Tapsell, Sir Peter "Father Of The House" Profiled
by My article will give a general overview of how Sir Peter Tapsell achieved this role and the process, his interests and contributions to Parliament.
On addition I have included additional items of interest to not only political pundits, but to the wider public.
When parliament returned in May 2010 there appeared to be so many new faces, but of course it was well publicized that a large number of MP’s were going to retire. Sir Peter Tapsell I can recall speaking in the House of Commons in the past and my recollection of him was that he always spoke with authority and had a “confident” presence about him.
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Some Background
Sir Peter Tapsell was first elected as an MP in 1959 and served until 1964, but his automatic ascension as “Father of the House” arises as he has served continuously as an MP since 1966 and is Member of Parliament for Louth and Horncastle in Lincolnshire.He is therefore the longest serving MP currently in the House of Commons
As a result of this the House of Commons automatically invites Sir Peter to assume the role and this occurred in May 2010, when the new coalition government began its life. A mandatory duty of the “Father of the House” was to have the new speaker sworn in and Sir Peter fulfilled this role and John Bercow was re-elected as speaker.
Modern Bibliography
Born 01/02.1930, Hove
Attended Tonbridge School
Educated at Merton College, Oxford
Royal Sussex Regiment 1948-1950
MA in Modern History at Merton College in 1953
Diploma in Economics in 1954i
Political Interests
Lincolnshire, Foreign Affairs, Economics, The Army, Violent Crime
Forthright Views
In 2001 he compared Gerhard Schroder’s vision of Europe to that of “Adolf Hitler.”
One of only two non Labour MP’s to support the “Terrorism” bill 90 days without trial.
The Guardian’s Simon Hoggard is reported to have said of Sir Peter in July 2008, that he was the “Grandest of the Grandees.”
Notable Historical Event
Stood for the parliamentary seat of Wednesbury in 1957 and lost to John Stonehouse, who was famous for his failed attempt to fake his death in 1974.
Acknowledgements
Wikipedia
Guardian Newspaper
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