Bruce Grocott, Baron Grocott

Bruce Joseph Grocott, Baron Grocott PC (born 1 November 1940) is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.


The Lord Grocott

Chief Whip of the House of Lords
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
In office
29 May 2002  24 January 2008
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Gordon Brown
LeaderThe Lord William of Mostyn
The Baroness Amos
The Baroness Ashton of Upholland
Preceded byThe Lord Carter
Succeeded byThe Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Lord-in-waiting
Government Whip
In office
7 June 2001  29 May 2002
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Preceded byThe Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
Succeeded byvacant
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
In office
2 May 1997  8 June 2001
Serving with Ann Coffey
LeaderTony Blair
Preceded byJohn Devereux Ward
Succeeded byDavid Hanson
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition
In office
12 May 1994  12 May 1997
LeaderTony Blair
Preceded byHilary Armstrong
Succeeded byJohn Whittingdale
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Assumed office
2 July 2001
Life Peerage
Member of Parliament
for Telford
The Wrekin (1987–1997)
In office
11 June 1987  14 May 2001
Preceded byWarren Hawksley
Succeeded byDavid Wright
Member of Parliament
for Lichfield and Tamworth
In office
10 October 1974  7 April 1979
Preceded byJack d'Avigdor-Goldsmid
Succeeded byJohn Heddle
Personal details
Born (1940-11-01) 1 November 1940
Watford, United Kingdom
Political partyLabour
Alma materUniversity of Leicester
University of Manchester

Early life

Grocott was born in Kings Langley near Watford, and was educated at the University of Leicester. He obtained an MA from Manchester University after conducting research on Local Government. He was appointed to the post of lecturer, and later a senior lecturer, at the City of Birmingham College of Commerce (later Birmingham Polytechnic, now Birmingham City University). During this time he was elected to Bromsgrove Urban District Council. From 1972 to 1974 he was a principal lecturer at North Staffordshire Polytechnic.

Parliamentary career

His first attempt to become a member of Parliament was in the 1970 election when he stood unsuccessfully for South West Hertfordshire. He was then selected as a candidate and was elected as Member of Parliament for Lichfield and Tamworth in October 1974,[1] in which position he became Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Planning, and later the Minister of Agriculture.[2] He lost his seat at the 1979 general election and joined Central Television as a presenter and producer, working on programmes such as Left, Right and Centre, Central Lobby and Central Weekend.

He was re-elected for The Wrekin in 1987[1] and he was very shortly thereafter appointed Deputy Shadow Leader of the House to Jack Cunningham before becoming advisor to the Leader of the Opposition, Neil Kinnock and, later, a Foreign Affairs Spokesman under John Smith. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Tony Blair from 1994 until 2001.[3]

He transferred to Telford in 1997 when The Wrekin was divided. He served this seat until the 2001 general election, when he stepped down from the Commons.

House of Lords

He was made a life peer under the title of Baron Grocott, of Telford, in the County of Shropshire, on 2 July 2001,[4] quickly being promoted to a government whip in the House of Lords. From 2002 to 2008 he was the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords as well as Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms, the honorary post usually held by the Chief Whip. As the Government Chief Whip, he was sworn of the Privy Council in 2002. He has promoted further reform of the Lords, including attempts to abolish by-elections for hereditary peers.[5]

In October 2012 it was announced that Lord Grocott has been elected as the next chancellor of the University of Leicester, the first time in the university's history that a former student has been appointed to the post. He was installed as chancellor at the degree ceremony in DeMontfort Hall on 24 January 2013.[6] His term finished in July 2018 and he was replaced by Lord Willetts.[7]

Family

Grocott is married with two sons and lives in Staffordshire.

References

  1. "Mr Bruce Grocott (Hansard)". Hansard.millbanksystems.com. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  2. "Lord Grocott, former MP". TheyWorkForYou. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  3. "Politics". The Guardian. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  4. "No. 56265". The London Gazette. 5 July 2001. p. 7935.
  5. Garland, Jessica. "A handful of hereditary peers are trying to stifle reform – they are on the wrong side of history". Electoral Reform Society.
  6. "University of Leicester elects former student as new Chancellor". University of Leicester. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  7. "Fond farewell for University's sixth Chancellor". University of Leicester. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Jack d'Avigdor-Goldsmid
Member of Parliament
for Lichfield and Tamworth

19741979
Succeeded by
John Heddle
Preceded by
Warren Hawksley
Member of Parliament
for The Wrekin

19871997
Succeeded by
Peter Bradley
New constituency Member of Parliament
for Telford

19972001
Succeeded by
David Wright
Political offices
Preceded by
The Lord Carter
Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords
2002–2008
Succeeded by
The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
2002–2008
Party political offices
Preceded by
The Lord Carter
Labour Chief Whip in the House of Lords
2002–2008
Succeeded by
The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Academic offices
Preceded by
Peter Williams
Chancellor of the University of Leicester
2013–2018
Succeeded by
The Lord Willetts
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by
The Lord Adebowale
Gentlemen
Baron Grocott
Followed by
The Lord Clark of Windermere
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