Difference between revisions of "Peter Rees"

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{{person
 
{{person
 
|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Rees,_Baron_Rees
 
|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Rees,_Baron_Rees
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|image=Peter Rees.jpg
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|birth_date=1926-12-09
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|birth_date=9 December 1926
 
|birth_place=Camberley, Surrey
 
|birth_place=Camberley, Surrey
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|death_date=2008-11-30
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|death_date=30 November 2008
 
|death_place=Lambeth, London
 
|death_place=Lambeth, London
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|description=British Conservative politician and barrister.
 
|constitutes=politician
 
|constitutes=politician
 
|spouses=Anthea Wendell
 
|spouses=Anthea Wendell
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|alma_mater=Christ Church (Oxford), Inner Temple
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|parents=Thomas Wynford Rees
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|relatives= Charles Alexander Innes
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|alma_mater= Stowe School,Christ Church (Oxford), Inner Temple
 
|political_parties=Conservative
 
|political_parties=Conservative
 
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'''Peter Wynford Innes Rees, Baron Rees''' was a British [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] politician and [[barrister]]. He was [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Dover and Deal (UK Parliament constituency)|Dover and Deal]] from 1974 to 1983 and MP for [[Dover (UK Parliament constituency)|Dover]] from 1970 to 1974 and 1983 to 1987.  He was [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] from 1983 until 1985. He was created a life peer as Baron Rees, of Goytre, in 1987.<ref name="guardian">https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/dec/04/edward-pearce-economic-policy-tax-obituary</ref><ref name="telegraph">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3543440/Lord-Rees.html|access-date=8 September 2016</ref>
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==Background==
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Rees was born in [[Camberley]], [[Surrey]], the only son of Major-General [[Thomas Wynford Rees]] of the India Army, and Agatha Rosalie (''née'' Innes). His maternal grandfather was Sir [[Charles Alexander Innes]], Governor of [[British rule in Burma|British Burma]] from 1927 to 1932. He was educated at [[Stowe School]]. He joined the [[Scots Guards]] in 1945 and three years later continued his education at [[Christ Church, Oxford]]. In 1953, he was called to the bar by the [[Inner Temple]]. He became a [[Queen's Counsel|QC]] in 1969.<ref name="odnb">https://books.google.com/books?id=nbGcAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA947</ref>
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==Political career==
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At the [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964 general election]] Rees stood as the Conservative candidate in the safe [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] seat of [[Abertillery (UK Parliament constituency)|Abertillery]], where he won only 14% of the votes, against the 86% won by the only other candidate, Labour's Reverend [[Llywelyn Williams|Llewellyn Williams]].<ref>http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge64/i01.htm</ref> When Williams died in 1965, Rees was the Conservative candidate in [[1965 Abertillery by-election|the consequent by-election]], losing by a similarly large margin.
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At the [[1966 United Kingdom general election|1966 election]], he stood in the more promising Labour-held seat of [[Liverpool West Derby (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool West Derby]], but lost again.
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He finally entered [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] at the [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970 general election]], when he won in [[Dover (UK Parliament constituency)|Dover]], with a majority of 1,649 over sitting Labour MP [[David Ennals, Baron Ennals|David Ennals]].
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==Parliament==
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In [[Edward Heath]]'s government, he served from 1972 to 1973 as [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to the [[Solicitor General for England and Wales|Solicitor General]], [[Michael Havers, Baron Havers|Michael Havers]].
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In 1979, when the Conservative Party entered government under [[Margaret Thatcher]], he became [[Minister of State]] at the [[HM Treasury|Treasury]], working to the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], [[Geoffrey Howe]], before becoming Minister for Trade in 1981.  After the 1983 [[1983 United Kingdom general election|UK general election]] he was appointed to the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] as [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]], working to the new [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], [[Nigel Lawson]].  He was made [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Counsellor]] the same year.
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Unlike most other Chief Secretaries to the Treasury, Peter Rees never went further within the Cabinet, leaving the post in the September 1985 cabinet reshuffle.  He retired from Parliament at the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]], aged 61, and on 16 November 1987 was created a [[life peer]] as '''Baron Rees''', of Goytre in the County of [[Gwent (county)|Gwent]]<ref>https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51127/page/14391</ref> and sat in the [[House of Lords]] as a Conservative.
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==Personal life==
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In 1969, he married Anthea Peronelle Wendell, daughter of Major Hugh John Maxwell-Hyslop, and former wife of Major Jack Wendell. They had no children.<ref name="odnb"/> Through this marriage, he was the stepfather of Anthea's daughters from her first marriage to Jac Wendell: Francesca and Serena Wendell (later the second wife of [[John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute]]).<ref>https://www.tatler.com/article/bonnie-in-clyde-meet-the-marchioness-of-bute</ref>
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Rees died of a spontaneous [[Subarachnoid hemorrhage|subarachnoid haemorrhage]] at [[St Thomas' Hospital]], London, following a short illness.  He was buried at St Peter's Church, [[Goytre]].<ref name="odnb"/>
 
