Peter Mond, 4th Baron Melchett
Encyclopedia
Peter Robert Henry Mond, 4th Baron Melchett (born 24 February 1948), son of the British Steel Corporation Chairman Sir Julian Mond
and Sonia Melchett
(now Sinclair), was educated at Eton
and Cambridge
, where he read Law
. He went on to take an MA in Criminology
at Keele University
, and later researched cannabis
addiction at the London School of Economics
.
(House of Lords whip
by Harold Wilson. In 1975 he was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
in the Department of Industry. When James Callaghan came to office in 1976 he moved to become Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office
.
UK in 1989.
Himself the owner of an 890 acre (360 hectares) farm, Lord Melchett was arrested in 1999 when he was present at an environmental protest against a genetically modified
crop trial, at which crops were destroyed by campaigners. Melchett spent a night in Norwich Prison before being released on bail. The case came to court in 2000 when Melchett, and his 27 co-defendants, were unanimously acquitted of Criminal Damage. In the same year, he retired as Greenpeace's Executive Director, but remained on the organisation's board.
Melchett severed his ties with Greenpeace in 2002 when he took up a part-time consultancy with industry PR company Burson-Marsteller
. Burson-Marsteller had formerly been PR consultants for Monsanto Company, and it was alleged at the time that Lord Melchett had stood down from Greenpeace's Board following accusation that his employment with Burson-Marsteller compromised his integrity. He has been Policy Director at the Soil Association
since 2002.
Melchett is a patron of Prisoners Abroad
a registered charity which supports British citizens who are imprisoned overseas.
Julian Edward Alfred Mond, 3rd Baron Melchett
Julian Edward Alfred Mond, 3rd Baron Melchett was an English industrialist who became the third Baron Melchett on the death of his father in 1949.-Early life:...
and Sonia Melchett
Sonia Melchett
Sonia Melchett is a London socialite and author. Formerly wed to Julian Edward Alfred Mond, 3rd Baron Melchett, she wed the writer Andrew Sinclair after her husband's death...
(now Sinclair), was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, where he read Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. He went on to take an MA in Criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
at Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
, and later researched cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
addiction at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Politics
Lord Melchett succeeded to his titles in 1973 on the death of his father. When Labour won re-election in October 1974, he was made a Lord-in-WaitingLord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
(House of Lords whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
by Harold Wilson. In 1975 he was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
in the Department of Industry. When James Callaghan came to office in 1976 he moved to become Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
.
Other activities
Announcing himself sick of the 'lying game' of Westminster politics, Melchett withdrew, working first for the Ramblers' Association in 1984, before being appointed Executive Director of GreenpeaceGreenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
UK in 1989.
Himself the owner of an 890 acre (360 hectares) farm, Lord Melchett was arrested in 1999 when he was present at an environmental protest against a genetically modified
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
crop trial, at which crops were destroyed by campaigners. Melchett spent a night in Norwich Prison before being released on bail. The case came to court in 2000 when Melchett, and his 27 co-defendants, were unanimously acquitted of Criminal Damage. In the same year, he retired as Greenpeace's Executive Director, but remained on the organisation's board.
Melchett severed his ties with Greenpeace in 2002 when he took up a part-time consultancy with industry PR company Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller is a global public relations and communications firm headquartered in the United States. Burson-Marsteller operates 67 wholly owned offices and 71 affiliate offices in 98 countries across six continents...
. Burson-Marsteller had formerly been PR consultants for Monsanto Company, and it was alleged at the time that Lord Melchett had stood down from Greenpeace's Board following accusation that his employment with Burson-Marsteller compromised his integrity. He has been Policy Director at the Soil Association
Soil Association
The Soil Association is a charity based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1946, it has over 27,000 members today. Its activities include campaign work on issues including opposition to intensive farming, support for local purchasing and public education on nutrition; as well the certification of...
since 2002.
Melchett is a patron of Prisoners Abroad
Prisoners Abroad
Prisoners Abroad is a UK-registered charity which supports British citizens who are imprisoned overseas. It also works with ex-prisoners returning to the UK and with families members and friends of those detained. The organisation aims to provide for the basic welfare needs of Britons who are held...
a registered charity which supports British citizens who are imprisoned overseas.
External links
- BBC News: Melchett forced off Greenpeace board 12 January 2002
- Greenpeace: Peter Melchett 18 January 2002
- British Government Ministers, 1970-2009