Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay Peer

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Address:
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

BIOGRAPHY

Photograph by permission of Alex Folkes/Fishnik.com

My professional career is investing in commercial property, mainly shops and industrial property, all over the United Kingdom for pension funds, charities and investment trusts.  I started my own business in 1986 after being a Director of Warburg Investment Management and running Courtaulds Pension Fund.

An economist by training (University and Nuffield College, Oxford), my first job was in the Kenya Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as an Overseas Development Institute/Nuffield Fellow. I then worked as Special Adviser to Roy Jenkins from 1972 to 1976, both in opposition and in Government.

Active in politics since I was 18, I have been a City Councillor and finished a close second in both my General Election campaigns (Horsham and Crawley for Labour in October 1974 and Cambridge in 1983 for the SDP/Liberal Alliance).  I was at Limehouse with Roy Jenkins for the formation of the SDP and served on its National Steering Committee and Economic Policy Committee.

I joined the Lords in May 2000 and am now the spokesperson on Work and Pensions and a Treasury spokesperson.

I was one of two Liberal Democrat Peers on the Joint Committee of Parliament on House of Lords Reform.  My other main policy interests are Overseas Development, Housing, and Electoral Reform.  I am a Director of Makes Votes Count.

Born in 1947, I am married to Pippa, an inner City GP, with three children in their 20’s.  We all enjoy music, supporting Arsenal and elections.