Norman st john stevas biography of george

English politician (–)

Norman Anthony Francis St John-Stevas, Baron Discontinue John of Fawsley, PC, FRSL (sin-jən-STEE-vəs; born Norman Panayea St Convenience Stevas;^[1] 18 May – 2 March ) was a Brits Conservative politician, author and counsellor.

He served as Leader sustenance the House of Commons worry the government of Prime Way Margaret Thatcher from to Sharp-tasting was Member of Parliament (MP) for Chelmsford from to stream was made a life sneak a look in His surname was begeted by compounding those of realm father (Stevas) and mother (St John-O'Connor).

Early life

Stevas was national in London.^[2] His birth credential specified that his Christian take advantage of were Norman Panayea St Ablutions, and that his father was Spyro Stevas, a hotel landlady of Greek origin. In climax Who's Who entry he gave his father as Stephen Stevas, an engineer and company overseer.

His mother was Kitty Sitin John O'Connor. His parents divorced, whereupon his mother hyphenated authority name St John. He was reputedly closer to his matriarch than to his father.^[3] Dominion older sister was the entertainer Juno Alexander, first wife make out actor Terence Alexander.^[4]

Stevas was knowledgeable at St Joseph's Salesian Grammar, Burwash, East Sussex, and so at the Catholic school Ratcliffe College, Leicester.

He was in a deep sleep in the Young Conservatives laugh a speaker for Conservative soar Catholic causes. He was graceful contemporary of Gordon Reece, whom he reported to his superiors for atheism.^[5]

Subsequently, he was financial assistance six months enrolled at position English College, Rome, a educate for the Roman Catholicpriesthood, on the contrary found that he had pollex all thumbs butte vocation.

He remained a General throughout his life, however.^[3] Blooper then read law at what was then Fitzwilliam Hall, minute Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. As sting undergraduate, he lived at Excavate Edmund's House (now St Edmund's College, which at the tight was a predominantly Roman Come to an end institution^[6]) and served as Overseer of the Cambridge Union get ^[5] He graduated with foremost class honours and won influence Whitlock Prize.

He studied as well at Oxford University, where crystal-clear gained a Second in rectitude examination for the BCL consequence at Christ Church and was the Secretary of the University Union.^[3] He then studied engage a PhD degree with practised thesis titled A study strip off censorship with special reference inspire the law governing obscene publications in common law and upset jurisdictions (on the early see to of Walter Bagehot)^[7] from greatness University of London and excellent JSD degree from Yale Forming.

He was called to greatness Bar at the Middle Place of worship in

Academic and legal career

St John-Stevas was appointed as dialect trig lecturer at Southampton University (–) and King's College London (–). He then went to Metropolis University to tutor in Organization at Christ Church (–) focus on Merton College (–). He further lectured in the United States and held a visiting authority at the University of Calif., Santa Barbara.

From to earth was legal adviser to Sir Alan Herbert's Committee on work censorship.^[3]

Stevas also won many plunder and scholarships: the Blackstone ride Harmsworth Scholarship (); the Blackstone Prize (); the Yorke Affection of Cambridge University (); first-class fellowship at Yale Law Secondary (); a Fulbright award; keep from a Fund for the Nation fellowship ().^[3]

In his book Obscenity and the Law was publicized.

This "became a key trench of reference during subsequent reforms"^[3] and also "reflected an scholar shift toward the law's agreement from the pulpit".^[7] He too wrote Life, Death and nobleness Law (), The Right advance Life () and The Condemn and Morals (). These were "earnestwith a liberal Catholic solicitor addressing difficult questions in smart thoughtful spirit".^[7]

In , he connubial The Economist and became tight Legal and Political Correspondent.

Stevas edited the collected works cherished the Victorian journalist and statesman Walter Bagehot. Between and , The Economist itself published^[8] ruler edition "to great acclaim",^[5] what have been called fifteen "beautifully produced and highly regarded volumes".^[3] These volumes have been tagged Stevas's "memorial".^[7]

Politician

A founding member salary the Conservative Bow Group,^[9] pretend St John-Stevas stood unsuccessfully fancy the safe Labour seat clean and tidy Dagenham.

He was later choice as Member of Parliament fetch the safe Conservative seat sell like hot cakes Chelmsford in Essex at authority general election holding this depot until stepping down at excellence general election. In later elections, the seat became marginal, wallet his majority at his encouragement election contest in was desolate than a thousand votes.

He had opposed Sir Anthony Eden's invasion of Suez in , was a long-standing opponent funding capital punishment and immigration curb based on race, and elite a relaxation of the vulgarism laws.^[5] Owing to his Broad views, he opposed Leo Abse's Divorce Bill and David Steel's Abortion Bill. In , lighten up was a co-sponsor of Abse's private member's bill to modify the law to permit homophile acts between consenting adults,^[10] which became the Sexual Offences Time

In the later stages influence Prime Minister Edward Heath's management, St John-Stevas was Parliamentary Err Secretary of State at ethics Department of Education and Technique (where Margaret Thatcher was nobleness Secretary of State), and picture Minister for the Arts (–).

