Richard Needham

For the Canadian columnist, see Richard J. Needham.

For other people of the same name, see Needham (disambiguation).

Richard Francis Needham, 6th Earl of Kilmorey, Kt, PC (born 29 January 1942) usually known as Sir Richard Needham is a former Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. Prior to 1977 he used the courtesy title of Viscount Newry and Morne.

Political career

He was an unsuccessful candidate for the safe Labour seat of Pontefract and Castleford in 1974

At the 1979 general election, Needham was returned as Member of Parliament for Chippenham in Wiltshire. He was one of the "Wiltshire Wets", Conservative MPs from the county who expressed concern at the perceived loss of jobs resulting from the "monetarist" policies of Margaret Thatcher. His constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, when he was returned to the House of Commons for the new North Wiltshire constituency. He held the seat until he retired from Parliament at the 1997 general election.

In Government

He served as a minister for Northern Ireland 1985-1992 and Minister of State for Trade 1992-1995, instrumental in transforming Northern Ireland's economic base and the UK's export strategy under Michael Heseltine.

Needham was the longest serving British government Northern Ireland minister.

Life after politics

Needham is now a director of Lonrho & Avon Rubber. He was a Director of Dyson for over 16 years. He has written two books: Honourable Member and Battling for Peace: Northern Ireland's Longest-Serving British Minister (1999); an account of his years in Northern Ireland and his contribution to peace.

Personal life

In 1965, he married Sigrid Thiessen-Gairtner, they have three children:

• Robert Francis John Needham, Viscount Newry and Mourne (b. 1966)
• Hon. Andrew Francis Needham (b. 1969)
• Lady Christina Clare Needham (b. 1977)

Needham holds the title Earl of Kilmorey, in the Peerage of Ireland, but generally chooses not to use this.

The Needham estate, known as Mourne Park, is near Kilkeel in County Down in Northern Ireland but the title and estate were separated when the fifth Earl inherited the title but opted to live in England. It is now owned by other family members. He maintains close links with Northern Ireland. The Mourne Park estate was put up for sale by Needham's cousins in 2008 for £10 million.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir Richard Needham
• Quote Me On It

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Daniel Awdry	Member of Parliament for Chippenham 1979 – 1983	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for North Wiltshire 1983 – 1997	Succeeded by James Gray
Political offices
Preceded by Nicholas Scott Chris Patten The Lord Lyell	Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with Nicholas Scott 1985–1986 The Lord Lyell 1985–1989 Peter Viggers 1986–1989 Brian Mawhinney 1986–1990 Peter Bottomley 1989–1990 The Lord Skelmersdale 1990 Jeremy Hanley 1990–1992 1985–1992	Succeeded by Jeremy Hanley The Earl of Arran
Preceded by Tim Sainsbury	Minister for Trade 1992–1995	Succeeded by Anthony Nelson
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by Francis Jack Richard Patrick Needham	Earl of Kilmorey 1977–present	Incumbent