Rupert Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale

Rupert Bertram Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale (born 18 July 1967), is a British hereditary peer, Liberal Democrat politician and member of the prominent Mitford family.

The Right Honourable

The Lord Redesdale
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Assumed office
18 April 2000
Life peerage
In office
4 March 1991 – 11 November 1999
Hereditary peerage
Preceded byThe 5th Baron Redesdale
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Personal details
Born (1967-07-18) 18 July 1967
London
NationalityBritish
Political partyLiberal Democrat
Spouse(s)Helen née Shipsey,
Lady Redesdale
ChildrenTwo sons, two daughters
Alma materNewcastle University
OccupationPolitician
Websitelibdems.org.uk

Biography

Mitford was educated at Milton Abbey and Highgate School, before going up to Newcastle University, where he graduated with the degree of BA.

He succeeded his father as 6th Baron Redesdale, of Redesdale, County Northumberland, in 1991.

Following the removal of hereditary peers' automatic right to a seat in Parliament by the House of Lords Act 1999, the Liberal Democrats took advantage of an offer from the New Labour Government for some of their hereditary peers to return to the House as working peers. Redesdale was created a life peer on 18 April 2000, as Baron Mitford, of Redesdale in the County of Northumberland.[1][2] At the age of 32, he was the youngest person ever to receive a life peerage.[3] By convention, the House of Lords refer to peers holding multiple titles by whichever is senior within the peerage. Thus Mitford is known in the House as 'Lord Redesdale'.

He is a first cousin once removed of the famous Mitford sisters, daughters of the 2nd Baron Redesdale. The youngest of the sisters, Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire, was, with her husband, the 11th Duke, active in the Social Democratic Party. This later merged with the Liberal Party to become the Liberal Democrats, for whom Redesdale sits in the House of Lords.

He has spoken on various issues on behalf of the Lib Dem Parliamentary Party, such as the environment, international development, science and technology. He is patron of various societies, including one encouraged by his parliamentary colleagues, namely the Red Squirrel Protection Partnership,[4] which advocates strict control of the grey squirrel population so as to enhance the chance of red squirrels' survival.[5][6] Redesdale is currently the CEO of the Carbon Management Association and the Energy Managers Association. Since 2012, Redesdale has been founding Chairman of the Carbon Management Association and of the Energy Managers Association.

In 2014, he, along with Jason Franks (formerly of Daily Mail and General Trust events division), founded Heelec, which launched the Energy Management Exhibition (EMEX). The show attracts over 4500 professionals from the Energy Managers Association's 25,000 community.

In 2016 the association with Heelec launched the EMA magazine, serving its members and community on a bi-monthly basis.

Redesdale is a popular figure on social media sites, such as LinkedIn, where he has a following of around 25,000 like-minded industry professionals. He lives with his wife and four children near Tufnell Park, north London, as well as in Northumberland.

The heir apparent to the title is the Hon. Bertram Mitford, born in 2000. The other three children are the Hon. Clementine Mitford, the Hon. Amelia Mitford and the Hon. Edward Mitford.

Arms
Coat of arms of Rupert Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale
Crest
Two hands couped at the wrist proper grasping a sword erect argent the point and hilt or the blade enfiled with a boar's head erased sable.
Escutcheon
Argent a fess between three moles sable.
Supporters
On either side, an eagle rising sable beaked and legged or gorged with a wreath of shamrocks proper and charged on the breast with a fusil also or.
Motto
God careth for us

See also

References
  1. "The list of new working peers". BBC News. 30 March 2000. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  2. "No. 55838". The London Gazette. 4 May 2000. p. 4915.
  3. Francis, Sam (20 November 2014). "Young, ambitious – and at a hustings near you". BBC News. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  4. "Red Squirrel Protection Partnership – Officers". Companies House. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  5. Adams, Tim (19 October 2008). "Tim Adams meets a pair of militants out to defend the red squirrel". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  6. D. T. Max (7 October 2007). "The Squirrel Wars". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Clement Mitford		 Baron Redesdale
1991–present		 Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Hon. Bertram Mitford
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