Richard Ryder, Baron Ryder of Wensum
Encyclopedia
Richard Andrew Ryder, Baron Ryder of Wensum, OBE, PC
(born 4 February 1949), is a British
Conservative Party
politician. A former Member of Parliament
(MP) and government minister, he was made a Life Peer
in 1997 and is now a member of the House of Lords
. He is a nephew of the late Sue Ryder
, the Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, and is a director of Ipswich Town F.C.
. He was educated at Radley College
.
At the 1983 general election
, Ryder was elected as MP for the Mid Norfolk constituency. From 1990 to 1995 he was the government's Chief Whip
. This period includes the Conservative backbench rebellion over the Maastricht treaty
. The maverick MPs, known as the Maastricht Rebels
, were under intense pressure from the government whips but still brought the administration of John Major
close to collapse.
Ryder retired from the House of Commons at the 1997 general election
, and was made a life peer
as Baron Ryder of Wensum, of Wensum in the County of Norfolk
.
He became Vice-Chairman of the BBC
on 1 January 2002 for a four-year term.
Ryder was appointed Acting Chairman of the BBC following the resignation of Gavyn Davies
on 28 January 2004. Davies resigned following the criticism of the BBC in the Hutton Report, which was set up to investigate "the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly." One of Ryder's first acts as Chairman was to give a televised statement, during which he offered an unreserved apology for the mistakes made during the Dr. Kelly affair. This apology was criticised by many, including departing Director General
, Greg Dyke
, as overdone. In the same statement Ryder announced that the process to select a new Chairman had begun and that he would not be putting his name forward. Michael Grade
was appointed on 2 April 2004 and took up his post on 17 May; Ryder resumed the post of Vice-Chairman.
Ryder resigned early on 1 August 2004, after which the position was assumed by Anthony Salz
.
Ryder is the Chairman of the Institute of Cancer Research
.
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Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(born 4 February 1949), is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. A former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) and government minister, he was made a Life Peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 1997 and is now a member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He is a nephew of the late Sue Ryder
Sue Ryder
Margaret Susan Cheshire, Baroness Ryder of Warsaw and Baroness Cheshire, CMG, OBE , best known as Sue Ryder, was a British volunteer with Special Operations Executive in the Second World War, who afterwards led many charitable organizations, notably the charity named in her honour.-Early...
, the Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, and is a director of Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
. He was educated at Radley College
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
.
At the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, Ryder was elected as MP for the Mid Norfolk constituency. From 1990 to 1995 he was the government's Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
. This period includes the Conservative backbench rebellion over the Maastricht treaty
Maastricht Treaty
The Maastricht Treaty was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands. On 9–10 December 1991, the same city hosted the European Council which drafted the treaty...
. The maverick MPs, known as the Maastricht Rebels
Maastricht Rebels
The Maastricht Rebels were British Members of Parliament belonging to the then governing Conservative Party who refused to support the government of John Major in a series of votes in the House of Commons on the issue of the implementation of the Maastricht Treaty in British law.The Maastrict...
, were under intense pressure from the government whips but still brought the administration of John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
close to collapse.
Ryder retired from the House of Commons at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, and was made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Ryder of Wensum, of Wensum in the County of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
.
He became Vice-Chairman of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
on 1 January 2002 for a four-year term.
Ryder was appointed Acting Chairman of the BBC following the resignation of Gavyn Davies
Gavyn Davies
Gavyn Davies, OBE was the chairman of the BBC from 2001 until 2004, a former Goldman Sachs banker and a former economic advisor to the British Government...
on 28 January 2004. Davies resigned following the criticism of the BBC in the Hutton Report, which was set up to investigate "the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly." One of Ryder's first acts as Chairman was to give a televised statement, during which he offered an unreserved apology for the mistakes made during the Dr. Kelly affair. This apology was criticised by many, including departing Director General
Director-General of the BBC
The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC.The position was formerly appointed by the Board of Governors of the BBC and is now appointed by the BBC Trust....
, Greg Dyke
Greg Dyke
Gregory "Greg" Dyke is a British media executive, journalist and broadcaster. Since the 1960s, Dyke has a long career in the UK in print and then broadcast journalism. He is credited with introducing 'tabloid' television to British broadcasting, and reviving the ratings of TV-am...
, as overdone. In the same statement Ryder announced that the process to select a new Chairman had begun and that he would not be putting his name forward. Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
was appointed on 2 April 2004 and took up his post on 17 May; Ryder resumed the post of Vice-Chairman.
Ryder resigned early on 1 August 2004, after which the position was assumed by Anthony Salz
Anthony Salz
Anthony Salz, a prominent solicitor, sat on the Board of Governors of the BBC and was Acting Chairman in 2006. Salz assumed the position on 1 August 2004 after the resignation of the former Vice Chairman, Lord Ryder...
.
Ryder is the Chairman of the Institute of Cancer Research
Institute of Cancer Research
The Institute of Cancer Research is a cancer research institute located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. The ICR was founded in 1909 as a research department of the Royal Marsden Hospital and joined the University of London in 2003...
.
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