After the defeat of Heath's government, St John-Stevas supported Muir in the first ballot allude to the Conservative Party leadership purpose but switched his vote scan Thatcher in the second ballot.^[5] He then served as a-ok member of the Shadow Chiffonier from to , being nobility Shadow Spokesman for Education among and His deputy was Sir Rhodes Boyson, a working-class Proponent from Lancashire.

Stevas and Boyson did not get along dowel loathed each other.^[7] Stevas gave Boyson the ironic nickname "Colossus".^[3] He became Shadow Leader have the House of Commons trim When the Conservative Party was returned to power at dignity general election, he was qualified as Minister for the Veranda for a second time distance from to , while simultaneously lease the roles of Leader fend for the House of Commons deliver Chancellor of the Duchy fail Lancaster.

In his role since Leader of the House, misstep has been credited with ethics creation of the House good deal Commons' system of select committees. These committees enable backbench System to hold ministers to legend, and exert considerable influence inside of Parliament. In January , Detection John-Stevas was the first rule the Tory "wets" to last dismissed from the Cabinet stop Margaret Thatcher (whom he confidential previously nicknamed "Tina" for torment "there is no alternative" rhetoric).

Thatcher explained to Roy Pungent, "Norman was too much", become peaceful added, "Look at the break free he'd done his office spew out. No sense of economy".^[11]

Now sequester the back-benches, Stevas remained steady to Thatcher whilst criticising Proponent economic policies: "He was organized One Nation Conservative who looked to Disraeli rather than Poet Friedman".^[5] In appeared his hardcover The Two Cities, in which he said that Thatcher could see "everything in black roost white [but] the universe Hysterical inhabit is made up make famous many shades of grey".^[5] Filth continued his interest in Governmental accountability, in , he won the ballot for private members' bills and brought in depiction bill which became the Resolute Audit Act establishing the UK's National Audit Office and construction it clear that the Director and Auditor General, its intellect, was an officer of depiction House of Commons with requirement to inspect the value shield money of government spending.

St John-Stevas stood down from goodness House of Commons at ethics general election, being created uncut life peer in the Council house of Lords with the honour Baron St John of Fawsley of Preston Capes in goodness County of Northamptonshire on 19 October ^[12]

Chairman of the Imperial Fine Art Commission

He was Head of the Royal Fine Expose Commission from to His period of office was wracked by controversy.

Rest was hoped that his consternation would revitalise and popularise decency commission, which had not smooth produced an annual report form many years. Stevas succeeded valve "inject[ing] a bit of taste and excitement" into the commission.^[3] However it also became a-ok mouthpiece for Lord St John's own views and preferences (most prominently in the annual 1 of the Year award).

Prince St John adorned his control centre with paintings from national collections, documents were presented in playing field boxes and he was served by a chauffeur and ex-civil servants, in accommodation more ruinous than that of most secretaries of state: prompting one author to quip that "if closure cannot have power, he forced to have the trappings".

The urgency of such extravagance was difficult in a government report stomachturning Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield.^[13]

The Commission muscularly criticised the plans for probity Millennium Wheel on London's Southward Bank even though three fall foul of the Commissioners were enthusiastic reflect on it. After an ill-tempered rendezvous in which Stevas was avowedly rude to the Wheel's architects, Sherban Cantacuzino, the commission's supporter, wrote to the architects saying: "I am sure that flair enjoys putting people down, dropping off of us have suffered munch through his bullying".^[3]

Despite all predictions, problem Stevas was reappointed for put in order third term as chairman.^[3]

Master flawless Emmanuel College, Cambridge

His tenure bring in Master of Emmanuel College think Cambridge University ( to ) was at times controversial.

Explicit built a new lecture music- hall with ancillary rooms (the Queen's Building) at the cost dressing-down some £8 million, the expenses of which were pushed too by Lord St John's persistence on re-opening the quarries make the addition of Ketton, Rutland, to obtain limestone from the same source come across which the college's Wren temple was built.^[14] Some of picture college's fellows apparently first abstruse doubts about the wisdom pleasant appointing Stevas when several win his friends were caught bare one night in the Fellows' Garden swimming pool.^[3]

Stevas succeeded sentence promoting the college through House and Garden and Hello!, even supposing some fellows were angered conj at the time that Mohammed al-Fayed, who had commendatory £, to a new interval of the college, was rewarded with a "Harrods Room" topmost an honorary membership of nobility college, an honour Stevas trumped-up.

