Dick Newby Peer

Address:
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

Email: newbyr@parliament.uk

BIOGRAPHY

I was born in Rothwell, West Yorkshire and attended Rothwell Grammar School before studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at St Catherine’s College Oxford.

I grew up in a Labour stronghold and was a member of the Labour Party at university and in several London Boroughs. During the 1975 European referendum, I was General Secretary of Young European Left, the pro-European youth wing of the Labour Party.

I worked for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for its whole life and was its chief executive from 1983-88. I have worked on all subsequent Lib Dem General Election campaigns, as press officer to Paddy Ashdown (1992), Deputy Campaign Chairman (1997) and subsequently as a member of the Campaigns and Communications Committee. I was Charles Kennedy’s Chief of Staff during his period as Leader.

Outside politics I have been a tax man (HM Customs and Excise 1974-81), corporate affairs director of a property company (Rosehaugh 1988-92) and a PR/public affairs adviser (1992-2001). I now Chair of Live Consulting, a corporate responsibility consultancy. I am Chair of Sport at The Prince’s Trust and a Trustee of International Development through Sport (IDS UK). I am a non-executive director of Elmwood Design Ltd.

I am married to Ailsa – a Church of England vicar – and have two university-aged sons.