David Verney, 21st Baron Willoughby de Broke
Encyclopedia
Leopold David Verney, 21st Baron Willoughby de Broke, FRSA
, FRGS
(born 14 September 1938) is a British
peer. He is one of the 92 hereditary peer
s elected to remain in the House of Lords
after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
; originally elected a Conservative
peer, he joined United Kingdom Independence Party
(UKIP) in January 2007, making him one of only three UKIP members of either house of Parliament
. He had succeeded to his father's title in 1986.
The son of the 20th Baron Willoughby de Broke
and Rachel Wrey, he was educated at Le Rosey in Switzerland
and at New College, Oxford
where he read Modern Languages . Since 1992, Willoughby has been chair of SM Theatre Ltd, the St Martins theatre was built by his grandfather. From 1999 to 2004, he was president of the Heart of England Tourist Board.
Between 1990 and 2004, he was patron of the Warwickshire Association of Boys' Clubs, and in 2005–present became chairman of Warwickshire Hunt. Since 1992, Willoughby has been governor of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre
and since 2002 president of the Warwickshire
branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
(FRSA) and of the Royal Geographical Society
(FRGS).
Lord Willoughby de Broke married firstly Petra Aird, daughter of Colonel Sir John Renton Aird, 3rd Baronet in 1965. Divorced in 1989, he married secondly Alexandra du Luart in 2003, granddaughter of Rab Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden
. He has two surviving sons by his first wife, including his heir Rupert Greville Verney and two stepdaughters.
On 19 November 2009 he introduced the Constitutional Reform Bill [HL] 2009-10 bill to the House of Lords. The Bill intended to repeal the European Communities Act 1972
, repeal the Human Rights Act 1998
, reduce the powers of the House of Commons and government, reduce MPs' pay and give more power to local authorities.
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
, FRGS
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
(born 14 September 1938) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
peer. He is one of the 92 hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
s elected to remain in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
; originally elected a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
peer, he joined United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
(UKIP) in January 2007, making him one of only three UKIP members of either house of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. He had succeeded to his father's title in 1986.
The son of the 20th Baron Willoughby de Broke
John Verney, 20th Baron Willoughby de Broke
John Henry Peyto Verney, 20th Baron Willoughby de Broke, MC, AFC was the son of Richard Greville Verney and Marie Frances Lisette Hanbury. He was educated at Eton College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst...
and Rachel Wrey, he was educated at Le Rosey in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
where he read Modern Languages . Since 1992, Willoughby has been chair of SM Theatre Ltd, the St Martins theatre was built by his grandfather. From 1999 to 2004, he was president of the Heart of England Tourist Board.
Between 1990 and 2004, he was patron of the Warwickshire Association of Boys' Clubs, and in 2005–present became chairman of Warwickshire Hunt. Since 1992, Willoughby has been governor of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre is a 1,040+ seat thrust stage theatre owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company dedicated to the British playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It is located in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon - Shakespeare's birthplace - in the English Midlands, beside the River Avon...
and since 2002 president of the Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
The Campaign to Protect Rural England is a registered charity with over 60,000 members and supporters. Formed in 1926 by Sir Patrick Abercrombie to limit urban sprawl and ribbon development, the CPRE claims to be one of the...
. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(FRSA) and of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
(FRGS).
Lord Willoughby de Broke married firstly Petra Aird, daughter of Colonel Sir John Renton Aird, 3rd Baronet in 1965. Divorced in 1989, he married secondly Alexandra du Luart in 2003, granddaughter of Rab Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden
Rab Butler
Richard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
. He has two surviving sons by his first wife, including his heir Rupert Greville Verney and two stepdaughters.
On 19 November 2009 he introduced the Constitutional Reform Bill [HL] 2009-10 bill to the House of Lords. The Bill intended to repeal the European Communities Act 1972
European Communities Act 1972
European Communities Act 1972 can refer to:*European Communities Act 1972 * European Communities Act 1972...
, repeal the Human Rights Act 1998
Human Rights Act 1998
The Human Rights Act 1998 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which received Royal Assent on 9 November 1998, and mostly came into force on 2 October 2000. Its aim is to "give further effect" in UK law to the rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights...
, reduce the powers of the House of Commons and government, reduce MPs' pay and give more power to local authorities.
External links
- Lord Willoughby de Broke on the UKIP website