Joyce Anne Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St Johns,DBE PC FRSA (born 17 July 1947), is aBritish Conservative Party politician, previously serving asMinister of State of theForeign and Commonwealth Office from August 2014 to June 2017. Anelay was appointed asMinister of State at theDepartment for Exiting the European Union in theSecond May ministry, after the 2017 reshuffle.[1]
Anelay was GovernmentChief Whip in theHouse of Lords from 12 May 2010 until 6 August 2014, having previously beenOpposition Chief Whip prior to the2010 general election.[2]
Born inHackney on 17 July 1947, daughter of Stanley Clarke, she was christened Joyce Anne and was educated locally atEnfield County School.[3][4] She attendedBristol University, graduating with the degree ofBA and after further studies atBrunel University of London (BUL), took the postgraduate degree ofMA.
Following university, Anelay worked as a secondary school teacher from 1969 to 1974. She later became a volunteer adviser with theCitizens' Advice Bureau, served as aJustice of the Peace for Surrey and sat on theSocial Security Appeal Tribunal.[5]
Prior to her elevation to thepeerage, Anelay held a number of senior posts in the Conservative Party organisation. She was Chair of the Conservative Women's National Committee from 1993 to 1996, appointedOfficer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1990,[6] and in 1995 was promotedDame Commander (DBE).[7] She was created aLife Peer asBaroness Anelay of St Johns, ofSt John's in the County of Surrey in 1996.[8]
Between May 1997 and June 2002, Baroness Anelay served in various Conservative front bench posts, including Opposition Whip andShadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport. She was a Shadow Home Office Minister from June 2002 to July 2007, and from 2 July 2007, she served as Opposition Chief Whip in theHouse of Lords until 2010.[9] In 2009, Anelay was sworn of thePrivy Council.
After the general election, on 12 May 2010, Anelay was appointed GovernmentChief Whip in the Lords andCaptain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms.[10]
On 6 August 2014, the day afterBaroness Warsi's resignation, Anelay was appointed in Warsi's place asMinister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, attending Cabinet (although not as a member). Anelay did not on take on Warsi'sfaith and communities brief, which reverted toEric Pickles.[11]
In April 2017, Anelay expressed concerns about reports ofhomophobia in Chechnya, and she released the following statement: "The detention and ill-treatment of over 100 gay men in Chechnya is extremely concerning. Reports have also suggested that at least three of these men have been killed."[12]
In May 2020, as Chairwoman of the International Relations and Defence Committee in Britain's House of Lords, she questioned whether Israel should continue to receive preferential access to the U.K. market if the plan for annexing West Bank territory, as laid out in the incoming unity government's coalition agreement, proceeds.[13]
Anelay married in 1970, her university contemporary, Richard Anelay, aDeputy High Court Judge, leadingfamily andcriminal lawbarrister, and former head of 1King's Bench Walk Chambers.[14]
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| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Conservative Chief Whip of theHouse of Lords 2007–2014 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Shadow Chief Whip of theHouse of Lords 2007–2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Whip in theHouse of Lords 2010–2014 | Succeeded by |
| Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms 2010–2014 | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth 2014–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State for Exiting the European Union 2017 | Succeeded by |
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