Tim Razzall, Baron Razzall

The Lord Razzall
CBE

Tim, Lord Razzall
Life Peer (1997)
Personal details
Born (1943-06-12) 12 June 1943
Ealing, London, UK
Nationality British
Political party Liberal Democrats
Spouse(s) 2 (div.);
partner, Jane Bonham Carter
Residence London
Profession Lawyer
Religion Church of England

Edward Timothy Razzall, Baron Razzall, CBE (born 12 June 1943) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and parliamentarian.

Early life

He was the son of Humphrey Razzall, a Liberal Party member who stood as Liberal Parliamentary Candidate for Scarborough and Whitby in the 1945 General Election.

Razzall attended St Paul's School, London before going up to Worcester College, Oxford, representing the university at cricket in 1964.[1]

Career

Razzall qualified as a solicitor in 1969 and worked for Frere Cholmeley (later Frere Cholmeley Bischoff), becoming a partner in 1973, and chief executive in 1990 before leaving in 1995 to set up his own corporate finance business (Argonaut Associates).[2]

In 1974 he was elected a Councillor for Mortlake Ward in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames which he represented for 24 years. During that time he served as chair of Richmond Council's Policy and Resources Committee for 13 years and as deputy leader 1983-96. He was succeeded in both roles by Serge Lourie.

In 1986 he became joint-treasurer of the Liberal Party and then treasurer of the newly merged Liberal Democrats in 1988. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1993 New Year Honours[3] and created a Life Peer on 22 October 1997 as Baron Razzall, of Mortlake in the London Borough of Richmond.[4][5] In July 2002, he was the best man at the marriage of Charles Kennedy (the then Liberal Democrat Leader) to Sarah Gurling.

From 2000 to 2006, he was chair of the Liberal Democrats' Campaigns and Communications Committee. Along with Lord Rennard, he was responsible for running the Liberal Democrats' election campaigns. He stepped down from this post in May 2006 saying he wanted a change and to give his successor a chance to settle into the role before the 2010 general election.

A former House of Lords Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Trade and Industry and Treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Intellectual Property Group in Parliament, he now serves on various parliamentary committees.

Personal life

Razzall married first in 1965 (divorced 1974) Elizabeth Christina née Wilkinson, and they had a daughter, Katie Razzall, the BBC Newsnight reporter, and a son James Razzall. Through his second marriage in 1982 (dissolved 2003) to Deirdre Martineau née Taylor-Smith, he became step-father to her two sons and two daughters.[6]

Controversy

Lord Razzall attracted criticism when it was revealed that he and his partner, Baroness Bonham-Carter, share a flat but both claim expenses as members of the House of Lords. However the Mail on Sunday article declared that no breach of the rules occurred and in any event parliamentary rules on expenses were altered in 2010 to give all peers a flat rate irrespective of their residence.[7]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ "Edward Razzall". www.cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  2. ↑ www.thelawyer.com
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 53153. p. 9. 31 December 1992.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 54932. p. 12093. 28 October 1997.
  5. ↑ "Edward Timothy Razzall CBE". Businessweek. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  6. ↑ www.burkespeerage.com
  7. ↑ "The Gravy Train Rolls on". The Mail on Sunday. 21 December 2008.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Wynn Normington Hugh-Jones
Anthony Jacobs		 Treasurer of the Liberal Party
1986 – 1988
With: Chris Fox		 Succeeded by
Tim Razzall (Treasurer of the SLD)
Preceded by
New position		 Liberal Democrat Treasurer
1988–2000 		Succeeded by
Reg Clark
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