Peta Buscombe, Baroness Buscombe
Encyclopedia
Peta Jane Buscombe, Baroness Buscombe (née O'Flynn, born 12 March 1954) is an English barrister, regulator and politician. She is a Conservative
member of the House of Lords
. Lady Buscombe is a former Chairwoman of the Press Complaints Commission
serving from April 2009 until 16 October 2011.
Previously, she was Chief Executive of the Advertising Association
, where she was described as "the right leader at the right time". Concerned at the perception of the industry as fuelling obesity and alcohol abuse, she set out to influence politicians as well as communicating better with the public. Her term was seen as successful in getting the government to think of advertising in a broader context.
She was educated at Rosebery Grammar School
, Epsom
, and the Inns of Court School of Law
. She was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple
in 1977 and worked as a Legal Advisor for the Dairy Trade Federation from 1979 to 1980. She then worked for Barclays Bank International and Barclays Bank plc until 1984, after which she was Assistant Secretary for the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
until 1987.
She stood as the Conservative candidate in Slough
at the 1997 General Election.
She is presently a Director of Three Valleys Water
and was formerly joint managing partner of Buscombe and Fiala, an International Art Business, and Legal Counsel for Barclays Bank.
In 1998 she was made a Life peer
as Baroness Buscombe, of Goring in the County of Oxfordshire
. She has been a Conservative front bench spokesman in the House of Lords on several briefs including Trade and Industry, Social Security, Legal Affairs, Cabinet Office Affairs, Home Office and Culture, Media and Sport.
Her voting record has been summarised from Public Whip
. She has voted moderately against introducing ID cards, more EU integration, a stricter asylum system and the hunting ban. She has voted against equal gay rights. She has voted a mixture of for and against laws to stop climate change. She voted moderately for greater autonomy for schools. She has never voted on allowing ministers to intervene in inquests.
She announced her resignation as PCC chair following criticism of its handling of the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World
. In November 2010, the Commission formally apologised and paid an undisclosed sum in damages for misleading remarks made by her about a lawyer involved in the case.
She married Philip John Buscombe in 1980.
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...
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....
. Lady Buscombe is a former Chairwoman of the Press Complaints Commission
Press Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission is a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC is funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and magazines...
serving from April 2009 until 16 October 2011.
Previously, she was Chief Executive of the Advertising Association
Advertising Association
The Advertising Association is a trade association that represents all sides of the advertising industry in the UK - advertisers, agencies, media, and research services...
, where she was described as "the right leader at the right time". Concerned at the perception of the industry as fuelling obesity and alcohol abuse, she set out to influence politicians as well as communicating better with the public. Her term was seen as successful in getting the government to think of advertising in a broader context.
She was educated at Rosebery Grammar School
Rosebery School for Girls
Rosebery School is an all girls school located in Epsom, Surrey. It consists of a lower school, for those aged between 11 and 16, and a Sixth Form for those aged between 16 and 18. The school holds Specialist Mathematics and Computing College status...
, Epsom
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
, and the Inns of Court School of Law
Inns of Court School of Law
The Inns of Court School of Law, often abbreviated to ICSL is a professional legal training institution based in London in Gray's Inn...
. She was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1977 and worked as a Legal Advisor for the Dairy Trade Federation from 1979 to 1980. She then worked for Barclays Bank International and Barclays Bank plc until 1984, after which she was Assistant Secretary for the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising is the trade body and professional institute for 250 leading agencies in the UK's advertising, media and marketing communications industry, covering the creative, digital, direct marketing, healthcare, media, outdoor, sales promotion and sponsorship...
until 1987.
She stood as the Conservative candidate in Slough
Slough (UK Parliament constituency)
Slough is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
at the 1997 General Election.
She is presently a Director of Three Valleys Water
Three Valleys Water
Veolia Water Central is a privately owned company supplying water to Hertfordshire and parts of Surrey, North London and Bedfordshire, in England....
and was formerly joint managing partner of Buscombe and Fiala, an International Art Business, and Legal Counsel for Barclays Bank.
In 1998 she was made 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 Baroness Buscombe, of Goring in the County of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. She has been a Conservative front bench spokesman in the House of Lords on several briefs including Trade and Industry, Social Security, Legal Affairs, Cabinet Office Affairs, Home Office and Culture, Media and Sport.
Her voting record has been summarised from Public Whip
Public Whip
The Public Whip is a parliamentary informatics project that analyses and publishes the voting history of MPs in the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. She has voted moderately against introducing ID cards, more EU integration, a stricter asylum system and the hunting ban. She has voted against equal gay rights. She has voted a mixture of for and against laws to stop climate change. She voted moderately for greater autonomy for schools. She has never voted on allowing ministers to intervene in inquests.
She announced her resignation as PCC chair following criticism of its handling of the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
. In November 2010, the Commission formally apologised and paid an undisclosed sum in damages for misleading remarks made by her about a lawyer involved in the case.
She married Philip John Buscombe in 1980.
External links
- Profile at the Press Complaints CommissionPress Complaints CommissionThe Press Complaints Commission is a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC is funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and magazines...
- Profile at Bloomberg Businessweek
- Peta Buscombe collected news and commentary at The Times of IndiaThe Times of IndiaThe Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
- Announcement of her introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 28 July 1998