John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham,PC DL (born 22 June 1932) is a British businessman andConservative Party politician.[2] He waschancellor ofBrunel University between 1998 and 2012, and since then has been its chancelloremeritus.[3]
Wakeham was a director ofEnron from 1994[4] until its bankruptcy in 2001.[5]
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Wakeham was educated at two independent schools in Surrey: Aldro School inShackleford, andCharterhouse nearGodalming. He became a successful accountant and later a businessman.
Wakeham stood unsuccessfully inCoventry East in1966[6] and inPutney in1970[6] before his election to theHouse of Commons at theFebruary 1974 general election as theMember of Parliament (MP) forMaldon[6] inEssex. He became a minister followingMargaret Thatcher's victory in 1979.
During the late 1980s he served asLeader of the House of Commons, in which capacity he was responsible for the televising of Parliament, and as Energy Secretary (1989–92), where he drew up plans for theprivatisation ofelectricity supply. Following a recommendation byJohn Major, he was created alife peer on 29 April 1992 taking the titleBaron Wakeham, ofMaldon in theCounty of Essex,[7] serving as theLeader of the House of Lords until 1994.
Wakeham became chairman of thePress Complaints Commission in 1995, retiring in 2001. In 1997 he was appointed aDeputy lieutenant ofHampshire.Tony Blair appointed him in 1999 to head aRoyal commission on reform of theHouse of Lords – the resultingWakeham Report suggested a mainly-appointed Lords be maintained, with a small elected component.[citation needed]
His first wife, Roberta, was killed in theBrighton hotel bombing in October 1984 and he was trapped in rubble for seven hours, suffering serious crush injuries to his legs. The couple had two children. Wakeham married his secretary, Alison WardMBE, in 1985[8] and they have a son of their own. Before being Wakeham's secretary, Ward had been Margaret Thatcher's secretary.[citation needed]
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| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forMaldon 1974–1983 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for South Colchester and Maldon 1983–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chief Whip of the Conservative Party 1983–1987 | Succeeded by |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury 1983–1987 | ||
| Preceded by | Lord Privy Seal 1987–1988 | Succeeded by |
| Leader of the House of Commons 1987–1989 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Lord President of the Council 1988–1989 | |
| Preceded by | Secretary of State for Energy 1989–1992 | Energy merged into Department of Trade and Industry |
| Preceded by | Leader of the House of Lords 1992–1994 | Succeeded by |
| Lord Privy Seal 1992–1994 | ||
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the Conservative Party in theHouse of Lords 1992–1994 | Succeeded by |
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| Preceded by | Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission 1995–2002 | Succeeded by Robert Pinker |
| Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by | Gentlemen Baron Wakeham | Followed by |
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