Robert Adley
Encyclopedia
Robert James Adley was a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
and railway enthusiast.
Adley was educated at Uppingham School
and would become a company director. In the 1970s Adley was part-time Marketing Director for Holiday Inn
(UK). He would brief his agency (Alexander James & Dexter) in the morning, before going to the House of Commons. Adley was born Jewish but converted to Anglicanism
during his lifetime, and was married with two children.
Borough Council from 1965 and first stood for Parliament in 1966 for Birkenhead
losing the strongly Labour
seat. He became member of Parliament
for Bristol North East
after winning the seat by 462 votes in the 1970 election
. Bristol North East was abolished before the next election in 1974 and Adley went on to become member of parliament for Christchurch and Lymington
. He would safely hold this seat from 1974 to 1983, and then after further boundary changes the Christchurch
seat from 1983 until his death with one of the largest Conservative majorities in the country.
Adley was well-known as a railway enthusiast, after gaining a love of trains when he was given The Wonder Book of Trains at the age of three. Adley became leader of the Conservative backbench
committee on transport and then the Chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee. He became a leading opponent of the plans being made by John Major
's government for the privatisation of British Rail
, describing it a "poll tax
on wheels". Adley had previously opposed the poll tax and bus deregulation, while supporting Concorde
and an integrated transport system. Adley also called for talks with the African National Congress
and for the UK government to support the aspirations of the black majority in Apartheid South Africa
.
Adley died in the Royal Brompton Hospital
following a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 58. After his death the seat was won in a by-election
by Liberal Democrat Diana Maddock
, but was regained by the Conservatives in 1997.
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...
and railway enthusiast.
Adley was educated at Uppingham School
Uppingham School
Uppingham School is a co-educational independent school of the English public school tradition, situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England...
and would become a company director. In the 1970s Adley was part-time Marketing Director for Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
(UK). He would brief his agency (Alexander James & Dexter) in the morning, before going to the House of Commons. Adley was born Jewish but converted to Anglicanism
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
during his lifetime, and was married with two children.
Political career
He was a councillor on SloughSlough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
Borough Council from 1965 and first stood for Parliament in 1966 for Birkenhead
Birkenhead (UK Parliament constituency)
Birkenhead is a parliamentary 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.-History:...
losing the strongly Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
seat. He became 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 Bristol North East
Bristol North East (UK Parliament constituency)
Bristol North East was a borough constituency in the city of Bristol. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
after winning the seat by 462 votes in the 1970 election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
. Bristol North East was abolished before the next election in 1974 and Adley went on to become member of parliament for Christchurch and Lymington
Christchurch and Lymington (UK Parliament constituency)
Christchurch and Lymington was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Christchurch and Lymington in Hampshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He would safely hold this seat from 1974 to 1983, and then after further boundary changes the Christchurch
Christchurch (UK Parliament constituency)
Christchurch is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Centred on the town of Christchurch in Dorset, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
seat from 1983 until his death with one of the largest Conservative majorities in the country.
Adley was well-known as a railway enthusiast, after gaining a love of trains when he was given The Wonder Book of Trains at the age of three. Adley became leader of the Conservative backbench
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
committee on transport and then the Chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee. He became a leading opponent of the plans being made by 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 for the privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
, describing it a "poll tax
Community Charge
The Community Charge, popularly known as the "poll tax", was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the...
on wheels". Adley had previously opposed the poll tax and bus deregulation, while supporting Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
and an integrated transport system. Adley also called for talks with the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
and for the UK government to support the aspirations of the black majority in Apartheid South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Adley died in the Royal Brompton Hospital
Royal Brompton Hospital
Royal Brompton Hospital is the largest specialist heart and lung centre in the United Kingdom .The hospital is part of Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust is a national and international specialist heart and lung centre based in Chelsea, London and Harefield, Middlesex...
following a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 58. After his death the seat was won in a by-election
Christchurch by-election, 1993
A by-election was held in the British House of Commons constituency of Christchurch on 29 July 1993 following the death of sitting Conservative MP Robert Adley....
by Liberal Democrat Diana Maddock
Diana Maddock, Baroness Maddock
Diana Margaret Maddock, Baroness Maddock and Lady Beith is a Liberal Democrat politician.Maddock was educated at the University of Portsmouth and leader of the Liberal Democrats on Southampton City Council...
, but was regained by the Conservatives in 1997.