The Rt Hon Douglas Hurd
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office 26 October 1989 – 5 July 1995
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher John Major
Preceded by	John Major
Succeeded by	Malcolm Rifkind
Home Secretary
In office 2 September 1985 – 26 October 1989
Preceded by	Leon Brittan
Succeeded by	David Waddington
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office 27 September 1984 – 2 September 1985
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	James Prior
Succeeded by	Tom King
Born	March 08, 1930 (1930-03-08) (age 77) Marlborough, Wiltshire, England
Political party	Conservative

Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC (born 8 March 1930), is a senior British Conservative politician and novelist, who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major between 1979 and his retirement in 1995. He is a patron of the Tory Reform Group, and remains an active figure in public life. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (commonly referred to as Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a former British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the British Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a former British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the British Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. ... The Rt Hon. ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Home Secretary) is the chief United Kingdom government minister responsible for law and order in England and Wales; his or her remit includes policing, the criminal justice system, the prison service, internal security, and matters of citizenship and immigration. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, PC (born September 25, 1939), is a barrister, a British politician, and a former Conservative Member of Parliament and former member of the European Commission. ... David Charles Waddington, Baron Waddington, PC (born August 2, 1929), is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is the British cabinet minister who has responsibility for the government of Northern Ireland. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar). ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... James Michael Leathes Prior, Baron Prior, PC, is a British politician, and was Conservative MP for Lowestoft and Waveney. ... G-Unit member Thomas Jeremy King, Baron King of Bridgwater, CH , PC (born June 13, 1933), Educated Sheriff House, Rugby School, is a British Conservative politician who was Member of Parliament for Bridgwater in Somerset, from 1970 until 2001. ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Marlborough on a Wednesday Market morning The town-centre of Marlborough Marlborough (pronounced Maulbruh - /ˈmɔːlbɹə/ in IPA) is a market town in the English county of Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. ... The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a former British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the British Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Retirement is the point where a person stops employment. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... The Tory Reform Group (TRG) is a group within the United Kingdoms Conservative Party, that uphold the One Nation Tory vision, which they describe[citation needed] as being the promotion of: Social justice Political progress Prosperity for all // Europe The TRG is commonly seen as being pro-European. ...

Early Life

Douglas Hurd was born in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England, in 1930. His father Anthony Hurd, Baron Hurd and grandfather Sir Percy Hurd had both been members of Parliament. Hurd attended Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge where he was President of the Cambridge Union Society. In 1952 he joined the Diplomatic Service, during which time he was posted to China, the United States and Italy, leaving the service in 1966 to enter politics as a member of the Conservative Party. Marlborough on a Wednesday Market morning The town-centre of Marlborough Marlborough (pronounced Maulbruh - /ˈmɔːlbɹə/ in IPA) is a market town in the English county of Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... Sir Anthony Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd (May 2, 1901 - February 12, 1966) was a British politician and former Conservative member of parliament for Newbury. ... The Kings College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is a public school (privately funded and independent) for boys, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. It is located in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor in England, situated north of Windsor... Full name The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity Motto Virtus vera nobilitas Virtue is true Nobility Named after The Holy Trinity Previous names King’s Hall and Michaelhouse (until merged in 1546) Established 1546 Sister College(s) Christ Church Master The Lord Rees of Ludlow Location Trinity Street... The coat of arms for the Cambridge Union Society, which shares much in common with the coat of arms for the University of Cambridge. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland take place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy in which the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. ...

Member of Parliament

He became secretary to the then Conservative leader Edward Heath, and was first elected to Parliament in 1974 to represent the constituency of Mid Oxfordshire. At the 1983 general election the seat was replaced by Witney, and he remained MP for the seat until he retired from the House of Commons in 1997 after 23 years in Parliament. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, OBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Mid Oxfordshire was a parliamentary constituency in Oxfordshire. ... The general election of June 9, 1983 gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the second most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... Witney is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups... The 1 May 1997 UK general election brought the first change in UK Government for 18 years. ...

