The Earl of Kilmorey | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Needham in 1989 | |
| Minister of State for Trade | |
| In office 14 April 1992 – 6 July 1995 | |
| Prime Minister | John Major |
| Preceded by | Tim Sainsbury |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Nelson |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Northern Ireland | |
| In office 3 September 1985 – 15 April 1992 | |
| Prime Minister | Thatcher;Major |
| Preceded by | Chris Patten |
| Succeeded by | None |
| Parliamentary Private Secretary to theSecretary of State for the Environment | |
| In office 1984–1985 | |
| Sec. of State | Patrick Jenkin |
| Parliamentary Private Secretary to theSecretary of State for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 1983–1984 | |
| Sec. of State | James Prior |
| Member of Parliament forNorth Wiltshire (Chippenham 1979–1983) | |
| In office 3 May 1979 – 8 April 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Awdry |
| Succeeded by | James Gray |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1942-01-29)29 January 1942 (age 83) |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | The 5th Earl of Kilmorey Helen Bridget Faudel-Phillips |
| Alma mater | Eton College |
Richard Francis Needham, 6th Earl of Kilmorey,PC (born 29 January 1942), usually known asSir Richard Needham, is a BritishConservative politician. AMember of Parliament from 1979 to 1997, he served asUnder-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland between 1985 and 1992 and asMinister of State for Trade between 1992 and 1995. From January 1961 until April 1977, he was entitled to use thecourtesy titleViscount Newry and Mourne.
Needham is the eldest of the three sons ofthe 5th Earl of Kilmorey by his marriage to Helen Bridget Faudel-Phillips, a daughter ofSir Lionel Faudel-Phillips, 3rd and last Baronet. He was educated atEton.[1] When his father succeeded as the 5thEarl of Kilmorey in January 1961, Needham became entitled to use thecourtesy title Viscount Newry and Mourne, or Lord Newry. In April 1977 he succeeded his father and became the 6th Earl.[1]
Needham was a member of theSomerset County Council between 1967 and 1974.[citation needed] In 1974, he stood unsuccessfully for parliament for the safeLabour seat ofPontefract and Castleford in theFebruary general election, and was then also defeated at the more marginalGravesend inOctober. He succeeded his father to the earldom in 1977. This is anIrish peerage and did not bar him from sitting in the House of Commons. At the1979 general election, he was returned asMember of Parliament forChippenham inWiltshire. He was one of the "WiltshireWets", Conservative MPs from the county who expressed concern at the perceived loss of jobs resulting from the "monetarist" policies ofMargaret Thatcher;[citation needed] in 1990 he called Thatcher "a cow" in a leaked telephone conversation with his wife.[2] His constituency was abolished for the1983 general election, when he was returned to theHouse of Commons for the newNorth Wiltshire constituency. He held the seat until he retired fromParliament at the1997 general election.[citation needed]
Needham wasParliamentary Private Secretary to theSecretary of State for Northern Ireland,James Prior, between 1983 and 1984, and to theSecretary of State for the Environment,Patrick Jenkin, between 1984 and 1985. He served under Thatcher and laterJohn Major as anUnder-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland between 1985 and 1992 and under Major asMinister of State for Trade between 1992 and 1995,[citation needed] and was instrumental in transformingNorthern Ireland'seconomic base and the UK's export strategy underMichael Heseltine. He was the longest serving British government Northern Ireland minister.[citation needed]
Lord Kilmorey has written three books:Honourable Member andBattling for Peace: Northern Ireland's Longest-Serving British Minister (1999); an account of his years in Northern Ireland and his contribution to peace.[citation needed] andOne Man Two Worlds (2021) a memoir of his life in politics and business
Lord Kilmorey holds anhonorary degree of Doctor of Laws from theUniversity of Ulster. A founder member of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group, he was appointed a member of theOrder of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, by theEmperor of Japan.He was appointed the Order of San Carlos by Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia for his work on the Peace Process in Colombia. He was made aPrivy Counsellor in 1994 andknighted in 1997.[3]
Needham married Sigrid Thiessen-Gairdner, daughter of Ernst Thiessen, in 1965. They have three children:
Although Needham inherited the Earldom of Kilmorey and Viscountcy of Newry and Mourne on the death of his father in 1977, he did not petition the House of Lords to formally claim succession until October 2012. According to his biography he opted not to use the title as he did not inherit any money with it.[4] The Needham estate, known as Mourne Park, is nearKilkeel inCounty Down in Northern Ireland but the title and estate were separated when the fifth Earl inherited the title but opted to live inEngland. The Needham estate or Mourne Park is now owned by the Anley family, descendants of the 4th Earl of Kilmorey.[5] The house was badly damaged by fire on 18 May 2013.[6]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forChippenham 1979 –1983 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forNorth Wiltshire 1983 –1997 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1985–1992 With:Nicholas Scott 1985–1986 The Lord Lyell 1985–1989 Peter Viggers 1986–1989 Brian Mawhinney 1986–1990 Peter Bottomley 1989–1990 The Lord Skelmersdale 1990 Jeremy Hanley 1990–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State for Trade 1992–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
| Preceded by | Earl of Kilmorey 1977–present | Incumbent |
| International | |
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| People | |
| Other | |
