Cranley Onslow

Cranley Onslow

Cranley Gordon Douglas Onslow, Baron Onslow of Woking KCMG PC (8 June 1926 – 13 March 2001) was a British politician and served as the Conservative MP for Woking from 1964 to 1997.

Onslow was related to the Earl of Onslow, and was named for one of the subsidiary titles of the Earldom: Viscount Cranley. He was educated at Harrow School and then Sandhurst. He then joined the military in 1944 and was a Lieutenant in the Queen's Own Hussars. Upon completing this service he read history at Oriel College, Oxford. Onslow then joined MI6 as a field agent and had a tour of duty in Burma.

Onslow resigned from the civil service in 1960 and became active in politics, first being elected to Dartford Rural Council and later to Kent County Council. In 1963 he was selected to succeed Harold Watkinson as MP for Woking and he was elected the following year in the 1964 general election.

Once elected, Onslow demonstrated his right wing credentials by calling for lower taxes on the middle class and a reduction in third world aid. He also pursued a strong non-partisan interest in aviation, eventually chairing the Conservative aviation committee. He would later serve as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Aerospace from 1972 to 1974 in Edward Heath's government.

In Margaret Thatcher's government he was made a Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1983, but resigned a year later. In 1984, he was elected to Chair the 1922 Committee, and was therefore considered to be the most powerful backbencher in the Conservative party. In this post, he conveyed to Mrs Thatcher the desire of backbenchers that Leon Brittan should resign over the Westland affair and in the 1990 leadership contest that many backbenchers wanted a broader choice of candidates, causing her to drop out.

This angered many allies of Thatcher, and in 1992 he was forced from his post as Chairman of the 1922 Committee. He was subsequently honoured by being created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George and upon stepping down from Parliament in 1997, with a life peerage as Baron Onslow of Woking, of Woking in the County of Surrey. He had previously been elevated to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in 1988.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Harold Watkinson
Member of Parliament for Woking
1964–1997
Succeeded by
Humfrey Malins
Political offices
Preceded by
Sir Edward du Cann
Chairman of the 1922 Committee
1984–1992
Succeeded by
Sir Marcus Fox

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Thomas Cranley Onslow — (7 October 1778 – 7 July 1861) was a British politician, the second son of Thomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of Onslow.He married Susannah Elizabeth Hillier on 28 May 1813, and they had several children: *George Augustus Cranley Onslow (1813–1855), married …   Wikipedia

  • Earl of Onslow — Earl of Onslow, of Onslow in the County of Shropshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for George Onslow, 4th Baron Onslow. The Onslow family descends from Arthur Onslow, who represented Bramber, Sussex and …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of Onslow — (15 March 1754 ndash; 22 February 1827) was an English nobleman and courtier who succeeded to his title in 1814. Originally the Honourable Tom Onslow, he was styled Viscount Cranley from 1801 to 1814. He died in 1827 at his seat, Clandon Park in… …   Wikipedia

  • George Onslow (British Army officer) — George Onslow (28 April 1731 – 12 November 1792) was a British politician and army officer, the eldest son of Richard Onslow and his second wife Pooley, and the nephew of Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the House of Commons.Onslow was born in Guildford …   Wikipedia

  • William Onslow, 4. Earl of Onslow — William Hillier Onslow, 4. Earl of Onslow William Hillier Onslow, 4. Earl of Onslow GCMG (* 7. März 1853 in Old Alresford, Hampshire, England; † 23. Oktober 1911 in Hendon, Middlesex, England), war ein britischer Politiker und von …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Arthur Onslow — (1 October 1691 – 17 February 1768) was an English politician. He was the elder son of Foot Onslow (died 1710) and his wife Susannah.Onslow was born in Kensington and educated at The Royal Grammar School, Guildford and Winchester College and… …   Wikipedia

  • Earl of Onslow — William Hillier Onslow, 4. Earl of Onslow Earl of Onslow, of Onslow in the County of Shropshire, ist ein britischer erblicher Adelstitel in der Peerage of the United Kingdom, der von der Familie Onslow getragen wird. Stammsitz der Familie war… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Rupert Onslow, Viscount Cranley — (Rupert Charles William Bullard Onslow, b. 16 June 1967) is the Heir Apparent to the Earl of Onslow.He is the son of Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow and his wife Robin (nee Bullard).Personal lifeOnslow is married to Leigh (née Jones Fenleigh)… …   Wikipedia

  • George Onslow, 1st Earl of Onslow — PC (13 September 1731 – 17 May 1814) was a British nobleman and politician.He was the only son of Arthur Onslow, having no siblings but one sister, who died in 1751. He was said to be seriously lacking in his father s qualities.On 26 June 1753,… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Onslow, 7. Earl of Onslow — Michael William Coplestone Dillon Onslow, 7. Earl of Onslow (* 28. Februar 1938 in Surrey; † 17. Mai 2011 in London[1]) von 1945 bis 1971 Viscount Cranley, war ein britischer Politiker (Conservative Party). Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben und Karriere …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”