{{short description|British Conservative politician and life peer (born 1937)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | name = The Lord Haselhurst | honorific_suffix = PC | image = Official portrait of Lord Haselhurst crop 2, 2022.jpg | office1 = Member of the House of Lords | status1 = Lord Temporal | term_label1 = Life peerage | term_start1 = 22 June 2018 | term_end1 = 20 December 2024 | office2 = Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association | term_start2 = 27 July 2011 | term_end2 = October 2014 | deputy2 = Nafisa Shah | predecessor2 = Shafie Apdal | successor2 = Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury | office3 = Chairman of the Administration Committee | term_start3 = 27 July 2010 | term_end3 = 30 March 2015 | predecessor3 = Frank Doran | successor3 = Sir Paul Beresford | office4 = Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons<br>Chairman of Ways and Means | term_start4 = 14 May 1997 | term_end4 = 8 June 2010 | 1blankname4 = Speaker | 1namedata4 = Betty Boothroyd<br />Michael Martin<br />John Bercow | 2blankname4 = First Deputy | 2namedata4 = Michael Martin<br>Sylvia Heal<br>Nigel Evans | 3blankname4 = Second Deputy | 3namedata4 = Michael Lord<br>Dawn Primarolo | predecessor4 = Michael Morris | successor4 = Lindsay Hoyle | office5 = Member of Parliament | constituency5 = Saffron Walden | predecessor5 = Peter Kirk | successor5 = Kemi Badenoch | term_start5 = 7 July 1977 | term_end5 = 3 May 2017 | constituency6 = Middleton and Prestwich | predecessor6 = Denis Coe | successor6 = Jim Callaghan | term_start6 = 18 June 1970 | term_end6 = 8 February 1974 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1937|06|23|df=yes}} | birth_place = South Elmsall, West Riding of Yorkshire, England | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Angela Bailey|1977}} | party = Conservative | children = 2 sons, 1 daughter | alma_mater = Oriel College, Oxford | occupation = Politician | website = [http://www.siralanhaselhurst.net www.siralanhaselhurst.net] | caption = Official portrait, 2022 }} '''Alan Gordon Barraclough Haselhurst, Baron Haselhurst''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|PC}} (born 23 June 1937) is a former British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Saffron Walden from 1977 to 2017, having previously represented Middleton and Prestwich from 1970 to February 1974.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sir Alan Haselhurst |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/sir-alan-haselhurst/index.html |website=Hansard |access-date=13 May 2021}}</ref><ref name=parlpage>{{cite web |title=Parliamentary career for Lord Haselhurst – MPs and Lords |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/43/career |website=UK Parliament |access-date=13 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Haselhurst was Chairman of Ways and Means from 14 May 1997 to 8 June 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100608/debtext/100608-0012.htm#10060861000021|work=Hansard|title=Commons Debates > Daily Hansard – Debate 8 June 2010|access-date=28 February 2020|publisher=UK Parliament|date=8 June 2010}}</ref> and later Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association between 2011 and 2014.
The oldest Conservative Member of Parliament to stand down at the 2017 general election,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2017-04-25/sir-alan-haselhurst-steps-down-after-40-years-as-mp/|title=Sir Alan Haselhurst steps down after 40 years as MP|publisher=ITV News|date=25 April 2017|access-date=25 April 2017|work=ITV Anglia}}</ref> being succeeded as MP for Saffron Walden by Kemi Badenoch, he was created a Life Peer on 22 June 2018,<ref name="ReferenceA">{{London Gazette|issue=62338|date=28 June 2018|page=11484}}</ref> taking his seat in the House of Lords as '''Baron Haselhurst'''.<ref>[https://www.burkespeerage.com/ www.burkespeerage.com]</ref>
==Early life and career== [[File:Knights Bachelor Insignia.png|thumb|right|95px| Insignia of a Knight Bachelor]] Haselhurst was born at South Elmsall, near Hemsworth, Yorkshire, and educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, then Cheltenham College in Gloucestershire, before going up to Oriel College, Oxford.
Elected President of the Oxford University Conservative Association in 1958, for two years,<ref>[https://www.ouconservatives.com/ www.ouconservatives.com]</ref> he also served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Oxford Union from 1959. Before his election to parliament, Haselhurst worked in management in the chemicals industry and became an unremunerated director when his father's pharmacy was incorporated.
