
Malcolm Rifkind
Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind KCMG QC MP is a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for Kensington. He served in various roles as a cabinet minister under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including Secretary of State for Scotland , Defence Secretary and...
, Tony Newton
Tony Newton
Antony Harold "Tony" Newton, Baron Newton of Braintree, PC, OBE , is a British Conservative politician and former Cabinet member...
and Patrick Mayhew
Patrick Mayhew
Patrick Barnabas Burke Mayhew, Baron Mayhew of Twysden, PC is a British barrister, and Conservative Party politician.He was educated at Tonbridge School and Balliol College, Oxford...
, as she held office for the entire duration of the Conservatives' eighteen years in power.
Post Parliament
In February 2005, Baroness Chalker excited minor controversy by criticising Nigeria'sNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
negative media image and investment potential.
Lynda Chalker held the position of Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Committee for Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
retiring in May 2007 having served three terms of three years. Lynda joined the Board of Unilever as an Advisory Director in 1998 becoming a Non-Executive Director in 2004. She also served on the Advisory Board of Merchant International Group
Merchant International Group
Merchant International Group was a privately owned British strategic research and corporate intelligence company with offices in London and Vienna.-History:...
and the Africa Advisory Board of Renaissance Capital
Renaissance Capital
Renaissance Capital is a leading investment banking firm that operates in high-opportunity emerging markets. It is a top-ranked investment bank for M&A, equity and debt capital markets, as well as securities sales and trading. Renaissance Capital focuses exclusively on emerging markets, including...
.
Lady Chalker is a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation
Global Leadership Foundation
The Global Leadership Foundation is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 2004 by former State President of South Africa and Nobel Prize laureate F.W. de Klerk....
, an organisation which works to promote good governance
Good governance
Good governance is an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Governance describes "the process of decision-making and the process by which...
around the world. Lynda Chalker is also Chairman of the Medicines for Malaria Venture, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to reducing the burden of malaria in disease endemic countries and Africa Matters Limited, an independent consultancy which provides advice and assistance to companies initiating,developing or growing their activities in Africa. She is currently a Non-Executive Director of Group Five (Pty), and a member of the international advisory boards of Lafarge
Lafarge
Lafarge is a French industrial company specialising in four major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard. In 2010 the company was the world's second-largest cement manufacturer by mass shipped behind Holcim.-History:...
et Cie and Merchant Bridge International. In addition, Lynda Chalker sits on the Board of Trustees of the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF - www.icfafrica.org) an organization that works to remove the barriers of trade facing African nations.