Janet Fookes, Baroness Fookes

The Right Honourable
The Baroness Fookes
DBE DL

Baroness Fookes, December 2011.
Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
In office
27 April 1992 – 14 May 1997
Speaker Betty Boothroyd
Preceded by Betty Boothroyd
Succeeded by Michael Lord
Member of Parliament
for Plymouth Drake
Merton and Morden (1970-1974)
In office
18 June 1970 – 1 May 1997
Preceded by Humphrey Atkins
Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born (1936-02-21) 21 February 1936
Nationality British
Political party Conservative

Janet Evelyn Fookes, Baroness Fookes, DBE, DL (born 21 February 1936) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, she is a Life Peer in the House of Lords. She was previously a member of the House of Commons from 1970–97, representing the constituencies of Merton and Morden (1970–74) and Plymouth Drake (1974–97). She was a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 1992-97.

Biography

Fookes was educated at Royal Holloway College, University of London.[1] She worked as a teacher from 1958-70. She served as a Councillor on Hastings Borough Council from 1960–61, and 1963-70.[1]

Fookes was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Merton and Morden in 1970. When this constituency was abolished, she was elected MP for Plymouth Drake in 1974.[1] Drake was never a safe seat, but Fookes managed to survive many strong challenges in each general election she fought, including winning by a majority of just 34 at the October 1974 general election. She served as one of three Deputy Speakers of the House of Commons from 1992-97. She retired from the House of Commons in 1997.

Fookes served on the Council of the RSPCA 1975-92, and was its chair from 1979-81. She was also a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (1987–97).[1] She is an Ambassador for unemployment charity, Tomorrow's People Trust.[2]

Honours

On 30 September 1997, she was made a Life Peer as Baroness Fookes, of Plymouth in the County of Devon.[3]

She had previously been made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1989 New Year's Honours,[4] and became Deputy Lieutenant of East Sussex in 2001.

Fookes is unmarried.[1]

Arms

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics
  2. ↑ "Tomorrow's People honours Baroness Fookes". 30 November 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "No. 54913". The London Gazette. 7 October 1997. p. 11279.
  4. ↑ "No. 51578". The London Gazette. 31 December 1988. p. 7.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Humphrey Atkins		 Member of Parliament for Merton and Morden
1970–Feb 1974 		Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Plymouth Drake
Feb 1974–1997
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