John Lee, Baron Lee of Trafford

John Robert Louis Lee, Baron Lee of Trafford, DL,[1] (born 21 June 1942) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has sat as a life peer since 2006. He was previously a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for thirteen years.

The Right Honourable The Lord Lee of Trafford DL
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 May 2006 Life Peerage
Member of Parliament for Pendle
In office 9 June 1983 – 16 March 1992
Preceded by	Constituency created
Succeeded by	Gordon Prentice
Member of Parliament for Nelson and Colne
In office 3 May 1979 – 13 May 1983
Preceded by	Doug Hoyle
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	(1942-06-21) 21 June 1942 Manchester, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal Democrat Conservative (1974–2001)

Parliamentary career

In October 1974, he contested Manchester Moss Side, but was beaten by Labour's Frank Hatton. He was Conservative MP for Nelson and Colne from 1979 to 1983, and then for Pendle from June 1983, until he lost his seat in April 1992, to Gordon Prentice from Labour.

From 1983 to 1986, he served as junior minister for Defence Procurement, and then for Employment from 1986 to 1989, being Minister for Tourism from 1987 to 1989. In 1999, he became a non executive director, and a member of the board of the Emerson Group.[2]

After politics

He has been chairman of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, the major trade body, since 1990. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, and was High Sheriff of Greater Manchester in 1998. He was previously chairman of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, and the council of the National Youth Agency.

He was formerly a member of the English Tourist Board, and vice chairman of the North West Conciliation Committee of the Race Relations Board.

House of Lords

In May 2001, he left the Conservatives and joined the Liberal Democrats, and was made a life peer as Baron Lee of Trafford, of Bowden in the County of Cheshire, on 26 May 2006.[3] From 2007 to 2012, he served as a Whip for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. In February 2012, he vowed to resign, in protest of the House of Lords Reform Bill making its way into the Queen's Speech.[4]

In December 2013, he released his "financial autobiography" How to Make a Million – Slowly: Guiding Principles From a Lifetime Investing.[5] He has also published a pictorial autobiography Portfolio Man and in 2019 a guide for young people on investing in the stock market entitled Yummi Yoghurt a reference to a fictional family company which joins the stock market.

Personal life

He lives in Richmond, south west London,[6] and is deputy chair of the Museum of Richmond.[7]

Arms

Coat of arms of John Lee, Baron Lee of Trafford

Adopted 2007 Coronet Coronet of a Baron Crest On a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Gules a Male Griffin sejant erect Sable beaked forelegged and rayed Or supporting a Staff also Or attached thereto a triangular Pennon Argent Escutcheon Paly of six Gules and Sable on a Bend wavy Argent three Bulls' Heads caboshed per pale Sable and Gules armed Or Supporters On either side a Salmon Argent enfiling an Ancient Crown Or Motto EQUITY Symbolism A career in banking and accountancy before turning to politics is reflected in the black and red pales for credit and debit, the bulls' heads representing the bull market on the Stock Exchange. The gryphon is associated with treasure, in particular gold; and the grantee's interests in golf and fly fishing feature in the Crest, Supporters and Badge.

References

1. "Lord Lee of Trafford". UK Parliament. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
2. "Emerson Group Company Profile" (PDF). Emerson Group. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
3. "No. 57997". The London Gazette. 1 June 2006. p. 7521.
4. "Liberal Democrat peers split on Lords reform". www.telegraph.co.uk. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
5. "Every Investor". Every Investor. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
6. "Lord Lee: The Careful Investor". Peer2Peer Finance News. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
7. "Patrons, trustees and staff". Museum of Richmond. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2018.

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1992

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Doug Hoyle	Member of Parliament for Nelson and Colne 1979–1983	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Pendle 1983–1992	Succeeded by Gordon Prentice
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by The Lord Crisp	Gentlemen Baron Lee of Trafford	Followed by The Lord Cotter