Rupert Speir

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Rupert Malise Speir (10 September 1910 – 16 September 1998) was a British Conservative Party politician.

He was born at Saltoun in East Lothian, Scotland, and educated at Eton College and at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he was chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association. He became a solicitor, and in 1939 he joined the army, where he served in the intelligence corps throughout World War II.

At the 1945 general election, he stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate in the safe Labour seat of Linlithgowshire in Scotland, winning 36% of the votes. He was unsuccessful again at the 1950 general election.

At the 1951 general election he as elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Hexham, and held the seat until he retired at the 1966 general election.

Three private members bills sponsored by Speir was passed into law: the Litter Act 1958, the Noise Abatement Act 1960 and the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1963.

[edit] References

• Obituary, The Independent, September 24 1998 by Patrick Cosgrave
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Douglas Clifton Brown	Member of Parliament for Hexham 1951–1966	Succeeded by Geoffrey Rippon