Diana Elles, Baroness Elles
Encyclopedia
Diana Louie Elles, Baroness Elles (19 July 1921 – 17 October 2009) was a barrister and United Nations
representative from the United Kingdom
. She was a delegate to the European Parliament
for over a decade.
, she was the daughter of Colonel Stewart Francis Newcombe and his wife Elisabeth Chaki, who had met in his war captivity. Her father was a close friend of T.E.Lawrence, who was the godfather of her brother Stuart Lawrence Newcombe (born 1920). After education at private schools in London
, Paris
and Florence
, she went to the University of London
, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in French and Italian in 1941. During the Second World War Elles served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
, becoming a Flight Officer
in 1944. Versed in mathematics she was attached to Bletchley Park
and was part of a team of code-breakers.
in 1956 and worked in the voluntary care committee in Kennington
. She was director of the National Institute of Houseworkers, opening an training college in 1963. In July 1970, Elles became chairman of the British section of the European Union of Women and three years later of the organisation as a whole. In 1972, Edward Heath
, at that time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
arranged for her a life peer
age and on 2 May she was created Baroness Elles, of the City of Westminster
. When Labour
took office in 1974, she sat on the Opposition benches in the House of Lords
and acted as Spokesperson for foreign and European affairs.
In 1977 Elles became a council member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs until 1986 and subsequently was governor of the University of Reading
until 1996. She was trustee of the Industry and Parliament Trust
from 1985 and in 1990 a trustee of the Caldecott Community that was originally founded as a London nursery in 1911 - latterly a residential (therapeutic) community for children in care. Elles was appointed an honorable bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 1993. After her retirement from politician, she spent her time supporting the British Institute of Florence
.
and after a year was added to the UN Sub-Commission for Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. She was nominated UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in 1975. Four years later, she resigned her offices with the UN.
Edward Heath
sent her to the European Parliament
in 1973, where she headed the international office until 1978, when Elles had to make room for a Labour delegate. In the Parliament's first election in 1979, she won the Conservative
seat for Thames Valley
. Together with her son James
, she was returned in 1984 for another five years. From 1982, she served as the Parliament's vice-president and two years later, stood unsuccessfully for the presidency. When in 1987, her term ended, she ran for the leadership of the European Democratic Group, however was defeated by Christopher Prout. Elles left the Parliament in 1989 and became a member of the Belgian
law firm Van Bael and Bellis.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
representative from the United Kingdom
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...
. She was a delegate to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
for over a decade.
Early years
Born Diana Newcombe in BedfordBedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, she was the daughter of Colonel Stewart Francis Newcombe and his wife Elisabeth Chaki, who had met in his war captivity. Her father was a close friend of T.E.Lawrence, who was the godfather of her brother Stuart Lawrence Newcombe (born 1920). After education at private schools in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, she went to the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in French and Italian in 1941. During the Second World War Elles served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
, becoming a Flight Officer
Flight officer
The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Armed Forces where it was an air force warrant officer rank. It was also an air force rank in several Commonwealth nations where it was used for female officers and was equivalent to the rank of flight lieutenant...
in 1944. Versed in mathematics she was attached to Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
and was part of a team of code-breakers.
Career in England
Elles was called to the bar by Lincoln's InnLincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1956 and worked in the voluntary care committee in Kennington
Kennington
Kennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
. She was director of the National Institute of Houseworkers, opening an training college in 1963. In July 1970, Elles became chairman of the British section of the European Union of Women and three years later of the organisation as a whole. In 1972, Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, at that time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
arranged for her a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
age and on 2 May she was created Baroness Elles, of the City of Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
. When Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
took office in 1974, she sat on the Opposition benches 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....
and acted as Spokesperson for foreign and European affairs.
In 1977 Elles became a council member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs until 1986 and subsequently was governor of the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
until 1996. She was trustee of the Industry and Parliament Trust
Industry and Parliament Trust
The Industry and Parliament Trust is a charity that works to promote the mutual understanding of Parliament and business. It works within the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the European Parliament and with organisations from all sectors of industry...
from 1985 and in 1990 a trustee of the Caldecott Community that was originally founded as a London nursery in 1911 - latterly a residential (therapeutic) community for children in care. Elles was appointed an honorable bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 1993. After her retirement from politician, she spent her time supporting the British Institute of Florence
British Institute of Florence
The British Institute of Florence is a cultural institute founded in 1917 in Florence, Italy, with the aim of promoting Anglo-Italian cultural relations, teaching English and Italian languages, and running a Library of English books to illustrate British and Italian literature, art, history and music...
.
Foreign career
In 1972, Elles joined the British delegation to the United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
and after a year was added to the UN Sub-Commission for Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. She was nominated UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in 1975. Four years later, she resigned her offices with the UN.
Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
sent her to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 1973, where she headed the international office until 1978, when Elles had to make room for a Labour delegate. In the Parliament's first election in 1979, she won the 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...
seat for Thames Valley
Thames Valley (European Parliament constituency)
Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
. Together with her son James
James Elles
James Edmund Moncrieff Elles is a British politician, and Conservative Party Member of the European Parliament for the South East England....
, she was returned in 1984 for another five years. From 1982, she served as the Parliament's vice-president and two years later, stood unsuccessfully for the presidency. When in 1987, her term ended, she ran for the leadership of the European Democratic Group, however was defeated by Christopher Prout. Elles left the Parliament in 1989 and became a member of the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
law firm Van Bael and Bellis.
Personal life
In 1945, she married Neil Patrick Moncrieff Elles; they had two children, Elizabeth Rosamund (born 1947) and James Edmund Moncrieff (born 1949). Her husband having predeceased her, Elles died on 17 October 2009, aged 88.Works
- The Housewife and The Common Market (1971)
- Procedural Aspects of Competition Law (1975)
- UN Human Rights of Non-Citizens (1984)
- Legal Issues of the Maastricht Treaty (1995)
- European and World Trade Law (1996)