Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow
Encyclopedia
Michael William Coplestone Dillon Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow (28 February 1938–14 May 2011), styled Viscount Cranley from 1945 to 1971, was a British Conservative
politician.
and his first wife, the Hon. Pamela Dillon, daughter of Eric Dillon, 19th Viscount Dillon
. He was educated at Eton
and the Sorbonne
.
after the House of Lords Act 1999
. He sat on the Conservative
benches. He was a supporter of reform of the House of Lords
, but not as proposed by the Labour Government. He was a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights
from July 2005 until his death, and in this capacity strongly criticised Jacqui Smith
over the government's proposed extension to detention of terror suspects to 42 days.
Lord Onslow appeared twice on Have I Got News for You
— the only hereditary peer to do so.
Lord Onslow died on 14 May 2011.
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.
Background and education
Onslow was the only son of William Onslow, 6th Earl of OnslowWilliam Onslow, 6th Earl of Onslow
William Arthur Bampfylde Onslow, 6th Earl of Onslow KBE MC TD, DL was a British peer and officer in the British Army.Onslow was the eldest son of Richard William Alan Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow and the Hon...
and his first wife, the Hon. Pamela Dillon, daughter of Eric Dillon, 19th Viscount Dillon
Eric Dillon, 19th Viscount Dillon
Brigadier Eric FitzGerald Dillon, 19th Viscount Dillon, CMG, DSO was an Irish peer and British Army officer who served in World War I....
. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
.
Political career
Lord Onslow succeeded his father in the earldom in 1971. He was one of the hereditary peers who were elected to remain in the House of LordsHouse 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 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;...
. He sat on 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...
benches. He was a supporter of reform 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....
, but not as proposed by the Labour Government. He was a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights
Joint Committee on Human Rights
The Joint Committee on Human Rights is a select committee of both the House of Commons and House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from July 2005 until his death, and in this capacity strongly criticised Jacqui Smith
Jacqui Smith
Jacqueline Jill "Jacqui" Smith is a member of the British Labour Party. She served as the Member of Parliament for Redditch from 1997 until 2010 and was the first ever female Home Secretary, thus making her the third woman to hold one of the Great Offices of State — after Margaret Thatcher and...
over the government's proposed extension to detention of terror suspects to 42 days.
Lord Onslow appeared twice on Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
— the only hereditary peer to do so.
Lord Onslow died on 14 May 2011.
Family
Lord Onslow married Robin Bullard, daughter of Major Robert Lee Bullard, in 1964. They have three children:- Rupert Charles William Bullard Onslow, 8th Earl of OnslowRupert Onslow, 8th Earl of OnslowRupert Charles William Bullard Onslow, 8th Earl of Onslow is a British peer.The son of Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow, by his marriage to Robin Lindsay Bullard, he was educated at Eton College, then at Western Kentucky University and at King's College London where he graduated with a Bachelor...
(b. 16 June 1967). - Lady Arabella Onslow (b. 1970).
- Lady Charlotte Emma Dorothy Onslow (b. 1977).
External links
- Open letter by the Earl to David CameronDavid CameronDavid William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, on the subject of civil liberties - 'The Earl of Onslow: Colourful hereditary peer who advocated reform of the House of Lords', John Barnes, The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 1 June 2011