Peter Beazley
Encyclopedia
Peter George Beazley CBE
(9 June 1922 – 23 December 2004) was a British
businessman and politician, who worked for Imperial Chemical Industries
for over thirty years. He went on to serve for fifteen years as a Member of the European Parliament
for the Conservative Party
.
, and then went up to St John's College
, Oxford
where he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. In 1942, on leaving Oxford during the Second World War, he joined the Rifle Brigade, with whom he served in North Africa, Italy
and Austria
. He reached the rank of Captain.
as a Manager. In his early career with the company he was often stationed abroad, in Germany
for seven years, and also in Portugal
, Belgium
and South Africa
. He was promoted to be a General Manager, a divisional board director and eventually Vice Chairman of the company. He was also a Managing Director of some of ICI's associated companies. Due to his foreign travels Beazley had learned to speak four foreign languages well. He was a Research Fellow of the Royal Institution of International Affairs
in 1977-78.
candidate for Bedfordshire
for the European Parliament
. This constituency was considered a marginal before the election, as it included Labour-voting towns such as Luton
and Bedford
as well as Hemel Hempstead
. However, with the help of the collapse in the Labour vote at the European Parliament election, Beazley won with a majority of 53,600.
to cancel a tour of South Africa on the grounds that multiracial Rugby
was practised throughout South Africa. He was part of the Bureau of the European Democratic Group, responsible for guiding the political leadership of the group, in 1982-83.
After boundary changes, Beazley was re-elected for Bedfordshire South
in the 1984 European Parliament election. At the same election, his son Christopher Beazley
was elected as MEP for Cornwall and Plymouth
. Beazley was put on the powerful Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy Committee and served as Vice-Chairman from 1984 to 1989. At the 1989 election his majority was cut to 2,977.
decision-making often forgot that the European Parliament scrutinised all legislation through committees which could call experts to give evidence about their effects. At the age of 70, Beazley announced in 1993 that he would stand down at the next election; that year he received the CBE
. In his last few weeks in office, Beazley worked to stop a European Commission
proposal to ban the sale of motorbikes with over 100brake horsepower.
was selected to follow him but lost the seat to Labour in the 1994 elections. After the election Beazley ruefully observed "They told us it would be a doddle with Edwina".
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(9 June 1922 – 23 December 2004) was 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...
businessman and politician, who worked for Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
for over thirty years. He went on to serve for fifteen years as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the Conservative Party
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...
.
Education and wartime career
Beazley was educated at Highgate SchoolHighgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
, and then went up to St John's College
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
where he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. In 1942, on leaving Oxford during the Second World War, he joined the Rifle Brigade, with whom he served in North Africa, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. He reached the rank of Captain.
ICI
Demobilised in 1947, Beazley then joined Imperial Chemical IndustriesImperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
as a Manager. In his early career with the company he was often stationed abroad, in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for seven years, and also in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He was promoted to be a General Manager, a divisional board director and eventually Vice Chairman of the company. He was also a Managing Director of some of ICI's associated companies. Due to his foreign travels Beazley had learned to speak four foreign languages well. He was a Research Fellow of the Royal Institution of International Affairs
Chatham House
Chatham House, formally known as The Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in London whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs. It is regarded as one of the world's leading...
in 1977-78.
Conservative politics
In 1978 Beazley retired from ICI, having been selected as Conservative PartyConservative 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...
candidate for Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (European Parliament constituency)
Bedfordshire was a constituency of the European Parliament located in the United Kingdom, electing one Member of the European Parliament by the first-past-the-post electoral system...
for the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. This constituency was considered a marginal before the election, as it included Labour-voting towns such as Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
and Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
as well as Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
. However, with the help of the collapse in the Labour vote at the European Parliament election, Beazley won with a majority of 53,600.
Member of the European Parliament
Beazley concentrated on the European Union's impact on business, trying to provide business with information on legislation and regulations being proposed in Brussels. In January 1981 he opposed a call for the Ireland national rugby union teamIreland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
to cancel a tour of South Africa on the grounds that multiracial Rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
was practised throughout South Africa. He was part of the Bureau of the European Democratic Group, responsible for guiding the political leadership of the group, in 1982-83.
After boundary changes, Beazley was re-elected for Bedfordshire South
Bedfordshire South (European Parliament constituency)
Bedfordshire South was a constituency of the European Parliament located in the United Kingdom, electing one Member of the European Parliament by the first-past-the-post electoral system...
in the 1984 European Parliament election. At the same election, his son Christopher Beazley
Christopher Beazley
Christopher John Pridham Beazley is a British politician for the Conservative Party, who served as a Member of the European Parliament 1984–1994 and 1999–2009.-Background:...
was elected as MEP for Cornwall and Plymouth
Cornwall and Plymouth (European Parliament constituency)
Cornwall and Plymouth was a European Parliament constituency covering Cornwall and Plymouth in England.Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
. Beazley was put on the powerful Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy Committee and served as Vice-Chairman from 1984 to 1989. At the 1989 election his majority was cut to 2,977.
Political views
Beazley maintained his support for European integration when opinion within the Conservative Party began to grow sceptical in the early 1990s. He complained that those critical of European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
decision-making often forgot that the European Parliament scrutinised all legislation through committees which could call experts to give evidence about their effects. At the age of 70, Beazley announced in 1993 that he would stand down at the next election; that year he received the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
. In his last few weeks in office, Beazley worked to stop a European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
proposal to ban the sale of motorbikes with over 100brake horsepower.
Retirement
The former junior Health Minister Edwina CurrieEdwina Currie
Edwina Jonesnée Cohen is a former British Member of Parliament. First elected as a Conservative Party MP in 1983, she was a Junior Health Minister for two years, before resigning in 1988 over the controversy over salmonella in eggs...
was selected to follow him but lost the seat to Labour in the 1994 elections. After the election Beazley ruefully observed "They told us it would be a doddle with Edwina".