Janet Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Janet Anne Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, PC (born 20 August 1955) is a British Labour politician. She is the current Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords.
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Education and early political career[edit]
Royall was educated at the Royal Forest of Dean Grammar School and Westfield College, University of London, where she gained a BA in Spanish and French in 1977.
Royall was a special adviser to Neil Kinnock, the Leader of the Labour Party, in the 1980s, and she has remained a close ally of his ever since. She sought selection as Labour's candidate for Ogmore in a 2002 by-election. However, the constituency party preferred Huw Irranca-Davies as their candidate. When in 2003 she became head of the European Union's office in Wales, there were calls for her to stand down because of her connections to the Labour party.[1]
House of Lords[edit]
On 25 June 2004 she was created Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, of Blaisdon in the County of Gloucestershire.[2] In the House of Lords, she became government spokesman for Health, International Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
On 24 January 2008 Baroness Royall was appointed government Chief Whip in the House of Lords, following the resignation of Lord Grocott, and was created a Privy Counsellor later in the year. On 3 October 2008, she was promoted to the cabinet by Gordon Brown, who made her Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. On 5 June 2009, Royall was succeeded as Lord President by Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, and was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
She voted for a 100% elected House, on the last occasion that the House of Lords voted on Reform of The House of Lords in March 2007.[3] She has called for a national Referendum on any reforms of the chamber.
In September 2012, she spoke out against the UK Government's proposed badger cull.[4]
Family[edit]
She was married to Stuart Hercock until his death in 2010, and has a daughter, Charlie, and two sons, Ned and Harry.
References[edit]
- ^ "Euro appointment under fire". BBC.
- ^ The London Gazette: no. 57341. p. 8139. 30 June 2004.
- ^ "Public Whip". http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2007-03-14&number=5&mpn=Baroness_Royall_of_Blaisdon&mpc=Lords&house=lords&house=lords
- ^ "Big Issue: Baroness Jan Royall of Blaisdon on the badger cull". This is Gloucestershire.
External links[edit]
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
- Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
- Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
- Baroness Royall of Blaisdon from Dod Online
- The Rt Hon the Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, PC at Debrett's People of Today
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Lord Grocott |
Chief Whip in the House of Lords 2007–2008 |
Succeeded by The Lord Bassam of Brighton |
| Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms 2007–2008 |
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| Preceded by The Baroness Ashton of Upholland |
Lord President of the Council 2008–2009 |
Succeeded by The Lord Mandelson |
| Leader of the House of Lords 2008–2010 |
Succeeded by The Lord Strathclyde |
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| Preceded by Liam Byrne |
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 2009–2010 |
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| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by The Baroness Ashton of Upholland |
Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords 2008–present |
Incumbent |
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| Officers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| House of Commons | House of Lords | ||
| Speaker | John Bercow | Lord Speaker | The Baroness D'Souza |
| Leader of the House of Commons | Andrew Lansley | Leader of the House of Lords | The Lord Hill of Oareford |
| Serjeant at Arms | Lawrence Ward | Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod | Lt-Gen. David Leakey |
| Clerk of the House and Chief Executive | Sir Robert Rogers | Clerk of the Parliaments | David Beamish |
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- 1955 births
- Alumni of Westfield College
- Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster
- Female members of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom
- Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms
- Labour Party (UK) life peers
- Leaders of the House of Lords
- Living people
- Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
- People from Gloucestershire
