- John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever
John Jacob Astor VIII, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever, DL (born
16 June 1946 ) is a British businessman and Conservative electedhereditary peer in theHouse of Lords . He is the Opposition Spokesman for Defence.He is the eldest son of
Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever and Lady Irene Haig. He succeeded his father in 1984.He has been twice married:
* 1)Fiona Diana Lennox Harvey (1 July 1970 -divorced 1990); three children:
** i)The Honourable Camilla Astor (born8 May 1974 )
** ii)The Honourable Tania Jentie Astor (born18 April 1978 )
** iii)The Honourable Violet Magdalene Astor (born 1980)
* 2) The Honourable Elizabeth Mackintosh (1990 to date); two children:
**The Honourable Charles Gavin John Astor (born10 November 1990 )
**The Honourable Olivia Alexandra Elizabeth Astor (born21 August 1992 )One of his five children is autistic. He is the Secretary of The
All Party Group on Autism .He lives inWesterham , Kent.Patronage/community
Patron of:
*The New School at West Heath
*Edenbridge and District Rifle Club
*TheLeague of Friends of Edenbridge Hospital
*TheDurand Group
*TheKent Youth Association
*TheBridge Trust
*Aquarian Opera
*The Edenbridge Music & Arts Trust
*Worldwide Volunteering for Young People Trustee of:
*TheAstor Foundation
*TheAstor of Hever Trust
*TheCanterbury Cathedral Trust President of:
*TheMotorsport Industry Association
*Sevenoaks Westminster Patrons Club
*TheNational Association of Valuers and Auctioneers
*TheKent branch of theRoyal British Legion
*TheEarl Haig branch of theRoyal British Legion
*TheKent Federation of Amenity Societies
*TheEden Valley Museum Chairman of:
*TheRochester Cathedral Trust Committees:
*TheKent Committee of the Country Land and Business Association He is also the
Grand President 's Appointee on theRoyal Commonwealth Ex-Services League and aDeputy Lieutenant ofKent .He was former President of RoSPA, and Chairman of St John, Kent in the
Kent Committee of the Country Land and Business Association from 1987 to 1997.History
Lord Astor of Hever is the son of the 2nd Baron Astor of Hever and Lady Irene Haig (daughter of Field Marshal the 1st Earl Haig).
He was born in June 1946, and the young John Astor was educated at Eton before serving with the
Life Guards (the senior regiment of theBritish Army , part of theHousehold Cavalry ) from 1966 until 1970, where he visitedMalaysia ,Hong Kong andNorthern Ireland as well as ceremonial duties inLondon .He worked in France for 11 years, and is now Patron of the Conservatives in Paris.
Political biography
In 1994, Lord Astor of Hever was a British Parliamentary Observer in Johannesburg during the South African General Election. He was a member of the Executive, Association of Conservative Peers from 1996-1998. In 1999 he was elected to the House of Lords.
From 1998-2001, he served as an Opposition Spokesman on Social Security and Health from 1998-2003. From 2001, he has been an Opposition Spokesman for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, and International Development, and from 2003 to present, Opposition Spokesman for Defence.
Lord Astor is Secretary of:
*TheAll Party Group on Autism (one of his daughters is autistic)
*TheAll Party Group on Shooting and Conservation
*TheAll Party Parliamentary Motor Group
*TheBritish-Swiss All Party Parliamentary Group He is Treasurer of:
*TheBritish-South Africa Parliamentary Group
*TheFranco-British Parliamentary Relations Committee And also Vice Chairman of the
All Party Thames Gateway Group .As well as Hon Vice Chairman of theConservative Middle East Council In 1995 he piloted through the House of Lords the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act and in 1996 the Trading Schemes Act.ee also
*
Astor family
*Baron#The British Isles
*House of Lords
*Conservative Party (UK) External links
* [http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=people.person.page&personID=21700 Lord Astor] on the Conservative Party's website
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