Sir James Wilton Spicer, known as Jim Spicer, (born 4 October 1925)[1] is a British Conservative politician.
Spicer was Member of Parliament (MP) for West Dorset from February 1974 until he retired at the 1997 general election, when he was succeeded by Oliver Letwin. He was a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party, and was also an Member of the European Parliament from 1975 to 1984, representing Wessex from 1979 until 1984.
At 14 he was an air raid messenger in London during the Blitz. At 15 he was in a Commando Section of his local Home Guard. Whilst at 16 he worked as a labourer in a scrap metal yard, before joining the army. Commissioned at 18, he served in North West Europe during the war and thereafter in Egypt, Kenya, Cyprus and finally in 1958, with the Parachute Regiment in the ill-fated attack on Port Said.
He resigned his Commission and moved with his wife, Winfy, to Beaminster, where they farmed. Politics became a consuming interest; and in 1974, he became the MP for his own Constituency of West Dorset. As a politician, he saw "service" as a vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, Chairman of the International office. Chief Whip in the European Parliament and finally, the first Chairman of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. During his long career, he had one to one meetings with Ceausescu, Saddam Hussein, President Assad, Mugabe and many other World leaders - good and bad alike.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Simon Wingfield-Digby |
Member of Parliament for West Dorset February 1974 – 1997 |
Succeeded by Oliver Letwin |