Francis Pym, Baron Pym

For an earlier British MP, see Francis Pym (1756–1833).

The Right Honourable The Lord Pym MC PC


Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office 6 April 1982 – 11 June 1983
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	The Lord Carrington
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Howe
Lord President of the Council
In office 14 September 1981 – 5 April 1982
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	The Lord Soames
Succeeded by	John Biffen
Leader of the House of Commons
In office 5 January 1981 – 5 April 1982
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Norman St John-Stevas
Succeeded by	John Biffen
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 5 January 1981 – 14 September 1981
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Norman St John-Stevas
Succeeded by	The Baroness Young
Paymaster General
In office 5 January 1981 – 14 September 1981
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Angus Maude
Succeeded by	Cecil Parkinson
Secretary of State for Defence
In office 4 May 1979 – 5 January 1981
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Fred Mulley
Succeeded by	John Nott
Shadow Foreign Secretary
In office 6 November 1978 – 4 May 1979
Leader	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John Davies
Succeeded by	Peter Shore
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
In office 19 November 1976 – 6 November 1978
Leader	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John Peyton
Succeeded by	Norman St John-Stevas
Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In office 18 February 1975 – 19 November 1976
Leader	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	???
Succeeded by	Michael Jopling
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office 4 March 1974 – 29 October 1974
Leader	Ted Heath
Preceded by	Merlyn Rees
Succeeded by	Ian Gilmour
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office 2 December 1973 – 4 March 1974
Prime Minister	Ted Heath
Preceded by	Willie Whitelaw
Succeeded by	Merlyn Rees
Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
In office 19 June 1970 – 2 December 1973
Prime Minister	Ted Heath
Preceded by	Bob Mellish
Succeeded by	Humphrey Atkins
Member of Parliament for South East Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (1961–1983)
In office 16 March 1961 – 11 June 1987
Preceded by	Gerald Howard
Succeeded by	Jim Paice
Personal details
Born	Francis Leslie Pym (1922-02-13)13 February 1922 Abergavenny, Wales, UK
Died	7 March 2008(2008-03-07) (aged 86) Sandy, England, UK
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	Magdalene College, Cambridge

Francis Leslie Pym, Baron Pym, MC, PC (13 February 1922 – 7 March 2008) was a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in various positions in the Cabinet in the 1970s and 1980s, including Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, Northern Ireland Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons. He was Member of Parliament (MP) representing the constituencies of Cambridgeshire (1961–83) and South East Cambridgeshire (1983–87), and was made a life peer in 1987.

Early life

Pym was born at Penpergwm Lodge, near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire.^[1] His father, Leslie Pym, was also a Member of Parliament, while his grandfather, the Right Reverend Walter Ruthven Pym, was Bishop of Bombay. He was not a descendant of the 17th century Parliamentarian John Pym as has been commonly held (see Pym's own published family history). He was educated at Eton, before going on to Magdalene College, Cambridge. For much of the Second World War, Pym served in North Africa and Italy as a captain and regimental adjutant in the 9th Lancers. He was awarded the Military Cross,^[2] and he ended his military service as a major. Pym was a managing director and landowner before he went into politics.

Political career

Pym entered politics as a member of Herefordshire County Council in 1958.^[3] He contested Rhondda West without success in 1959 and entered Parliament in 1961 at a by-election as Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire. He held the seat until 1983, and was MP for Cambridgeshire South East 1983–87. He was an Opposition whip from 1964 and served under Edward Heath as Government Chief Whip (1970–73) and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1973–74), and Margaret Thatcher as Defence Secretary (1979–81), Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council (1981–82). He became foreign secretary during the Falklands War in 1982 following Lord Carrington's resignation, but was removed by Margaret Thatcher in 1983 after her second election victory.

Pym was a leading member of the Wets, Tories opposed to Thatcherism. During the 1983 general election campaign he said on the BBC's Question Time that "Landslides don't on the whole produce successful governments".^[4] This was publicly repudiated by Margaret Thatcher and he was sacked after the election. Shortly afterwards, he launched a pressure group called Conservative Centre Forward to argue for more centrist, One Nation policies. But with Thatcher at the height of her powers, it was unsuccessful. He stood down at the 1987 election and was created a life peer as Baron Pym, of Sandy in the County of Bedfordshire on 9 October 1987.^[5] He was the author of The Politics of Consent published in 1984 after he left office. The book is a guide to the Wets' opposition to Margaret Thatcher, both to her leadership style and policies.^[6]

He was portrayed by Jeremy Child in the 2002 BBC production of Ian Curteis's The Falklands Play and by Julian Wadham in the 2011 film, The Iron Lady".