Haselhurst was the election agent to [[Robert Lindsay, 29th Earl of Crawford|Robin [Lord] Balniel]], Conservative MP for Hertford, at both the 1964 and 1966 general elections. Haselhurst was elected Chairman of the National Young Conservatives in 1964, serving for two years, later becoming Chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council (1978–81).<ref>[https://commonwealtheducation.org/portfolio-items/commonwealth-youth-exchange-council-cyec/ www.commonwealtheducation.org]</ref>
==Parliamentary career== ===1970–1997=== Haselhurst was elected to the House of Commons at the 1970 general election for the Lancashire seat of Middleton and Prestwich, defeating the sitting Labour MP Denis Coe by 1,042 votes. In parliament, he briefly served from 1973 as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Home Secretary Robert Carr, before losing his seat in February 1974. Haselhurst lost the seat to Labour by only 517 votes; he then served as the Chairman of the Manchester Youth and Community Service<ref>[https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/266/childrens_services/7310/youth_centres www.manchester.gov.uk]</ref> from 1974 until 1977 upon re-entering the Commons; the Conservative MP for the Essex seat of Saffron Walden, Sir Peter Kirk, died on 17 April 1977. Selected to contest the resulting by-election on 7 July, Haselhurst retained the seat for the Conservatives with an increased majority of 12,437, and was returned to Parliament as its MP at every subsequent election until his retirement in 2017.
Following the Conservatives' return to power at the 1979 general election, Haselhurst was appointed as PPS to the Secretary of State for Education and Science Mark Carlisle serving for two years from 1979. He served on the European Legislation Select Committee for fifteen years from 1982, and was a member of the Transport Select Committee from 1992 to 1997. He was given the privilege of asking the first question in Margaret Thatcher's final Prime Minister's Questions on 27 November 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lSIdJlSHQQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/-lSIdJlSHQQ| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=28 February 2020|title=Margaret Thatcher's last Prime Minister's Questions: 27 November 1990|publisher=UK Parliament|via=YouTube|date=27 November 1990}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
===1997–2017=== Following the 1997 general election, Haselhurst was elected Chairman of Ways and Means (Deputy Speaker), remaining in post under successive Speakers Betty Boothroyd, Michael Martin, and John Bercow until May 2010. Haselhurst was a nominated candidate to succeed Michael Martin after Martin's resignation as Commons Speaker on 19 May 2009. However, Haselhurst was among those who became embroiled in the MPs' expenses controversy being highlighted by ''The Daily Telegraph'' for claiming £12,000 in gardening expenses over four years, in the sum of £249 every month,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5311797/MPs-expenses-Alan-Haselhursts-12000-gardening-bill.html|title=MPs' expenses: Alan Haselhurst's £12,000 gardening bill|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=12 May 2009|first=Gordon|last=Rayner|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515123106/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5311797/MPs-expenses-Alan-Haselhursts-12000-gardening-bill.html|archive-date=15 May 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> despite naïvely taking advice from the Fees Office to simplify the submission of his expenses in this way;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/commons/hcio/|publisher=UK Parliament|title=About the House of Commons Enquiry Service|access-date=28 February 2020}}</ref> he made endeavours to wipe the slate clean by refunding these gardening expenses "out of respect to his constituents",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saffronwaldenconservatives.com/index.php?sectionid=3&pagenumber=281|title=MP to pay back Gardening Expenses|publisher=Saffron Walden Conservatives|date=May 2009|quote=The expense claims I made over recent years have been strictly in accordance with Parliamentary rules. The designation of my constituency home as my second home instead of my rented flat in London was obligatory on my becoming Deputy Speaker. In terms of total expense claims I currently rank 582nd out of 646 MPs. However, my claim for gardening help has caused concern. Out of respect to my constituents I am this week repaying the sum of £12,000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629205223/http://www.saffronwaldenconservatives.com/index.php?sectionid=3&pagenumber=281|archive-date=29 June 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> withdrawing from the Commons Speakership election having received 66 votes in the first round of voting, and 57 in the second.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5605065/Speaker-election-John-Bercow-and-Sir-George-Young-in-two-horse-race.html www.telegraph.co.uk]</ref>
