Robert Adley

Robert James Adley (2 March 1935 – 13 May 1993) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.

Adley was educated at Uppingham School and became a company director. He was a councillor on Slough Borough Council from 1965 and first stood for Parliament in 1966 for Birkenhead. He served as member of Parliament for Bristol North East 1970-74, Christchurch and Lymington 1974-83, then for Christchurch from 1983 until his death.

In the 1970s, Adley was part-time Marketing Director for Holiday Inn (UK). He would brief his agency (Alexander James & Dexter) in the morning, before going to the House. The agency was in Swindon Old Town.

Adley was well-known as a railway enthusiast, and as such was often perceived to be something of a romantic Tory. Shortly before his death he strongly attacked the plans then being made by John Major's government for the privatisation of British Rail. At the time he was the Chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee.

After his death the seat was won in a by-election by Liberal Democrat Diana Maddock, but was regained by the Conservatives in 1997.

Author

Adley wrote several books, including some on railway subjects. One example is;"Covering My Tracks", 1988, Patrick Stephens Ltd, ISBN 0-85059-882-6.