Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow

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.

Background and education

Onslow was the only son of William Onslow, 6th Earl of Onslow and his first wife, the Hon. Pamela Dillon, daughter of Eric Dillon, 19th Viscount Dillon. He was educated at Eton and the Sorbonne.

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 Lords 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.

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 Onslow (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 Cameron, on the subject of civil liberties
• 'The Earl of Onslow: Colourful hereditary peer who advocated reform of the House of Lords', John Barnes, The Independent, 1 June 2011
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow

Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Onslow	Earl of Onslow 1971–2011	Succeeded by Rupert Onslow