The Right Honourable The Lord Ryder of Wensum OBEPC
Ryder in 2019
Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
In office 28 November 1990 – 20 July 1995
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Tim Renton
Succeeded by	Alastair Goodlad
Junior ministerial offices 1986–1990 Paymaster General In office 14 July 1990 – 28 November 1990 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by The Earl of Caithness Succeeded by The Lord Belstead Economic Secretary to the Treasury In office 24 July 1989 – 14 July 1990 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Peter Lilley Succeeded by John Maples Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State forAgriculture, Fisheries and Food In office 25 July 1988 – 24 July 1989 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Donald Thompson Succeeded by David Curry Assistant Government Whip In office 16 October 1986 – 24 July 1988 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Member of Parliament forMid Norfolk
In office 9 June 1983 – 8 April 1997
Preceded by	Constituency Created
Succeeded by	Keith Simpson
Political Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 1979–1981
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Tom McNally
Succeeded by	Derek Howe
Member of theHouse of Lords
Lord Temporal
Life peerage 22 November 1997 – 12 April 2021
Personal details
Born	Richard Andrew Ryder (1949-02-04)4 February 1949 (age 77)
Party	Conservative
Alma mater	Magdalene College, Cambridge

Richard Andrew Ryder, Baron Ryder of Wensum,OBE, PC (born 4 February 1949) is a BritishConservative Party politician. A formerMember of Parliament (MP) and government minister, he was made alife peer in 1997 and was a member of theHouse of Lords from 1997 to 2021.

Born 4 February 1949, Ryder was educated atRadley College andMagdalene College, Cambridge.

In the1981 Birthday Honours Ryder was appointed anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), for political service.^[1]

Having unsuccessfully fought theLabour seat ofGateshead East inFebruary andOctober 1974, Ryder was elected at the1983 general election as MP for theMid Norfolk constituency. From 1990 to 1995, he was the government'sChief Whip. This period includes the Conservative backbench rebellion over theMaastricht Treaty. The maverick MPs, known as theMaastricht Rebels, were under intense pressure from the government whips but still brought the administration ofJohn Major close to collapse.

Ryder retired from theHouse of Commons at the1997 general election, and was created alife peer asBaron Ryder of Wensum, ofWensum in the County ofNorfolk on 22 November 1997. He retired from the Lords on 12 April 2021.^[2]

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He became Vice-Chairman of theBBC on 1 January 2002 for a four-year term.

Ryder was appointed Acting Chairman of the BBC following the resignation ofGavyn Davies on 28 January 2004. Davies resigned following the criticism of the BBC in theHutton Report, which was set up to investigate "the circumstances surrounding the death ofDr David Kelly". One of Ryder's first acts as chairman was to give a televised statement, during which he offered an unreserved apology for the mistakes made during the Dr. Kelly affair. This apology was criticised by many, including departingDirector General,Greg Dyke, as overdone. In the same statement Ryder announced that the process to select a new Chairman had begun, and that he would not be putting his name forward.Michael Grade was appointed on 2 April 2004 and took up his post on 17 May; Ryder resumed the post of Vice-Chairman.

Ryder resigned early on 1 August 2004, after which the position was assumed byAnthony Salz.

Ryder was the Chairman of theInstitute of Cancer Research, and is a director ofIpswich Town F.C.

A nephew ofSue Ryder, later Baroness Ryder and Cheshire, he married in 1981 Caroline StephensCVO, MBE, only daughter ofSir David Stephens and Clemency Gore-Browne.^[3]

Lord and Lady Ryder of Wensum had two children.

• Hansard 1803–2005:contributions in Parliament by Richard Ryder
• BBC News Profile

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