John Sewel, Baron Sewel
Life peerage | |
---|---|
Personal details | |
Born | John Buttifant Sewel 15 January 1946 |
Nationality | British |
Political party |
|
Spouses | Rosemary Langeland
(m. 1968–1986)Leonora Harding
(m. 1988–2002)Jennifer Lindsay (m. 2005) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Durham University University College of Wales, Swansea University of Aberdeen |
John Buttifant Sewel, Baron Sewel,
He was made a
Early life
Sewel was born on 15 January 1946. He was educated at Hanson Boys' Grammar School and Durham University (BA, 1967) before taking his MSc degree at University College of Wales, Swansea in 1970, and a PhD from the University of Aberdeen in 1977.[4][5]
Academic career
Sewel joined the University of Aberdeen as a research fellow in the Department of Politics in 1969. During the next three decades he worked in the Departments of Education and Political Economy and also the Regional Centre for the Study of Economic and Social Policy, where he was appointed to his chair. In 1988 he became the dean of the then Faculty of Economic & Social Sciences. Subsequently, in 1995, he was appointed vice-principal and dean of the faculty of Social Sciences & Law.[6][7]
Sewel returned to the University of Aberdeen to resume his role as vice-principal in 1999 and was subsequently senior vice-principal from 2001 to 2004.[citation needed]
Political career
Sewel was first elected to political office as an
On 10 January 1996 he was created Baron Sewel, of Gilcomstoun in the
As an active member of the House of Lords, Sewel chaired the European Union Select Committee in Agriculture, the Environment and Fisheries and was a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. His interests include enlargement of the European Union and of NATO, constitutional change and rural development.
Sewel was elected
Scandal and resignation
He resigned as Chairman of Committees on 26 July 2015 after The Sun released hidden camera footage seemingly showing him snorting white powder (widely reported in the media to be cocaine) at a party with prostitutes. In the same video he described David Cameron as the "most superficial [and] facile Prime Minister there has ever been".[10][11] On the following day he was granted a leave of absence from the Lords,[12] and on 28 July 2015 he formally resigned from the House of Lords.[13]
References
- ^ Mortimer, Caroline (27 July 2015). "Lord Sewel to 'tough it out' despite suspension from Labour". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- The Press and Journal. Aberdeen. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ "British Pol Resigns After Cocaine and Prostitutes Video | Time". 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Scotland's Land" (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. March 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 September 2006.
- ^ "UK | Scotland | Q&A: The Sewel Convention". BBC News. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ Skill and Occupational Change Roger Penn et al; Oxford University Press, 1994
- ^ Lords of the faculties Times Higher Education; 24 November 1995; "John Sewel, vice principal of Aberdeen University"
- ^ "No. 49583". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1983. p. 9.
- ^ "No. 54290". The London Gazette. 16 January 1996. p. 695.
- ^ Barrett, David; Boyle, Danny (26 July 2015). "Lord Sewel resigns and faces police inquiry after 'snorting cocaine with two prostitutes'". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Wilkinson, Michael; Ward, Victoria; Holehouse, Matthew (27 July 2015). "Lord Sewel's London residence raided by police". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ "Drug row peer granted leave from Lords". BBC News. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- ^ "Lord Sewel resigns from the House of Lords after drug claims". BBC News. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.