Gillian Shephard

The Right Honourable
 The Baroness Shephard of Northwold
PC
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
In office
1 June 1998 – 15 June 1999
Leader William Hague
Preceded by Norman Fowler
Succeeded by John Redwood
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office
June 1997 – 1 June 1998
Leader William Hague
Preceded by Alastair Goodlad
Succeeded by George Young
Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
In office
2 May 1997 – 11 June 1997
Leader John Major
Preceded by David Blunkett
Succeeded by Stephen Dorrell
Secretary of State for Education and Employment
In office
5 July 1995 – 2 May 1997
Prime Minister John Major
Preceded by Herself (Education)
Michael Portillo (Employment)
Succeeded by David Blunkett
Secretary of State for Education
In office
20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995
Prime Minister John Major
Preceded by John Patten
Succeeded by Herself (Education and Employment)
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In office
27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994
Prime Minister John Major
Preceded by John Gummer
Succeeded by William Waldegrave
Secretary of State for Employment
In office
10 April 1992 – 27 May 1993
Prime Minister John Major
Preceded by Michael Howard
Succeeded by David Hunt
Member of Parliament
for South West Norfolk
In office
11 June 1987 – 5 May 2005
Preceded by Paul Hawkins
Succeeded by Christopher Fraser
Personal details
Born 22 January 1940 (1940-01-22) (age 72)
Cromer, United Kingdom
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Thomas Shephard (1975–present)
Alma mater St Hilda's College, Oxford

Gillian Patricia Shephard, Baroness Shephard of Northwold, PC (born 22 January 1940[1]), née Watts, is an English Conservative politician; she was the Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk,[1] and a former Cabinet Minister and is now Chairman of the Association of Conservative Peers.[2]

Contents

Early life and career

The daughter of Reginald and Bertha Watts, she was born in Cromer, Norfolk, and educated at North Walsham Girls' High School and St Hilda's College, Oxford,[3] gaining an MA in Modern Languages, after which she became a school teacher and a worked as an Education Inspector for Norfolk County Council from 1963 to 1975. From 1975 to 1977, she worked for Anglia Television. She was elected to Parliament in 1987, and became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Peter Lilley in 1988.[1] She was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Social Security in 1989,[4] and then in 1990, Minister of State at HM Treasury.[5] In 1990, she was given the additional role of Deputy Chairman of the Party.[4] She married Thomas Shephard on 27 December 1975 and has two stepsons.

Ministerial career

After the 1992 general election, she was appointed Secretary of State for Employment,[1] then Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1993.[4] She moved to Secretary of State for Education in 1994, and stayed at the department when the Department for Employment merged into it in 1996.[4] She remained in this position until the 1997 general election.[5]

In opposition

After the defeat of the Conservatives, William Hague made her Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, and then Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.[5] She returned to the backbenches in 1999,[6] and stepped down from the House of Commons at the 2005 general election.[5] Her memoirs Shephard's Watch: Illusions of Power in British Politics were published in 2000.[6]

Life peerage

On 13 May 2005, it was announced that she would be created a life peer,[7] and on 21 June 2005, the peerage was created as Baroness Shephard of Northwold, in the County of Norfolk. She is currently Chairman of the Association of Conservative Peers.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Gillian Shephard". BBC News Online. 2002-10-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2122617.stm. Retrieved 2010-12-05. 
  2. ^ a b "All courtesy titles could go in reform of honours". The Times. 2007-12-29. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3105755.ece. Retrieved 2010-12-05. 
  3. ^ "Shephard's scars". Times Higher Education. 1996-09-20. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=90634&sectioncode=26. Retrieved 2010-12-05. 
  4. ^ a b c d "Shephard plans to step down as MP". BBC News Online. 2004-09-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3664496.stm. Retrieved 2010-12-05. 
  5. ^ a b c d "Full list of new life peers". BBC News Online. 2005-05-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4544507.stm. Retrieved 2010-12-05. 
  6. ^ a b "Hague was wrong to rubbish old guard, says Major loyalist". The Independent. 2000-07-25. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hague-was-wrong-to-rubbish-old-guard-says-major-loyalist-707209.html. Retrieved 2010-12-05. 
  7. ^ "New peers make Labour giant in Lords". Manchester Evening News. 2005-05-13. http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/158/158653_new_peers_make_labour_giant_in_lords.html. Retrieved 2010-12-05. 
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Paul Hawkins		 Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk
1987–2005		 Succeeded by
Christopher Fraser
Political offices
Preceded by
Michael Howard		 Secretary of State for Employment
1992–1993		 Succeeded by
David Hunt
Preceded by
John Gummer		 Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1993–1994		 Succeeded by
William Waldegrave
Preceded by
John Patten		 Secretary of State for Education
1994–1995		 Succeeded by
Herself
as Secretary of State for Education and Employment
Preceded by
Herself
as Secretary of State for Education		 Secretary of State for Education and Employment
1995–1997		 Succeeded by
David Blunkett
Succeeded by
Michael Portillo
as Secretary of State for Employment