In government, 1979-90

Hurd was appointed Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office upon the Conservative victory in the 1979 general election, and remained in that post for the duration of the parliament. After the 1983 election Thatcher moved Hurd to the Home Office, but just over a year later he was promoted to Cabinet rank, succeeding James Prior as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In this position, his diplomatic skills paved the way for the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement on the future of Northern Ireland, which marked a turning point in British-Irish co-operation on the political situation in the troubled region. A month before the agreement was signed, however, Hurd returned to the Home Office, this time as Secretary of State, following the demotion of Leon Brittan to the Department of Trade and Industry. Widely seen as a 'safe pair of hands' and a solid, loyal member of the Cabinet, Hurd's tenure as Home Secretary was largely uncontroversial, although he was notably of the view that the British prison system did not work effectively and argued for more rehabilitation of offenders and alternative sentencing. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, more commonly known as the Foreign Office (or the FCO), is the United Kingdom government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom abroad. ... The British general election of May 3, 1979 was a pivotal point in 20th century British politics. ... The modern concept of Small Office and Home Office or SoHo , or Small or Home Office deals with the category of business which can be from 1 to 10 workers. ... In British politics, the Cabinet is comprised of the most senior government ministers, most of them heads of government departments with the title Secretary of State. The Cabinet is actually a committee of the Privy Council and all Cabinet members are also Privy Councillors and therefore have the prefix of... James Michael Leathes Prior, Baron Prior, PC, is a British politician, and was Conservative MP for Lowestoft and Waveney. ... The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is the British cabinet minister who has responsibility for the government of Northern Ireland. ... The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which aimed to bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... Northern Ireland is an administrative region and one of four parts of the United Kingdom. ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Home Secretary) is the chief United Kingdom government minister responsible for law and order in England and Wales; his or her remit includes policing, the criminal justice system, the prison service, internal security, and matters of citizenship and immigration. ... Sir Leon Brittan, Rt. ... The Department of Trade and Industry is a United Kingdom government department. ... Prison cell A prison is a place in which people are confined and deprived of a range of liberties. ... This theory of punishment is based on the notion that punishment is to be inflicted on a offender so as to reform him, or rehabilitate him so as to make his re-integration into society easier. ...

Candidacy in the 1990 leadership election

After a sound performance as Home Secretary, Hurd's Cabinet career developed further during the turbulent final months of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. On 26 October 1989, Hurd moved to the Foreign Office, succeeding John Major whose rapid rise through the Cabinet had seen him become Chancellor of the Exchequer in the wake of Nigel Lawson's resignation. This was the post in which Hurd made the greatest political impression. In November 1990, he supported Margaret Thatcher's candidacy as Conservative Party leader against challenger Michael Heseltine, but on her withdrawal from the second round of the contest, Hurd decided to enter the race as a moderate centre-right candidate, drawing on his reputation as a successful 'law-and-order' Home Secretary. He was seen as an outsider, lagging behind the more charismatic Heseltine and the eventual winner, John Major, who shared the moderate centre-right political ground with Hurd but had the added advantages of youth and political momentum. Hurd came third, winning 56 of the 372 votes cast and, together with Heseltine, conceded defeat to allow Major, who had fallen just three votes short of an outright majority, to return unopposed. Hurd was gracious in defeat and, on the formation of Major's first Cabinet, was returned to his position as Foreign Secretary. is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (commonly referred to as Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a former British politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the British Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. ... The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister responsible for all economic and financial matters. ... Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC (born March 11, 1932), was a British politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer between June 1983 and October 1989. ... Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933) is a British businessman and Conservative Party politician. ... The 1990 Conservative Party leadership election in the United Kingdom took place in November 1990 following the decision of former Trade and Industry Secretary Michael Heseltine to stand against the incumbent Conservative leader and Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. ...

Foreign Secretary

Hurd was seen as a statesmanlike Foreign Secretary and his tenure was particularly eventful. He oversaw Britain's diplomatic responses to the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, as well as the first Gulf War to drive Iraqi troops out of Kuwait. Hurd cultivated good relations with the United States under President George Bush Sr., and sought a more conciliatory approach to other members of the European Economic Community, repairing relationships damaged during the increasingly Eurosceptic tone of Margaret Thatcher's final years. Hurd welcomed a reunified Germany into the European political community in 1990. Statesman is a respectful term used to refer to politicians, and other notable figures of state. ... Combatants United States Saudi Arabia Egypt United Kingdom & US-led Coalition Republic of Iraq Commanders Norman Schwarzkopf Khalid bin Sultan Saddam Hussein Strength 883,863 360,000 Casualties 240 killed in action, 776 wounded, 30 taken prisoner At least 183,000 victims of the Gulf War syndrome Est. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... Euroscepticism is scepticism about, or disagreement with, the purposes of the European Union, sometimes coupled with a desire to preserve national sovereignty. ...

