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Rupert Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale

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The Lord Redesdale
Personal details
Born (1967-07-18) 18 July 1967 (age 57)
London
NationalityBritish
Political partyLiberal Democrat
Spouse(s)Helen née Shipsey
(The Lady Redesdale)
Children2 sons; 2 daughters
Alma materNewcastle University
OccupationPolitician
Websitewww.libdems.org.uk

Rupert Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale (born 18 July 1967) is a British hereditary peer, Liberal Democrat politician and member of the prominent Mitford family.

Biography

Mitford was educated at Milton Abbey and Highgate School, before going up to Newcastle University, where he graduated with the degree of B.A..

He succeeded his father as 6th Baron Redesdale, of Redesdale, Co. Northumberland, in 1991.

Following the removal of hereditary peers' automatic right to a seat in Parliament by the House of Lords Act 1999, the Liberal Democrats took advantage of an offer from the New Labour Government for some of their hereditary peers to return to the House as working peers. Redesdale was created a Life Peer on 18 April 2000, as Baron Mitford, of Redesdale in the county of Northumberland.[1] At the age of 32, he was the youngest person ever to receive a life peerage.[2] By convention, the House of Lords refer to peers holding multiple titles by whichever is senior within the peerage. Thus Mitford is known in the House as 'Lord Redesdale'.

He is a first cousin once removed of the famous Mitford sisters, daughters of 2nd Baron Redesdale. One of the sisters Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire was, with her husband, the 11th Duke, active in the Social Democratic Party. This later merged with the Liberal Party to become the Liberal Democrats, for whom Redesdale sits in the House of Lords.

Redesdale has spoken on various issues on behalf of the Lib Dem Parliamentary Party, such as the environment, international development, science and technology. He is patron of various societies, including one encouraged by his parliamentary colleagues, namely the Red Squirrel Protection Partnership,[3] which advocates strict control of the grey squirrel population so as to enhance the chance of red squirrels' survival.[4] [5] Redesdale is currently the CEO of the Carbon Management Association and the Energy Managers Association. Since 2012, Redesdale has been founding Chairman of the Carbon Management Association and of the Energy Managers Association.

Lord Redesdale lives with his wife and four children near Tufnell Park, north London as well as in Northumberland.

The heir apparent to the title is Hon Bertram Mitford, born in 2000.

Arms

Coat of arms of Rupert Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale
Crest
Two hands couped at the wrist proper grasping a sword erect argent the point and hilt or the blade enfiled with a boar's head erased sable.
Escutcheon
Argent a fess between three moles sable.
Supporters
On either side, an eagle rising sable beaked and legged or gorged with a wreath of shamrocks proper and charged on the breast with a fusil also or.
Motto
God careth for us

See also

References

  1. ^ "The list of new working peers". BBC News. 30 March 2000. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  2. ^ Francis, Sam (20 November 2014). "Young, ambitious - and at a hustings near you". BBC News. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  3. ^ "RED SQUIRREL PROTECTION PARTNERSHIP - Officers". Companies House. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  4. ^ Adams, Tim (19 October 2008). "Tim Adams meets a pair of militants out to defend the red squirrel". the Guardian. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  5. ^ D.T. Max (7 October 2007). "The Squirrel Wars". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Baron Redesdale
1991–present
Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Hon. Bertram Mitford