Personal life

Pym died in Sandy, Bedfordshire on 7 March 2008 after a prolonged illness, aged 86.^[7]

References

↑ Theakston, Kevin (2 July 2004). British Foreign Secretaries Since 1974. London: Routledge. p. 141. ISBN 9780714656564. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37386. p. 6074. 13 December 1945.
↑ "Francis Pym : Obituary". iAnnounce. Northcliffe Media. 7 March 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
↑ BBC News. Thatcher's Class of '79
↑ The London Gazette: no. 51091. p. 12695. 14 October 1987.
↑ Francis Pym, The Politics of Consent (Hamish Hamilton, 1984)
↑ BBC News. Former Foreign Secretary Pym Dies

Bibliography

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Francis Pym

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Gerald Howard	Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire 1961–1983	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for South East Cambridgeshire 1983–1987	Succeeded by Jim Paice
Political offices
Preceded by Bob Mellish	Chief Whip of the House of Commons 1970–1973	Succeeded by Humphrey Atkins
Preceded by Bob Mellish	Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury 1970–1973	Succeeded by Humphrey Atkins
Preceded by Willie Whitelaw	Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1973–1974	Succeeded by Merlyn Rees
Preceded by Merlyn Rees	Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1974	Succeeded by Ian Gilmour
Preceded by ???	Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1975–1976	Succeeded by Michael Jopling
Preceded by John Peyton	Shadow Leader of the House of Commons 1976–1978	Succeeded by Norman St John-Stevas
Preceded by John Davies	Shadow Foreign Secretary 1978–1979	Succeeded by Peter Shore
Preceded by Fred Mulley	Secretary of State for Defence 1979–1981	Succeeded by John Nott
Preceded by Angus Maude	Paymaster General 1981	Succeeded by Cecil Parkinson
Preceded by Norman St John-Stevas	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1981	Succeeded by The Baroness Young
Preceded by Norman St John-Stevas	Leader of the House of Commons 1981–1982	Succeeded by John Biffen
		Succeeded by John Biffen
Preceded by The Lord Soames	Lord President of the Council 1981–1982
Preceded by The Lord Carrington	Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 1982–1983	Succeeded by Geoffrey Howe
Party political offices
Preceded by Willie Whitelaw	Conservative Chief Whip of the House of Commons 1970–1973	Succeeded by Humphrey Atkins

Foreign Secretaries of the United Kingdom

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Fox Grantham Fox Temple Leeds Grenville Hawkesbury Harrowby Mulgrave Fox Howick Canning Bathurst Wellesley Castlereagh Canning Dudley Aberdeen Palmerston Wellington Palmerston Aberdeen Palmerston Granville Malmesbury Russell Clarendon Malmesbury Russell Clarendon Stanley Clarendon Granville Derby Salisbury Granville Salisbury Rosebery Iddesleigh Salisbury Rosebery Kimberley Salisbury Lansdowne Grey Balfour Curzon MacDonald Chamberlain Henderson Reading Simon Hoare Eden Halifax Eden Bevin Morrison Eden Macmillan Lloyd Home Butler Gordon Walker Stewart Brown Stewart

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Stewart Douglas-Home Callaghan Crosland Owen Carrington Pym Howe Major Hurd Rifkind Cook Straw Beckett Miliband Hague Hammond Johnson

Book:Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Category:British Secretaries of State Portal:United Kingdom

Defence Secretaries of the United Kingdom

Ministers for Defence	Winston Churchill Clement Attlee A. V. Alexander Manny Shinwell Winston Churchill The Earl Alexander of Tunis Harold Macmillan Selwyn Lloyd Sir Walter Monckton Anthony Head Duncan Sandys Harold Watkinson Peter Thorneycroft

Secretaries of State for Defence	Peter Thorneycroft Denis Healey The Lord Carrington Ian Gilmour Roy Mason Fred Mulley Francis Pym John Nott Michael Heseltine George Younger Tom King Malcolm Rifkind Michael Portillo George Robertson Geoff Hoon John Reid Des Browne John Hutton Bob Ainsworth Liam Fox Philip Hammond Michael Fallon

Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Office

Whitelaw Pym Rees Mason Atkins Prior Hurd King Brooke Mayhew Mowlam Mandelson Reid Murphy Hain^* Woodward Paterson Villiers Brokenshire