Haselhurst chose not to seek re-election as a Commons Deputy Speaker after the 2010 general election, since, by convention, the Chairman of Ways and Means should come from a different party affiliation than that of the Speaker, he would only have been eligible to stand for First Deputy Chairman, junior to his previous office. Nevertheless, his fellow parliamentarians entrusted him to continue as '''''Interim Deputy Speaker''''' chairing debates in the House of Commons during the period between the State Opening of Parliament and its election of new Deputy Speakers. On 27 July 2010, Haselhurst was elected Chairman of the House of Commons Administration Committee,<ref>{{cite web|title=Chair of Administration Committee elected|url=https://old.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/administration-committee/news/election-of-chair/|access-date=26 February 2021|publisher=UK Parliament|date=27 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Saffron-Walden/Sir-Alan-to-head-two-committees.htm|work=Saffron Walden Weekly News|title=Sir Alan to head two committees|date=6 August 2010|access-date=15 March 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404175539/http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Saffron-Walden/Sir-Alan-to-head-two-committees.htm|archive-date=4 April 2012}}</ref> having been defeated in the election for Chairman of the Backbench Business Committee by Natascha Engel.<ref>[https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2010-06-22/debates/10062245000002/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement www.parliament.uk]</ref>
In July 2010, Haselhurst became Chairman of the UK Commonwealth Parliamentary Association then, in the following year at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference at London in July 2011, being elected Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's Executive Committee,<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122110330/http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/bicameral/cpa-home/cpc2011/conference-news/commonwealth-parliamentary-association-elects-new-chairperson/|title=Commonwealth Parliamentary Association elects new chairperson|access-date=28 February 2020|publisher=UK Parliament|date=July 2011|url=http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/bicameral/cpa-home/cpc2011/conference-news/commonwealth-parliamentary-association-elects-new-chairperson/|archive-date=22 November 2011}}</ref> serving until October 2014, and overseeing parliamentary procedure throughout the Commonwealth. He succeeded the Malaysian Datuk Seri Haji Shafie Apdal; the previous British parliamentarian elected to this post had been Sir Colin Shepherd in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chairpersons |url=http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/Mem/Chairperson/The_CPA_Chairperson/Chairpersons/Mem/Chairperson/Chairpersons.aspx?hkey=4d134ac9-ef2a-4325-bc98-7c1f11357f0c |publisher=Commonwealth Parliamentary Association |access-date=11 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026101519/http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/Mem/Chairperson/The_CPA_Chairperson/Chairpersons/Mem/Chairperson/Chairpersons.aspx?hkey=4d134ac9-ef2a-4325-bc98-7c1f11357f0c |archive-date=26 October 2014 }}</ref>
Reselected as the Conservative Party candidate for the next election at a meeting of the local party association on 13 February 2014, Haselhurst was again returned to Parliament at the 2015 general election.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dunmowbroadcast.co.uk/news/election-conservative-s-sir-alan-haselhurst-retains-saffron-walden-seat-1-4065635|title=Election: Conservative's Sir Alan Haselhurst retains Saffron Walden seat|last=Barrett|first=Hywel|work=Dunmow Broadcast|access-date=25 April 2017|date=8 May 2015|archive-date=26 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426151527/http://www.dunmowbroadcast.co.uk/news/election-conservative-s-sir-alan-haselhurst-retains-saffron-walden-seat-1-4065635|url-status=dead}}</ref>
A staunch opponent of Brexit at the 2016 referendum,<ref name="thespectatorwhichtorympsbackbrexit">{{cite news|last=Goodenough|first=Tom|title=Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|access-date=11 October 2016|work=The Spectator|date=16 February 2016|archive-date=22 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022111657/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|url-status=dead}}</ref> in April 2017, Haselhurst announced that he would not be contesting the 2017 general election, having initially indicated his intention to stand. About his change of mind he commented: "I feel now that my initial instinctive response was premature... I have begun to recognize that it might test the friendship and goodwill of so many people whose support I have enjoyed if I sought to do so for a further five years!"<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39709249|title=General election 2017: Tory MPs Tyrie and Haselhurst to stand down|date=25 April 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=25 April 2017}}</ref>
A supporter of community-based projects he was for a time a Director of Turning Point, a charity working with socially-excluded young people. A europhile and ally of Kenneth Clarke, Lord Haselhurst has for a long time been regarded as a one-nation Conservative.
===House of Lords=== Nominated for elevation to the peerage on 18 May 2018,<ref>{{cite news | title = Pickles and Lilley among former Tory ministers to get peerages | work=BBC News| date = 18 May 2018 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44167066 | access-date = 18 May 2018}}</ref> he was created by Letters Patent on 22 June, '''Baron Haselhurst''', ''of Saffron Walden in the County of Essex'',<ref name="ReferenceA"/> before being introduced to the Upper House to sit on the Conservative benches.
