Geoffrey Johnson-Smith
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2021) |
DL | |
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Member of Parliament for Wealden East Grinstead (1965–1983) | |
In office 5 February 1965 – 14 May 2001 | |
Preceded by | Evelyn Emmet |
Succeeded by | Charles Hendry |
Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras South | |
In office 8 October 1959 – 25 September 1964 | |
Preceded by | Lena Jeger |
Succeeded by | Lena Jeger |
Personal details | |
Born | Glasgow, Scotland | 16 April 1924
Died | 11 August 2010 Sussex, England | (aged 86)
Political party | Conservative |
Spouse |
Jeanne Smith (m. 1951) |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Lincoln College, Oxford |
Sir Geoffrey Johnson-Smith,
Early life and career
The son of an electrical engineer, he joined the Royal Artillery straight from Charterhouse School in 1942 and after the war was demobilised as a captain.
At
He won a seat on London County Council in 1955, representing Putney, but lost it at the 1958 election.
He was later a presenter of the BBC magazine programme
Political career
Shortly before the 1959 general election,
He successfully promoted a bill authorising councils to operate a
His parliamentary career was interrupted in October 1964 when Lena Jeger had her revenge by 2,756 votes as Labour came to power. He briefly returned to television, freelancing for the BBC and Rediffusion’s religious programmes.
However, he returned to the House of Commons the following year at a by-election in the safe Conservative seat of East Grinstead. When that constituency was abolished for the 1983 election, he was returned for the new Wealden constituency, and held that seat until he retired at the 2001 general election, having served 41 years in Parliament.
When Heath came to power in 1970 he kept Johnson-Smith at Central Office. Soon afterwards
Johnson-Smith, who was later to launch a successful campaign on behalf of
After the Bloody Sunday killings of January 1972, he mounted an uncompromising defence of the Parachute Regiment: "It is bad enough for our troops to have to run all the perils and be shot at by gunmen without having their pain increased by smears in this House."
In November 1972, Heath moved him sideways to the Civil Service Department, with the remit of sharpening presentation of government policy. His time there was dominated by the Kenneth Littlejohn affair, which was still rumbling on when Heath called a snap election in February 1974. Johnson-Smith fought a skilful media campaign, but could not prevent Heath losing.
When Margaret Thatcher took the leadership, she asked him to oversee media activities at Central Office alongside a fellow television professional, Gordon Reece. After her 1979 election victory he joined the 1922 Committee executive and chaired the party's backbench media committee.
From 1980 to 1996 he chaired the select committee on Member's Interests, having to field embarrassing questions about the business activities of Thatcher's son, Mark.
Johnson-Smith specialised increasingly in defence. From 1985 he chaired the military committee of the North Atlantic Assembly, and from 1987 to 1997 he led the British delegation. For six years he chaired the Conservative backbench defence committee.
Later life and death
He was
References
- ^ Mansbach, Richard (1973), Northern Ireland: Half a Century of Partition, Facts on File, Inc, New York, pg 114, ISBN 0-87196-182-2
- ^ Steven, Alasdair (14 August 2010). "Obituary: Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith, journalist and Conservative MP". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Archived from the original on 16 August 2010.
- ^ Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, 13 August 2010