One of the defining features of Hurd's tenure as Foreign Secretary was the British reaction to the increasingly vicious Yugoslav Wars. During the war in Bosnia, Hurd was seen as a leading voice among European politicians arguing against sending military aid to the Bosniaks, in defiance of the line taken by US President Bill Clinton, and arguing that such a move would only create a 'level killing field' and prolong the conflict unduly. During this period the fractious relations between European and US leaders threatened the stability of the trans-Atlantic alliance and delayed any co-ordinated response to the bloodshed taking place in the collapsing Yugoslavia. This does not cite any references or sources. ... Motto None Anthem Intermeco Bosnia and Herzegovina() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Sarajevo Official languages Bosnian Croatian Serbian Government Parliamentary democracy  -  Presidency members Željko KomÅ¡ić1 NebojÅ¡a Radmanović2 Haris Silajdžić3  -  Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola Å pirić  -  High Representative 4 Independence... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Languages Bosnian Religions Predominantly Islam Related ethnic groups Slavs (South Slavs) The Bosniaks or Bosniacs[1] (Bosnian: BoÅ¡njaci, IPA: ) are a South Slavic people, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia) and the Sandžak region of Serbia and Montenegro, with a smaller autochthonous population also present in Croatia... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in the Latin alphabet, Југославија in Cyrillic; English: South Slavia) describes three political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ...

Shortly after his retirement from politics, Hurd travelled to Serbia to meet Slobodan Milošević on behalf of the British bank NatWest (see below), fuelling some speculation that Hurd had deliberately taken a pro-Serbian line. There has been criticism of the policies promoted by Hurd with regard to the war. The Bosnian government even threatened to charge Hurd as an accomplice to genocide before the war tribunal in The Hague, though this came to nothing. Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian 3 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 9th century   -  First unified state c. ... “MiloÅ¡ević” redirects here. ... The Classic NatWest logo National Westminster Bank Plc, trading as NatWest, is a commercial bank in the United Kingdom, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. ... Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction of an ethnic or national group. ... Coordinates: , Country Netherlands Province South Holland Area (2006)  - Municipality 98. ...

Hurd was involved in a public scandal concerning the UK funding of a Hydroelectric dam on the Pergau River in Malaysia, near the Thai border. Building work began in 1991 with money from the UK foreign aid budget. Concurrently, the Malaysian government bought around £1 billion worth of arms from the UK. The suggested linkage of arms deals to aid became the subject of a UK government inquiry from March 1994. In November 1994, after an application for Judicial Review brought by the World Development Movement, the High Court [2] held that the British Foreign Secretary, Douglas Hurd had acted ultra vires (outside of his power and therefore illegally) by allocating £234 million towards the funding of the dam, on the grounds that it was not of economic or humanitarian benefit to the Malaysian people. [3] In 2002 the administration of the UK's aid budget was removed from the Foreign Secretary's remit (previously the Overseas Development Administration had been under the supervision of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office). The new department, The Department for International Development (DfID), has its own Secretary of State who is a member of the Cabinet. It has been suggested that Judicial Review in English Law be merged into this article or section. ... The World Development Movement (WDM) exists to mobilise public pressure for fundamental change. ... Ultra vires is a Latin phrase that literally means beyond the power. ... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, seen from St. ... The Department for International Development (DFID) is a United Kingdom government department, the function of which is to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty. // Ministers The Department is headed by Cabinet Minister and Secretary of State for International Development Hilary Benn. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ...

In 1995, during the Cabinet reshuffle widely seen as setting up the Conservative team which would contest the next election, Hurd retired from frontline politics after eleven years in the Cabinet and was replaced by Malcolm Rifkind. The Rt Hon. ...

Retirement

Hurd was generally a well-respected politician and parliamentarian, seen as an intellectual and old-school party grandee. After his retirement as Foreign Secretary, he remained a key supporter of John Major, and kept a range of active political involvements as well as taking on some business appointments, most notably as a deputy chairman of NatWest Markets and a board Director of the NatWest group, posts he held from October 1995 until 1999. The Classic NatWest logo National Westminster Bank Plc, trading as NatWest, is a commercial bank in the United Kingdom, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ...

He left the House of Commons at the 1997 general election, and was created Baron Hurd of Westwell, of Westwell in the County of Oxfordshire, entitling him to remain in Parliament as a member of the House of Lords. Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as the Lords. The Sovereign, the House of Commons (which is the lower house of Parliament and referred to as the Commons), and the Lords together comprise the Parliament. ...