Lord Haselhurst retired from active politics in the House of Lords on 20 December 2024.<ref name=parlpage />
==Honours== * 40px UK Baron (2018) * 40px Knight Bachelor (1995)
==Personal life== Married to Angela Margaret Bailey on 16 April 1977, Lord and Lady Haselhurst live in Essex, having two sons and a daughter.<ref>[https://debretts.com/peerage-and-baronetage/ www.debretts.com]</ref>
Knighted in 1995,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54287 |date=12 January 1996 |page=571}}</ref> Haselhurst was sworn of the Privy Council in 1999.<ref>[https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/#h www.privycouncil.independent.gov.uk]</ref>
Having served as Secretary to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cricket and as a Council Member of Essex County Cricket Club from 1996 to 2008, Lord Haselhurst is also a member of Marylebone Cricket Club and well known for his writings about the ''Outcasts Cricket Club''.<ref>[https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/ www.blackwells.co.uk]</ref>
===Publications=== * ''Occasionally Cricket: The Unpredictable Performances of the Outcasts CC'' by Alan Haselhurst, 1999, Queen Anne Press {{ISBN|1-85291-622-2}} * ''Eventually Cricket'' by Alan Haselhurst, 2001, Queen Anne Press {{ISBN|1-85291-637-0}} * ''Incidentally Cricket'' by Alan Haselhurst, 2003, Queen Anne Press {{ISBN|1-85291-655-9}} * ''Accidentally Cricket'' by Alan Haselhurst, 2009, The Professional & Higher Partnership {{ISBN|978-1-907076-00-8}} * ''Unusually Cricket'' by Alan Haselhurst, 2010, The Professional & Higher Partnership {{ISBN|978-1-907076-01-5}} * ''Fatally Cricket'' by Alan Haselhurst, 2013, The Professional & Higher Partnership {{ISBN|978-1-907076-75-6}} * ''Politically Cricket'' by Alan Haselhurst, 2016, The Professional & Higher Partnership {{ISBN|978-1-907076-90-9}}.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613213553/https://www.siralanhaselhurst.net/|archive-date=13 June 2018|title=The Lord Haselhurst|publisher=Alex Fuller|work=Official site|url=https://www.siralanhaselhurst.net/|access-date=2 March 2020}} * {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709005755/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/h/237/Alan%2BGordon.aspx|work=Debrett's People of Today|title=The Rt Hon Sir Alan Haselhurst, MP|url=https://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/h/237/Alan%2BGordon.aspx|archive-date=9 July 2011|publisher=Debrett's|access-date=2 March 2020}} * {{UK MP links | parliament = sir-alan-haselhurst/43 | hansard = sir-alan-haselhurst | guardian = 2284/alan-haselhurst | publicwhip = Alan_Haselhurst | theywork = alan_haselhurst }} * {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817025412/http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Haselhurst_Sir_Alan.aspx|title=Sir Alan Haselhurst – Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden|archive-date=17 August 2011|publisher=Conservative Party|url=http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Haselhurst_Sir_Alan.aspx|access-date=2 March 2020}} * {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104144718/http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/Mem/Chairperson/Mem/Chairperson/Rt_Hon._Sir_Alan_Haselhurst_MP_Intro.aspx?hkey=923741d1-914c-4d3c-8abf-30ab0675cc7f|publisher=Commonwealth Parliamentary Association|title=Rt Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst, MP|archive-date=4 January 2012|url=http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/Mem/Chairperson/Mem/Chairperson/Rt_Hon._Sir_Alan_Haselhurst_MP_Intro.aspx?hkey=923741d1-914c-4d3c-8abf-30ab0675cc7f|access-date=2 March 2020}}
{{S-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{S-bef|before=Denis Coe}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for <br />Middleton and Prestwich|years=1970–February 1974}} {{S-aft|after=Jim Callaghan}} {{S-break}} {{S-bef|before=Sir Peter Kirk}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for <br />Saffron Walden|years=1977–2017}} {{S-aft|after=Kemi Badenoch}} {{S-break}} {{S-bef|before=Michael Morris}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairman of Ways and Means|years=1997–2010}} {{S-aft|after=Sir Lindsay Hoyle}} {{s-prec|uk}} {{s-bef|before=The Lord McNicol of West Kilbride}} {{s-ttl|title=Gentlemen'''<br />'''''Baron Haselhurst''''' '''}} {{s-fol|after=The Lord Garnier}} {{S-end}}
{{Chairmen of Ways and Means}} {{Speaker of the British House of Commons election, 2009}} {{Speaker of the British House of Commons election, 2000}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haselhurst, Alan}} Category:1937 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham Category:People educated at Cheltenham College Category:Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford Category:People from South Elmsall Category:Conservative Party (UK) life peers Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:Knights Bachelor Category:UK MPs 1970–1974 Category:UK MPs 1974–1979 Category:UK MPs 1979–1983 Category:UK MPs 1983–1987 Category:UK MPs 1987–1992 Category:UK MPs 1992–1997 Category:UK MPs 1997–2001 Category:UK MPs 2001–2005 Category:UK MPs 2005–2010 Category:UK MPs 2010–2015 Category:UK MPs 2015–2017 Category:21st-century English male writers Category:Presidents of the Oxford University Conservative Association Category:Deputy speakers of the British House of Commons Category:Peers retired under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:21st-century English writers