Philip Norton, Baron Norton of Louth

Norton was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School in Louth.[3] He graduated from the University of Sheffield with the degree of Bachelor of Arts and later as a Doctor of Philosophy, and, after winning a Thouron Award, from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Arts.[4]

Norton is a Professor of Government in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Hull, and was head of the Department from 2002 to 2007.[5] Since 1992 he has been the Director of the Centre for Legislative Studies.[6] Norton has been a member of the Hansard Society advisory council since 1997 and became Director of Studies in 2002.[5]

He was created a life peer with the title Baron Norton of Louth, of Louth in the County of Lincolnshire on 1 August 1998.[7][8] In 2000 he chaired a commission for Leader of the Opposition William Hague to design ideas for the strengthening of the institution of Parliament,[9] and from 2001 to 2004 he served as the chairman of the House of Lords Constitution Committee.[5]

In 2007 The Daily Telegraph named him the 59th most influential person on the right of British politics.[2]

Norton is a regular contributor to Lords of the Blog, a collaborative blog by members of the House of Lords for the purposes of public engagement. The Guardian has described him as "a new star of the blogosphere."[10] He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Lord Norton also has a personal blog in which he often cites some of the many evolving responsibilities he undertakes in political and academic circles. Currently for example, Norton is serving as co-chair of the Committee on Higher Education and continuing work with the Campaign for an Effective Second Chamber. Lord Norton has a Quiz on the Lords of the Blog and also often has Caption Competitions on his personal blog. The Norton View attracts some readership from around the world.[11][12]

Norton was granted a coat of arms in 1998 upon his accession to the peerage. [13]

Coat of arms of Philip Norton, Baron Norton of Louth

Coronet A Coronet of a Baron Crest A church tower argent with a spire azure set thereon a bee or the wings displayed argent veined azure. Escutcheon Paly of four argent and or issuing in base a pile throughout the sides embowed inwards azure over all three fleurs-de-lis those in chief azure and that in base per pale argent and or. Supporters On either side an owl azure armed or in the beak a quill the nib outwards argent spined or [14]

• Dissension in the House of Commons 1974-1979, Oxford University Press, 1980, ISBN 978-0-19-827430-8
• The Commons in Perspective, Longman, 1981, ISBN 978-0-582-28294-0
• The Constitution in Flux, Martin Roberstson, 1982, ISBN 978-0-85520-521-8
• The Political Science of British Politics, (with Jack Hayward) Wheatsheaf Books, Sussex, 1986, ISBN 0-7450-0367-2
• The British Polity, Longman, 2000, ISBN 978-0-8013-1844-3
• Parliament in British Politics, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, ISBN 978-1-4039-0667-0

• Lord Norton of Louth Parliamentary profile
• Philip Norton profile at the University of Hull
• Philip Norton profile at the Hansard Society
• Philip Norton blog at The Norton View
• Philip Norton blog at Lords of the Blog
• Philip Norton profile at TheyWorkForYou