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==References==
 
==References==
 
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Latest revision as of 12:59, 13 September 2024

Person.png Peter Rees  Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
(politician)
Peter Rees.jpg
Born9 December 1926
Camberley, Surrey
Died30 November 2008 (Age 81)
Lambeth, London
Alma materStowe School, Christ Church (Oxford), Inner Temple
ParentsThomas Wynford Rees
SpouseAnthea Wendell
PartyConservative
RelativesCharles Alexander Innes
British Conservative politician and barrister.

Employment.png Chief Secretary to the Treasury Wikipedia-icon.png

In office
11 June 1983 - 2 September 1985
Preceded byLeon Brittan
Succeeded byJohn MacGregor

Employment.png Member of Parliament for Dover

In office
19 June 1970 - 11 June 1987

Peter Wynford Innes Rees, Baron Rees was a British Conservative politician and barrister. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Dover and Deal from 1974 to 1983 and MP for Dover from 1970 to 1974 and 1983 to 1987. He was Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 1983 until 1985. He was created a life peer as Baron Rees, of Goytre, in 1987.[1][2]

Background

Rees was born in Camberley, Surrey, the only son of Major-General Thomas Wynford Rees of the India Army, and Agatha Rosalie (née Innes). His maternal grandfather was Sir Charles Alexander Innes, Governor of British Burma from 1927 to 1932. He was educated at Stowe School. He joined the Scots Guards in 1945 and three years later continued his education at Christ Church, Oxford. In 1953, he was called to the bar by the Inner Temple. He became a QC in 1969.[3]

Political career

At the 1964 general election Rees stood as the Conservative candidate in the safe Labour seat of Abertillery, where he won only 14% of the votes, against the 86% won by the only other candidate, Labour's Reverend Llewellyn Williams.[4] When Williams died in 1965, Rees was the Conservative candidate in the consequent by-election, losing by a similarly large margin.

At the 1966 election, he stood in the more promising Labour-held seat of Liverpool West Derby, but lost again.

He finally entered Parliament at the 1970 general election, when he won in Dover, with a majority of 1,649 over sitting Labour MP David Ennals.

Parliament

In Edward Heath's government, he served from 1972 to 1973 as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Solicitor General, Michael Havers.

In 1979, when the Conservative Party entered government under Margaret Thatcher, he became Minister of State at the Treasury, working to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Geoffrey Howe, before becoming Minister for Trade in 1981. After the 1983 UK general election he was appointed to the cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, working to the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nigel Lawson. He was made Privy Counsellor the same year.

Unlike most other Chief Secretaries to the Treasury, Peter Rees never went further within the Cabinet, leaving the post in the September 1985 cabinet reshuffle. He retired from Parliament at the 1987 general election, aged 61, and on 16 November 1987 was created a life peer as Baron Rees, of Goytre in the County of Gwent[5] and sat in the House of Lords as a Conservative.

Personal life

In 1969, he married Anthea Peronelle Wendell, daughter of Major Hugh John Maxwell-Hyslop, and former wife of Major Jack Wendell. They had no children.[3] Through this marriage, he was the stepfather of Anthea's daughters from her first marriage to Jac Wendell: Francesca and Serena Wendell (later the second wife of John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute).[6]

Rees died of a spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage at St Thomas' Hospital, London, following a short illness. He was buried at St Peter's Church, Goytre.[3]

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/dec/04/edward-pearce-economic-policy-tax-obituary
  2. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3543440/Lord-Rees.html%7Caccess-date=8 September 2016
  3. ↑ a b c https://books.google.com/books?id=nbGcAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA947
  4. ↑ http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/ge64/i01.htm
  5. ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51127/page/14391
  6. ↑ https://www.tatler.com/article/bonnie-in-clyde-meet-the-marchioness-of-bute
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