Jeremy Beecham
Encyclopedia
Jeremy Beecham, Baron Beecham, Kt
, DL
(born 1944) is a British Labour
politician and a senior figure in English local government. He was leader of Newcastle City Council
and the first Chairman of the
Local Government Association
. He was the elected Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party (October 2005 - September 2006).
Beecham was educated at the Royal Grammar School
, Newcastle upon Tyne
and University College, Oxford
(1962–65), where he obtained a first class honours degree in law. He became a solicitor. He joined the Labour Party in 1959, and was elected a councillor for Benwell
, Newcastle, in 1967. He stood for Parliament without success in Tynemouth
in 1970. He chaired the Social Services Committee on the council from 1973 to 1977 and was Leader of Newcastle from 1977 to 1994, chairing the Finance Committee from 1979 to 1984.
In 1991, Beecham became Chairman of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities (AMA). When the AMA merged with the Association of District Councils and the Association of County Councils on 1 April 1997 to form the Local Government Association
, he became the first chairman of the LGA. He is, , the LGA vice-chairman and continues to chair the LGA Labour Group.He is also the President of the British Urban Regeneration Association.
Beecham has been a member of many boards and committees in Newcastle and North East England
, and advising government.
He has been a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee
since 1998 and was its chairman.
He became a Knight Bachelor
in the 1994 Birthday Honours and was made a Freeman of the City
of Newcastle in 1995. He is Deputy Lieutenant
for the County of Tyne and Wear
and continues to represent Benwell and Scotswood
on the City Council. He has been a council member at charity Common Purpose
since 1989.
On 20 July 2010, Beecham was created a life peer
as Baron Beecham, of Benwell and Newcastle upon Tyne in the County of Tyne and Wear, and was introduced
in the House of Lords
on 28 July 2010, where he sits on the Labour benches.
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born 1944) is a British 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...
politician and a senior figure in English local government. He was leader of Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...
and the first Chairman of the
Local Government Association
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
. He was the elected Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party (October 2005 - September 2006).
Beecham was educated at the Royal Grammar School
Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
Royal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
(1962–65), where he obtained a first class honours degree in law. He became a solicitor. He joined the Labour Party in 1959, and was elected a councillor for Benwell
Benwell
Benwell is an area in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.-History:Benwell village was recorded in A.D. 1050 known as Bynnewalle which roughly translates as "behind the wall" or "by the wall". Referring to its position relative to Hadrian's Wall...
, Newcastle, in 1967. He stood for Parliament without success in Tynemouth
Tynemouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Tynemouth is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament using the first past the post voting system.-History:...
in 1970. He chaired the Social Services Committee on the council from 1973 to 1977 and was Leader of Newcastle from 1977 to 1994, chairing the Finance Committee from 1979 to 1984.
In 1991, Beecham became Chairman of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities (AMA). When the AMA merged with the Association of District Councils and the Association of County Councils on 1 April 1997 to form the Local Government Association
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
, he became the first chairman of the LGA. He is, , the LGA vice-chairman and continues to chair the LGA Labour Group.He is also the President of the British Urban Regeneration Association.
Beecham has been a member of many boards and committees in Newcastle and North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
, and advising government.
He has been a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
since 1998 and was its chairman.
He became a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the 1994 Birthday Honours and was made a Freeman of the City
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Newcastle in 1995. He is Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for the County of Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
and continues to represent Benwell and Scotswood
Benwell and Scotswood
Benwell and Scotswood is an electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. The ward encompasses the Benwell and Scotswood housing areas, as well as the Newcastle Business Park, which is located on the banks of the River Tyne and houses offices of companies such as British Airways and...
on the City Council. He has been a council member at charity Common Purpose
Common Purpose UK
Common Purpose UK is a British charity that runs leadership development programmes across the UK.Founded in 1989 by its current Chief Executive, Julia Middleton, its aim is to improve the way organisations and society work together by developing all kinds of leaders through a programme of diverse...
since 1989.
On 20 July 2010, Beecham was created 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...
as Baron Beecham, of Benwell and Newcastle upon Tyne in the County of Tyne and Wear, and was introduced
Introduction (House of Lords)
Introduction is a ceremony in the House of Lords whereby new members are "introduced" to the existing membership. Introductions in the Lords are more elaborate than those in the House of Commons.-Origins:...
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....
on 28 July 2010, where he sits on the Labour benches.