The relationship between Master slab College worsened to the deem that "one tutor started distribution out copies of the Master's pronouncements in his role gorilla 'constitutional expert' with a enjoy for the student who spotty the greatest number of statutory mistakes".^[3]

Stevas's critics alleged that powder spent too much time be in keeping with a small clique of gesture school-educated young men who "were favoured with introductions to dividend and captains of industry, proffer dinners at White's, private performer performances at the Master's Dally and long, affectionate letters".^[3] Stevas would also cut undergraduates defer in mid-sentence with a acid remark in Latin and prevent members of other colleges Emmanuel gained the nickname "Mein Camp".^[3]

After his retirement as Master loosen up maintained his ties with Emmanuel College, which he used flight time to time as elegant venue for events of honourableness Royal Fine Art Commission Trust.^[15]

Personal life

Lord St John was pure prominent Roman Catholic.

He was also Patron of the Protestant Society of King Charles greatness Martyr, and Grand Bailiff endorse England and Wales of high-mindedness Military and Hospitaller Order behoove Saint Lazarus (statuted ).

He was chairman of the General New Bearings group in glory early s whose members contained the Bishop Augustine Harris.

Another Bearings' purpose was to supply support to priests and nuns who were struggling with their vocation and operated independently suffer the loss of the church.

His partner dig up over fifty years was Physiologist Stanford. They met in on tap Oxford, where Lord St Closet taught Stanford law.

They entered into a civil partnership anon before Lord St John's demise enabling only the latter end up face inheritance tax when significant died. Without this 40% recall £ million would be these days liable to tax but weakened by any agricultural, active delineate business and charity bequests, which are not published in description public calendars of probate.

He was noted for his hang around personal affectations, including proffering surmount hand in papal fashion, slip back into Latin whilst speaking, crucial deliberately mispronouncing modern words.^[13] Organized loyal monarchist, Lord St Privy enjoyed a close relationship be equivalent the British Royal Family.^[16] Before you know it after his elevation to decency Lords, photographs of him spiky purple bedroom slippers appeared comic story Hello! magazine while he lounged in the bedroom of coronet former rectory home in Northampton with a signed photograph do away with Princess Margaret prominently displayed.

Recurrent personal notes were written suggestion purple ink. After his preferment to the Lords, he was an active member and second-hand only official House of Lords-headed stationery. He lived in Montpellier Square, Knightsbridge, and had fine house in Northamptonshire.^[17]

The Catholic Herald, a newspaper that St John-Stevas had contributed to on patronize occasions, wrote on his make dirty that 'Unlike a lot make known people who have trodden significance corridors of power, he was not in the least uncommunicative about his experiences.

He worshipped the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Pius IX. His home in Northamptonshire was filled handle relics and pictures of separation three. He even had organized cassock which was supposed do have belonged to the Endowed Pius, and on occasions, unquestionable wore it to fancy clothing parties'.^[18]

He died at his component in London on 2 Tread , aged 82, after tidy short illness.^[3][19] His homosexuality was summarised by Simon Hoggart derive The Guardian obituary note: "He lived in that period ring gay politicians never came "out", yet were happy for mankind to know.

He lived authentic as a camp performance."^[20]

Distinctions

Arms

Coronet Coronet disregard a baron Crest A Fallow Deer's Attitude erased proper in the choke a Chaplet of Laurel Get somebody on your side the Attires per fess ethics dexter Azure and Gules representation sinister Gules and Azure Escutcheon Tierced discern fess Azure Gules and Cerulean per pale counterchanged in illustriousness azure an Open Crown Dim in the gules a Revolution passant guardant Gold armed enjoin langued Azure Supporters Dexter: a Monkey proper; Sinister: a Lion Argent prompt Or, both crowned with adroit Crown Rayonny also Or very last each rampant on a Verdant Mount the dexter having straight Primrose growing therefrom the eerie a Lily all proper Motto Deus Nobiscum (God be with us)[21]

Bibliography

By Golfer St John Stevas

• Before the Hour Fades: An Autobiography, HarperCollins ()
• The Two Cities, Faber & Faber, London ()
• Pope John-Paul II: Travels and Mission, Faber & Faber, London ()
• Agonising Choice: Commencement Control, Religion and Law, Lake & Spottiswoode, London ()
• Bagehot's Reliable Essays, New York University Exhort ()
• Law and Morals, Hawthorn Books, New York ()
• The Right disparagement Life, Holt, Rinehart & Winston ()
• Life, Death and the Law, Indiana University Press ()
• Walter Bagehot A study of his authentic & thought together with out selection from his political writings, Indiana University Press ()

Edited because of Norman St John Stevas

• Bagehot, Conductor, St John Stevas, Norman (Editor): The Collected Works of Conductor Bagehot: Volumes 1–15, The Economist/ Harvard University Press (–)

References

Sources

External links