John Sewel, Baron Sewel
Encyclopedia
John Buttifant Sewel, Baron Sewel CBE, BA, MScEcon, PhD, LL.D (born 15 January 1946) is a Labour Party
member of the House of Lords
, former Senior Vice Principal of the University of Aberdeen
and former parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. He was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
in 1997, where he assisted in steering through the legislation that led to the recreation of the Scottish Parliament
. His name is given to the Sewel motion
, parliamentary device passed by the Scottish Parliament, in which it agrees that the United Kingdom parliament
may pass legislation on a devolved issue extending to Scotland, over which the Scottish Parliament has regular legislative authority. He left ministerial office in 1999 upon the new Parliament taking over the majority of the Scottish Office
's functions.
Sewel was educated at Durham University
before taking his MSc at University College of Wales, Swansea
and studying for his PhD at Aberdeen University. He had joined the University of Aberdeen
as a Research Fellow in the Department of Politics in 1969. During the next three decades he worked in the Departments of Education and Political Economy and also the Regional Centre for the Study of Economic and Social Policy, where he was appointed to his Chair. In 1988 he became the Dean of the then Faculty of Economic & Social Sciences. Subsequently, in 1995, he was appointed Vice-Principal and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences & Law.
He was first elected to political office as an Aberdeen
District Councillor in 1974, serving as Council Leader from 1977 to 1980, and also as President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
from 1982 to 1984. He was an influential member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention
from 1994 to 1995. In January 1996 he was created Lord Sewel of Gilcomstoun, and became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office
from 1997 to 1999, serving as the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries. As such he piloted the Scotland Act 1998
through Parliament and helped draft the plans for the new Scottish Parliament. At the first election
to the Parliament, Sewel was a candidate as third on the Labour Party list for North East Scotland, but was not elected.
Sewel returned to the University of Aberdeen to resume his role as Vice-Principal in 1999 and was subsequently Senior Vice-Principal from 2001 to 2004. As an active member of the House of Lords
, Sewel chairs the European Union Select Committee in Agriculture, the Environment and Fisheries and is a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. His interests focus around European Union and NATO enlargement, constitutional change and rural development.
Sewel is married to Jennifer and has two children and two step-children. He enjoys cricket, golf, reading, hill-walking and cooking.
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...
member of 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....
, former Senior Vice Principal of the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
and former parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. He was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
in 1997, where he assisted in steering through the legislation that led to the recreation of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
. His name is given to the Sewel motion
Sewel motion
A Legislative Consent Motion is a motion passed by the Scottish Parliament, in which it agrees that the Parliament of the United Kingdom may pass legislation on a devolved issue extending to Scotland, over which the Scottish Parliament has regular legislative authority.-Background:The Scotland Act...
, parliamentary device passed by the Scottish Parliament, in which it agrees that the United Kingdom 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...
may pass legislation on a devolved issue extending to Scotland, over which the Scottish Parliament has regular legislative authority. He left ministerial office in 1999 upon the new Parliament taking over the majority of the Scottish Office
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland...
's functions.
Sewel was educated at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
before taking his MSc at University College of Wales, Swansea
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
and studying for his PhD at Aberdeen University. He had joined the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
as a Research Fellow in the Department of Politics in 1969. During the next three decades he worked in the Departments of Education and Political Economy and also the Regional Centre for the Study of Economic and Social Policy, where he was appointed to his Chair. In 1988 he became the Dean of the then Faculty of Economic & Social Sciences. Subsequently, in 1995, he was appointed Vice-Principal and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences & Law.
He was first elected to political office as an Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
District Councillor in 1974, serving as Council Leader from 1977 to 1980, and also as President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is the representative association of Scottish local government and is the employers’ association on behalf of all Scottish councils...
from 1982 to 1984. He was an influential member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention
Scottish Constitutional Convention
The Scottish Constitutional Convention was an association of Scottish political parties, churches and other civic groups, that developed a framework for a Scottish devolution. It is credited as having paved the way for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.The Convention was...
from 1994 to 1995. In January 1996 he was created Lord Sewel of Gilcomstoun, and became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland...
from 1997 to 1999, serving as the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries. As such he piloted the Scotland Act 1998
Scotland Act 1998
The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is the Act which established the devolved Scottish Parliament.The Act will be amended by the Scotland Bill 2011, if and when it receives royal assent.-History:...
through Parliament and helped draft the plans for the new Scottish Parliament. At the first election
Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
to the Parliament, Sewel was a candidate as third on the Labour Party list for North East Scotland, but was not elected.
Sewel returned to the University of Aberdeen to resume his role as Vice-Principal in 1999 and was subsequently Senior Vice-Principal from 2001 to 2004. As an active member of 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....
, Sewel chairs the European Union Select Committee in Agriculture, the Environment and Fisheries and is a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. His interests focus around European Union and NATO enlargement, constitutional change and rural development.
Sewel is married to Jennifer and has two children and two step-children. He enjoys cricket, golf, reading, hill-walking and cooking.
See also
- Sewel motionSewel motionA Legislative Consent Motion is a motion passed by the Scottish Parliament, in which it agrees that the Parliament of the United Kingdom may pass legislation on a devolved issue extending to Scotland, over which the Scottish Parliament has regular legislative authority.-Background:The Scotland Act...