Philip Norton
Encyclopedia
Philip Norton, Baron Norton of Louth (born 5 March 1951) is an English
author
, academic
and Conservative peer. He has been described as "the United Kingdom
's greatest living expert on Parliament
" and "a world authority on constitutional issues".
. He graduated from the University of Sheffield
with the degree of Bachelor of Arts
and later as a Doctor of Philosophy
, and from the University of Pennsylvania
with a Master of Arts
.
, and was head of the Department from 2002 to 2007. Since 1992 he has been the Director of the Centre for Legislative Studies. Norton has been a member of the Hansard Society
advisory council since 1997 and became Director of Studies in 2002.
He was created a life peer
with the title Baron Norton of Louth, of Louth in the County of Lincolnshire
on 1 August 1998. In 2000 he chaired a commission for Leader of the Opposition William Hague
to design ideas for the strengthening of the institution of Parliament, and from 2001 to 2004 he served as the chairman of the House of Lords
Constitution Committee.
In 2007 The Daily Telegraph
named him the 59th most influential person on the right of British politics.
Norton is a regular contributor to Lords of the Blog, a collaborative blog
by members of the House of Lords for the purposes of public engagement. The Guardian
has described him as "a new star of the blogosphere." He is a Fellow
of the Royal Society of Arts
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, academic
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
and Conservative peer. He has been described as "the United Kingdom
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...
's greatest living expert on 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...
" and "a world authority on constitutional issues".
Education
Norton was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School in LouthLouth, Lincolnshire
Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
. He graduated from the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
with the degree of Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and later as a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, and from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
with a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
.
Career
Norton is a Professor of Government in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of HullUniversity of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
, and was head of the Department from 2002 to 2007. Since 1992 he has been the Director of the Centre for Legislative Studies. Norton has been a member of the Hansard Society
Hansard Society
The Hansard Society was formed in 1944 to promote parliamentary democracy. Founded and chaired by Commander Stephen King-Hall, the first subscribers were Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee...
advisory council since 1997 and became Director of Studies in 2002.
He was created 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...
with the title Baron Norton of Louth, of Louth in the County of Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
on 1 August 1998. In 2000 he chaired a commission for Leader of the Opposition William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
to design ideas for the strengthening of the institution of Parliament, and from 2001 to 2004 he served as the chairman 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....
Constitution Committee.
In 2007 The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
named him the 59th most influential person on the right of British politics.
Norton is a regular contributor to Lords of the Blog, a collaborative blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
by members of the House of Lords for the purposes of public engagement. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
has described him as "a new star of the blogosphere." He is a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
.
External links
- Philip Norton profile at the University of Hull
- Philip Norton profile at the Hansard Society
- Philip Norton blog at The Norton View
- Philip Norton blog at Lords of the Blog
- Philip Norton profile at TheyWorkForYou