Tristan Garel-Jones

The Right Honourable
The Lord Garel-Jones
PC
Minister for Europe
In office
14 July 1990 – 27 May 1993
Prime Minister John Major
Preceded by Francis Maude
Succeeded by David Heathcoat-Amory
Treasurer of the Household
In office
25 July 1989 – 14 July 1990
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by David Hunt
Succeeded by Alastair Goodlad
Comptroller of the Household
In office
26 July 1988 – 25 July 1989
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by Robert Boscawen
Succeeded by Alastair Goodlad
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
In office
16 October 1986 – 26 July 1988
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by Robert Boscawen
Succeeded by Michael Neubert
Member of Parliament
for Watford
In office
3 May 1979 – 1 May 1997
Preceded by Raphael Tuck
Succeeded by Claire Ward
Personal details
Born (1941-02-28) 28 February 1941
Nationality British
Political party Conservative

William Armand Thomas Tristan Garel-Jones, Baron Garel-Jones, PC (born 28 February 1941) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford from 1979–97, before being made a life peer in 1997.

Following his election to Parliament, Garel-Jones served in various whip positions and also as a junior minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.[1][2]

Early life

Garel-Jones was educated at the King's School, Canterbury.[1]

Parliamentary career

Garel-Jones first contested Caernarvon in February 1974, but was defeated by the future leader of Plaid Cymru Dafydd Wigley. He was elected for Watford at the 1979 General Election.

Whips Office

Viewed as an effective whip who successfully delivered parliamentary votes in favour of Thatcher's legislation, Garel-Jones was nonetheless seen as a mixture of Machiavelli and Ivan the Terrible by the Thatcherite right-wing.[3]

Mr Garel-Jones is said to be the inspiration for the fictional Whip turned PM, Francis Urquhart in House of Cards.[4]

Europe

Garel-Jones was a leading pro-European and remained so despite the Conservative party moving to a more eurosceptic position by the end of the Thatcher era. This created suspicion among right-wing Thatcherites who thought of him as one of the "wets". However, he voted for Margaret Thatcher in the first round of the leadership challenge by Michael Heseltine, but reserved the right to vote against her if it went to a second round. He subsequently voted for Douglas Hurd.[3]

After he stepped down from the House of Commons in 1997, he was given a life peerage as Baron Garel-Jones, of Watford in the County of Hertfordshire.[5]

Other interests

Garel-Jones is a supporter of the British Humanist Association, and a vice chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group.[1]

Garel-Jones was portrayed by Hugh Fraser in the 2004 BBC production of The Alan Clark Diaries, and by Guy Henry in 2009's Margaret.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Lord Garel-Jones of Watford, PC". Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  2. ↑ "No. 54851". The London Gazette. 1997-08-01. p. 2.
  3. 1 2 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/minister-departs-to-rightwing-glee-colin-brown-on-the-career-of-tristan-gareljones-an-enthusiastic-european-perceived-by-political-enemies-as-a-key-player-in-margaret-thatchers-downfall-1565113.html
  4. ↑ http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/20th-may-1995/11/westminsters-secret-service
  5. ↑ "No. 54932". The London Gazette. 1997-10-28. p. 1.
  6. ↑ Tristan Garel-Jones on IMDb
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Raphael Tuck		 Member of Parliament for Watford
1979–1997 		Succeeded by
Claire Ward
Political offices
Preceded by
Robert Boscawen		 Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
1986–1988 		Succeeded by
Michael Neubert
Comptroller of the Household
1988–1989 		Succeeded by
Alastair Goodlad
Preceded by
David Hunt		 Treasurer of the Household
1989–1990
Preceded by
Francis Maude		 Minister for Europe
1990–1993 		Succeeded by
David Heathcoat-Amory
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