John Wheeler (politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Daniel Wheeler, DL
, JP
, KStJ
(born 1 May 1940) is a British
Conservative
politician who served as Security Minister in Northern Ireland.
at the 1979 general election
, winning the seat with a majority of just 106 after two recounts. He was put on the Home Affairs Select Committee as soon as it was established. At the 1983 general election
he was elected for the new constituency of Westminster North
, a seat based largely on Paddington but also taking in the abolished St Marylebone
constituency.
who had been a troublesome chair of the Health Select Committee, and that Wheeler was regarded as 'collateral damage'.
because of entering Parliament together and being ideologically close, Wheeler was subsequently appointed to the government, serving as Security Minister at the Northern Ireland Office; he was also made a member of the Privy Council
. He was knighted in the New Year's Honours list of 1993.
In September 1995 Wheeler announced his intention to challenge Sir Nicholas Scott
in the new constituency of Kensington and Chelsea
. Scott was perceived as vulnerable after personal scandals, and also because he was a very moderate MP in a party which was moving to the right. However, Wheeler did not make the shortlist, and he was rejected elsewhere. One newspaper report suggested that Conservative Associations were put off by the security detail who had to come with Wheeler whenever he visited. Wheeler also suffered by association when the corruption of Westminster City Council
under Dame Shirley Porter
was uncovered: his constituency was in the city and part of the scandal was attempts to hold his seat, although Wheeler himself had done nothing wrong.
After Sir Nicholas Scott had a scandal too far and resigned, Wheeler tried again to be selected in Kensington and Chelsea but met with no more success. Although his name was mentioned whenever a Conservative seat fell vacant, he was unsuccessful and therefore retired from Parliament at the 1997 general election.
and Australia
n governments in the light of the 11 September 2001 attacks. He is a Deputy Lieutenant
of Greater London with responsibility for the London Borough of Merton.
Wheeler was Chairman of Reliance Custodial Services Limited, part of Reliance Security Group, from 1997 - 2000. He was Non Executive Director of security equipment companies Jasmin Plc from 1997 to 1998 and Norbain from 1998 to 1999, and corporate intelligence firm Merchant International Group
from 2003.
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....
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, KStJ
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(born 1 May 1940) 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...
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...
politician who served as Security Minister in Northern Ireland.
Early career
Wheeler was elected for the marginal constituency of PaddingtonPaddington (UK Parliament constituency)
Paddington was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Paddington district of London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
at the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
, winning the seat with a majority of just 106 after two recounts. He was put on the Home Affairs Select Committee as soon as it was established. At the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
he was elected for the new constituency of Westminster North
Westminster North (UK Parliament constituency)
Westminster North is a UK Parliamentary constituency in Central London and west London, comprising the northern part of the City of Westminster. It existed from 1983 to 1997...
, a seat based largely on Paddington but also taking in the abolished St Marylebone
St Marylebone (UK Parliament constituency)
St Marylebone was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Marylebone district of Central London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
constituency.
Select Committee work
After 1987, Wheeler was made Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee. He was hoping and expecting to continue this role after 1992 but found that the Conservative whips had made a rule that no member may serve on a Select Committee for more than three terms. It was suggested in the press that this rule was designed to get rid of Nicholas WintertonNicholas Winterton
Sir Nicholas Raymond Winterton is a retired British Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Macclesfield from 1971 until he retired from the House of Commons at the 2010 general election....
who had been a troublesome chair of the Health Select Committee, and that Wheeler was regarded as 'collateral damage'.
Northern Ireland Office
Friendly with John MajorJohn Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
because of entering Parliament together and being ideologically close, Wheeler was subsequently appointed to the government, serving as Security Minister at the Northern Ireland Office; he was also made a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. He was knighted in the New Year's Honours list of 1993.
Constituency search
In 1995, boundary changes were announced that would expand his constituency to the west, taking in Labour-voting areas of north Kensington and tilting the seat towards Labour. Wheeler decided that he did not wish to contest such unfavourable territory and sought selection elsewhere.In September 1995 Wheeler announced his intention to challenge Sir Nicholas Scott
Nicholas Scott
The Rt. Hon. Sir Nicholas Paul Scott, PC, JP , was a British Conservative Party politician.Scott was educated at Clapham College and was national chairman of the Young Conservatives in 1963...
in the new constituency of Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)
Kensington and Chelsea was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the safest Conservative seats in the United Kingdom, and since its creation in 1997 became a prestigious seat, with MP Alan Clark, the former Defence Secretary...
. Scott was perceived as vulnerable after personal scandals, and also because he was a very moderate MP in a party which was moving to the right. However, Wheeler did not make the shortlist, and he was rejected elsewhere. One newspaper report suggested that Conservative Associations were put off by the security detail who had to come with Wheeler whenever he visited. Wheeler also suffered by association when the corruption of Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
under Dame Shirley Porter
Shirley Porter
Dame Shirley Porter, Lady Porter, DBE, is a former Conservative leader of Westminster City Council in London and a prominent philanthropist in Israel and the UK. She is the daughter and heir of Sir Jack Cohen, the founder of Tesco supermarkets...
was uncovered: his constituency was in the city and part of the scandal was attempts to hold his seat, although Wheeler himself had done nothing wrong.
After Sir Nicholas Scott had a scandal too far and resigned, Wheeler tried again to be selected in Kensington and Chelsea but met with no more success. Although his name was mentioned whenever a Conservative seat fell vacant, he was unsuccessful and therefore retired from Parliament at the 1997 general election.
Post Parliament
Since leaving Parliament Wheeler has undertaken a review of airport security for the United KingdomUnited 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...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n governments in the light of the 11 September 2001 attacks. He is a 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....
of Greater London with responsibility for the London Borough of Merton.
Wheeler was Chairman of Reliance Custodial Services Limited, part of Reliance Security Group, from 1997 - 2000. He was Non Executive Director of security equipment companies Jasmin Plc from 1997 to 1998 and Norbain from 1998 to 1999, and corporate intelligence firm Merchant International Group
Merchant International Group
Merchant International Group was a privately owned British strategic research and corporate intelligence company with offices in London and Vienna.-History:...
from 2003.