Hugh Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson QC (born 26 March 1925) is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Montgomeryshire from 1962 until 1979.
Hooson was educated at Denbigh Grammar School and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He served in the Royal Navy during World War II. He became a barrister, called to the bar by Gray's Inn in 1949, and in 1960 became the youngest ever Queen's Counsel. He was chairman of the Flint Quarter Sessions from 1960 and Merioneth Quarter Sessions from 1962, and a member of the Bar Council from 1965. As QC, Hooson represented Ian Brady, one of the "Moors Murderers" along with Myra Hindley, when he was tried and convicted on 3 murder charges at Chester Crown Court in spring 1966.
He has also been a farmer.
Hooson became chairman of the Liberal Party of Wales in 1955 and was elected to the Liberal Party executive in 1965. He contested Conway at the 1950 general election and again in 1951. He became MP for Montgomeryshire at a 1962 by-election following the death of Clement Davies, as a member of the Liberal Party. He contested the Liberal Party leadership election of 1967, but withdrew in favour of Jeremy Thorpe.
In 1979, he lost his seat to the Conservatives and was then appointed a life peer as Baron Hooson, of Montgomery in the County of Powys and of Colomendy in the County of Clwyd. Apart from the four years which followed his defeat, and again at the 2010 general election, Montgomeryshire has elected Liberal or Liberal-affiliated candidates since 1880.
He now sits for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.
Between 1987 and 1993, Hooson was the President of the International Eisteddfod, held annually at Llangollen.
Hooson is a member of an old North Wales agricultural family. He is the cousin (and political opponent) of Tom Hooson, a Conservative MP who died in 1985.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Clement Davies |
Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire 1962–1979 |
Succeeded by Delwyn Williams |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by New position |
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Party 1966–1979 |
Succeeded by Geraint Howells |
| Preceded by Roger Roberts |
President of the Welsh Liberal Party 1983–1986 |
Succeeded by Winston Roddick? |