^*Also Secretary of State for Wales; Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland Opposition Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Leaders of the House of Commons

Walpole Sandys Pelham Robinson H Fox Pitt the Elder Vacant (caretaker ministry) Pitt the Elder Grenville H Fox Grenville Conway North C Fox Townshend (C Fox/North) Pitt the Younger Addington Pitt the Younger C Fox Howick Perceval Castlereagh Canning Huskisson Peel Althorp Peel Russell Disraeli Russell Palmerston Disraeli Palmerston Gladstone Disraeli Gladstone Northcote Gladstone Hicks-Beach Gladstone R Churchill Smith Balfour Gladstone Harcourt Balfour Campbell-Bannerman Asquith Bonar Law A Chamberlain Bonar Law Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin N Chamberlain W Churchill Cripps Eden Morrison Chuter Ede Crookshank Butler Macleod Lloyd Bowden Crossman Peart Whitelaw Carr Prior Short Foot St John-Stevas Pym Biffen Wakeham Howe MacGregor Newton Taylor Beckett Cook Reid Hain Hoon Straw Harman Young Lansley Hague Grayling Lidington

Paymasters General

Parnell Stanley Knatchbull Baring Macaulay Granville Stanley Colchester Stanley Pleydell-Bouverie Lowe Donoughmore Lovaine Wilson Cowper Hutt Goschen Monsell Cave Dufferin Childers Adam Cave Plunket Wolverton Beauchamp Thurlow Beauchamp Brownlow Jersey Windsor Seale-Hayne Hopetoun Marlborough Crossley Causton Ashby Strachie Newton Henderson Compton-Rickett Walters vacant Chamberlain Joynson-Hicks Boyd-Carpenter Gosling vacant Sutherland Onslow Arnold vacant Walters Rochester Hutchison Munster Winterton vacant Cranborne vacant Hankey Jowitt Cherwell vacant Greenwood Marquand Addison Macdonald Cherwell Selkirk vacant Monckton Maulding Mills Brooke Boyd-Carpenter Wigg vacant Shackleton Hart Lever Eccles Macmillan Dell Williams A. Maude Pym Parkinson Gummer Clarke Brooke Caithness Ryder Belstead Cope Heathcoat-Amory Willetts Bates Robinson Primarolo Jowell F. Maude Hancock

Heath Cabinet

Anthony Barber Tom Boardman Gordon Campbell Robert Carr Lord Carrington John Davies Sir Alec Douglas-Home Ian Gilmour Edward Heath Lord Hailsham Sir Geoffrey Howe Earl Jellicoe Patrick Jenkin Sir Keith Joseph Iain Macleod Maurice Macmillan Reginald Maudling Michael Noble John Peyton James Prior Francis Pym Geoffrey Rippon Margaret Thatcher Peter Thomas Peter Walker Lord Windlesham William Whitelaw

Thatcher Cabinet

Humphrey Atkins Kenneth Baker Lord Belstead John Biffen Leon Brittan Peter Brooke Mark Carlisle Lord Carrington Paul Channon Kenneth Clarke Lord Cockfield Nicholas Edwards Norman Fowler Ian Gilmour Lord Gowrie John Gummer Lord Havers Quintin Hogg Michael Heseltine Michael Howard Sir Geoffrey Howe David Howell David Hunt Douglas Hurd Patrick Jenkin Michael Jopling Keith Joseph Tom King Norman Lamont Nigel Lawson Peter Lilley John MacGregor James Mackay John Major Angus Maude John Moore Tony Newton John Nott Cecil Parkinson Chris Patten Jim Prior Francis Pym Peter Rees Nicholas Ridley Malcolm Rifkind Lord Soames Norman St John-Stevas Norman Tebbit Margaret Thatcher David Waddington John Wakeham William Waldegrave Peter Walker William Whitelaw Lord Young of Graffham George Younger

Shadow Foreign Secretaries of the United Kingdom

Robens Bevan Healey Wilson Gordon Walker Butler Maudling Soames Douglas-Home Healey Callaghan Rippon Maudling Davies Pym Shore Healey Kaufman Cunningham Cook Major Howard Maples Maude Ancram Fox Hague Miliband Cooper Alexander Benn

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 108240139 LCCN: n85091254 ISNI: 0000 0000 8459 9196 SUDOC: 077462602 NDL: 00453489

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