In December 1997 he was appointed Chairman of British Invisibles (now IFSL), and was Chairman of the judging panel for the 1998 Booker Prize for Fiction. He became a member of the Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords in February 1999, and in September 1999 he was appointed High Steward of Westminster Abbey, reflecting his long active membership of the Church of England. He later went on to chair the Hurd Commission which produced a review of the roles and functions of the Archbishop of Canterbury. International Financial Services, London, usually shortened to just IFSL, is a private-sector organisation which promotes British financial services. ... International Financial Services, London, usually shortened to just IFSL, is a private-sector organisation which promotes British financial services. ... See also: 1997 in literature, other events of 1998, 1999 in literature, list of years in literature. ... The Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded each year for the best novel written by a citizen of the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. ... The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral (and indeed often mistaken for one), in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ... The Church of England logo since 1998 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader and senior clergyman of the Church of England, recognized by convention as the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...

During the 2005 Conservative Party leadership contest, Hurd supported David Cameron, the eventual winner, who is the incumbent MP for Hurd's former seat of Witney. David Cameron, the eventual winner of the contest. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom, positions he has occupied since December 2005. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ...

Personal Life

Hurd's son, Nick Hurd, is also a Conservative politician and was elected Member of Parliament for Ruislip-Northwood at the May 2005 general election. The Honourable Nicholas Richard Hurd (1962— ) is a United Kingdom Conservative Party Member of Parliament. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Ruislip-Northwood is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... It has been suggested that Marginal constituencies in the United Kingdom be merged into this article or section. ...

Douglas Hurd is also well known as a writer of political thrillers including The Arrow War (1967), Scotch on the Rocks (1971),Truth Game (1972), Vote To Kill (1975), An End To Promises (1979), Palace of Enchantments (1985, with Stephen Lamport), The Shape of Ice (1998), Truth Game (1999) and Image in the Water (2001). Lord Hurd'd biography of the 19th Century Conservative Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel, was published in June 2007 entitled Robert Peel, a Biography. ^[1] A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ...

Another of Hurd's sons, Thomas, joined the Diplomatic Service. His name appeared on a list of suspected MI6 operatives which was published on the Internet, supposedly the work of disgruntled former SIS (MI6) or Security Service (MI5) employees. The authenticity of several entries on the list is questionable, leading to speculation that it was in fact compiled by a poorly informed amateur. The format of the list is taken from The Diplomatic Service List - an annual official publication (known within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as 'The Green Book') listing all members of the Diplomatic Service. A diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. ... The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), more commonly known as MI6 (originally Military Intelligence Section 6), or the Secret Service, is the United Kingdom external security agency. ... The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), more commonly known as MI6 (originally Military Intelligence Section 6), or the Secret Service, is the United Kingdom external security agency. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. ...

Source

1. ^ Robert Peel, a Biography, Orion Books, [[1]]

Quotations

• "We should be wary of politicians who profess to follow history while only noticing those signposts of history that point in the direction which they themselves already favour."
• "People are very interested in politics, they just don't like it labelled 'politics'."
• "Prison is an expensive way of making bad people worse."

Further reading

• Memoirs by Douglas Hurd (Little, Brown, 2003)
• The Search for Peace by Douglas Hurd (Little, Brown, 1997)

Trivia

• An often used slang term for using the lavatory is going for a "Douglas (Hurd)".
• In the TV series, Spitting Image, Hurd's hair resembles the shape of a Mr Whippy cone.
• In British rhyming slang, a Third-class university degree is often called a Douglas (Hurd - Third)

Spitting Image was a satirical puppet show that ran on the United Kingdoms ITV television network from 1984 to 1996. ...

See also

• Thatcher Ministry (1979-90) and Major Ministry (1990-97), governments in which Hurd served
• Order of the Companions of Honour
• List of political families in the United Kingdom
• Tory Reform Group
• America All Party Parliamentary Group

The Ministry Categories: British ministries ... The Ministry Categories: British ministries ... The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. ... Everyone here is/was an MP unless otherwise stated. ... The Tory Reform Group (TRG) is a group within the United Kingdoms Conservative Party, that uphold the One Nation Tory vision, which they describe[citation needed] as being the promotion of: Social justice Political progress Prosperity for all // Europe The TRG is commonly seen as being pro-European. ... The America All Party Parliamentary Group is - as the name suggests - a cross-party group consisting of members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, whose purpose is to prompt friendly relations and mutual understanding between members of Congress and Members of Parliament; to arrange for the exchange of visits...

External links

• The text of 'To Lead and to Serve', the Hurd Report into the operation of the Archbishopric of Canterbury
• Hurd's memories of his assignment Beijing in the 1950s
• Hurd intervenes in the 2001 General Election campaign on European policy
• BBC reports on the findings of Hurd's commission into the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury
• An article by Douglas Hurd on peace in the Middle East
• Speech by Hurd on Britain and Europe
• Daily Telegraph review of Robert Peel, a Biography [[4]]