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Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde

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The Right Honourable
The Lord Strathclyde
CH PC
Leader of the House of Lords
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office
12 May 2010 – 7 January 2013
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
DeputyThe Lord McNally
The Lord Wallace of Tankerness
Preceded byThe Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Succeeded byThe Lord Hill of Oareford
Leader of the Opposition in the Lords
In office
3 December 1998 – 11 May 2010
LeaderWilliam Hague
Iain Duncan Smith
Michael Howard
David Cameron
Preceded byViscount Cranborne
Succeeded byThe Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Opposition Chief Whip in the Lords
In office
2 May 1997 – 3 December 1998
LeaderJohn Major
William Hague
Preceded byThe Lord Graham of Edmonton
Succeeded byThe Lord Henley
Government Chief Whip in the Lords
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
In office
20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997
Prime MinisterJohn Major
Preceded byThe Viscount Ullswater
Succeeded byThe Lord Carter
Member of the House of Lords
for Conservative Hereditary Peers
Incumbent
Assumed office
11 November 1999
Preceded byHouse of Lords Act 1999
Member of the House of Lords
as Baron Strathclyde
In office
12 July 1985 – 11 November 1999
Preceded byTom Galbraith
Succeeded byHouse of Lords Act 1999
Personal details
Born (1960-02-22) 22 February 1960 (age 64)
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Political partyConservative
SpouseJane Skinner
Children3
Alma materUniversity of East Anglia

Thomas Galloway Dunlop du Roy de Blicquy Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde CH PC, informally Tom Strathclyde (born 22 February 1960), is a British Conservative politician. Lord Strathclyde served in the political role of Leader of the House of Lords from the 2010 general election until January 2013 and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, having been Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords (1998-2010).

Biography

Thomas Galbraith was born in Glasgow, the son of Conservative politician Sir Tam Galbraith and his Belgian wife Simone du Roy de Blicquy.[1][2] His father was MP for Glasgow Hillhead from 1948 until his death in 1982, which triggered a by-election won by Roy Jenkins of the Social Democratic Party. Galbraith succeeded to the barony at the age of 25 on the death of his grandfather in 1985.

Education

Wellington College, Berkshire

Galbraith was educated at Sussex House School, a day school in Cadogan Square, Chelsea in London and Wellington College, a co-educational independent school in Crowthorne, Berkshire, followed by the University of East Anglia, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Languages and European Studies in 1982. He also studied at Aix-Marseille University, and is fluent in French.

House of Lords

Strathclyde entered the House of Lords in 1986, becoming a Junior Whip in 1988, then Minister for Tourism in 1989. Between 1990 and 1992 he was Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries in the Scottish Office. He then served in the Department of the Environment and the Department of Trade and Industry before being appointed Conservatives' Chief Whip in the House of Lords in 1994, succeeding Lord Ullswater. The next year, he was sworn of the Privy Council.

In 1998 Strathclyde, along with the Conservative front bench in the Lords, threatened to tender his resignation if the party refused to accept a proposed compromise plan for reform of the Lords that had been negotiated with Labour by Lord Cranborne, the Conservatives' leader in the Lords, unbeknown to the Leader of the Opposition (in the Commons) William Hague and to his annoyance. Hague however accepted the proposals, dismissing Cranborne for the conduct in negotiations, and Strathclyde was appointed to succeed him. Under his leadership the House of Lords Act 1999 passed: under this Strathclyde was elected by other peers as one of the 92 hereditary peers to remain in the House of Lords.

He won Channel 4 Peer of the Year 2000, and Spectator Peer of the Year 2004.

When the Conservatives formed a coalition government under David Cameron in May 2010, Strathclyde became Leader of the House of Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with a seat in the Cabinet.

On 7 January 2013, Strathclyde announced that he would be stepping down as Leader of the House of Lords and resigning from the Cabinet with immediate effect to pursue a second business career.[3] He was succeeded by Lord Hill of Oareford. He was subsequently appointed a Companion of Honour (postnomial: CH) for his services to the Lords.[4]

Insignia of C.H.

Marriage and children

Strathclyde married Jane Skinner, elder daughter of John Skinner, in 1992. They have three daughters:[5]

  • Hon Elizabeth Ida Skinner Galbraith (born 1 December 1993)
  • Hon Annabel Jane Simone Skinner Galbraith (born 15 May 1996)
  • Hon Rose Marie Louise Skinner Galbraith (born 27 January 1999)

The family lives in Westminster and at the Galbraith family estate in Mauchline, Ayrshire.

Outside interests

Lord Strathclyde is a Governor of Wellington College, Berkshire.

He is a director of Auchendrane Estates Ltd, a landowning company in Scotland. His wealth is estimated at £10m.[6][7]

He was a non-executive director on the board of Trafigura's hedge-fund arm, Galena Asset Management, from 2004 until 2009.[8] Trafigura defended court actions during the 2006 Ivory Coast toxic waste dump scandal and The Guardian suggested his appointment may be an attempt to de-toxify the Dutch company globally.[9]

Styles of address and arms

Styles of address

  • 1960-1985: Mr Thomas Galbraith
  • 1985-1995: The Right Honourable The Lord Strathclyde
  • 1995-2013: The Right Honourable The Lord Strathclyde PC
  • 2013-: The Right Honourable The Lord Strathclyde CH PC

Arms

Coat of arms of Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde
Crest
A Bear's Head erased Gules muzzled Argent
Escutcheon
Gules three Bears' Heads erased Argent muzzled Azure within a Bordure indented Or charged with three Mullets of the Third a Crescent of the Second for difference.
Supporters
Two Bears Gules muzzled Argent
Motto
Ab obice suavior

References

  1. ^ Strathclyde, Baron (UK, 1955), Cracroft's Peerage
  2. ^ Simone du Roy de Blicquy, GeneAll.net
  3. ^ James Landale. "BBC News - Lord Strathclyde resigns from cabinet". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  4. ^ 10 Downing Street. "10 Downing Street - Appointment to the Order of the Companions of Honour". number10.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ The Peerage, entry for 2nd Lord Strathclyde
  6. ^ Samira Shackle, Stephanie Hegarty and George Eaton The new ruling class New Statesman 1 October 2009
  7. ^ Glen Owen The coalition of millionaires: 23 of the 29 member of the new cabinet are worth more than £1m... and the Lib Dems are just as wealthy as the Tories Mail on Sunday 23 May 2010
  8. ^ Leigh, David; Evans, Rob (17 September 2009). "Lord Strathclyde severs links with oil trader Trafigura after waste scandal". The Guardian. London.
  9. ^ Leigh, David (16 September 2009). "Inside Trafigura: Accusations, sour deals and friends in high places". The Guardian. London.
Party political offices
Preceded by Conservative Chief Whip in the House of Lords
1994–1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords
1998–2013 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Chief Whip in the House of Lords
1994–1997 		Succeeded by
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
1994–1997
Preceded by Shadow Chief Whip of the House of Lords
1997–1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords
1998–2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the House of Lords
2010–2013 		Succeeded by
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
2010–2013
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Baron Strathclyde
1985–present 		Incumbent
Heir presumptive:
Charles Galbraith
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