Editing Michael Spicer

{{Short description|British politician (1943–2019)}}
{{about|the politician|the sketch comedian|Michael Spicer (comedian)}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name = The Lord Spicer
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|PC}}
| image = Michael Spicer MP.jpg
| office = Chair of the [[1922 Committee]]
| term_start = 20 June 2001
| term_end = 25 May 2010
| leader = {{ubl|[[William Hague]]|[[Iain Duncan Smith]]|[[Michael Howard]]|[[David Cameron]]}}
| predecessor = [[Archie Hamilton]]
| successor = [[Graham Brady]]
| office2 = [[Member of the House of Lords]]
| status2 = [[Lord Temporal]]
| term_label2 = [[Life peer]]age
| term_start2 = 8 July 2010
| term_end2 = 29 May 2019
| parliament3 = United Kingdom
| constituency_MP3 = [[West Worcestershire]]
| prior_term3 = [[South Worcestershire]] (1974–1997)
| term_start3 = 28 February 1974
| term_end3 = 12 April 2010
| predecessor3 = [[Gerald Nabarro]]
| successor3 = [[Harriett Baldwin]]
| birth_name = William Michael Hardy Spicer
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|01|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bath, Somerset]], England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|5|29|1943|1|22|df=yes}}
| death_place = London, England
| party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Patricia Ann Hunter|7 April 1967}}
| children = 3
| residence = 
| education = [[Wellington College, Berkshire|Wellington College]]
| alma_mater = [[Emmanuel College, Cambridge]]
| awards = [[Knight Bachelor]] ([[1996 New Year Honours|1996]])
| footnotes = 
}}
'''William Michael Hardy Spicer, Baron Spicer''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|PC}} (22 January 1943 – 29 May 2019) was a British politician and [[life peer]] who was a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] member of the [[House of Lords]] from 2010 until 2019. He served as [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[West Worcestershire]] from 1974 to 2010 and was a minister from 1984 to 1990. He later served as chairman of the [[1922 Committee]] from 2001 to 2010.

==Early life==
He was born in [[Bath, Somerset]], to [[Lt. Col.]] (later [[Brigadier]]) Leslie Hardy Spicer and Muriel, daughter of Wallis G. Carter of Bath.<ref>Forthcoming Marriages, ''[[The Times]]'', 10 September 1940</ref> Spicer was educated in Vienna, at Gaunts House Preparatory School and [[Wellington College, Berkshire|Wellington College]], and received a degree in economics from [[Emmanuel College, Cambridge]]. After graduation, he worked as a financial journalist for ''[[The Statist]]'', the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' and ''[[The Sunday Times]]''. He was Director of Conservative Systems Research Centre from 1968 to 1970, and managing director of Economic Models Ltd from 1970 to 1980.

==Parliamentary career==
Spicer joined the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], and at the [[1966 United Kingdom general election|1966 general election]], he challenged [[Manny Shinwell]] in the safe [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] [[Easington (UK Parliament constituency)|Easington]] constituency as the youngest parliamentary candidate in the country against the eldest. He stood in Easington again at the [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970 general election]] before he was elected at the [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974 general election]] for [[South Worcestershire]]. He represented South Worcestershire until 1997. When boundary changes abolished the constituency; he then moved to the [[West Worcestershire]] seat, which he represented until his retirement from the Commons.

After the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]], which swept the Conservatives to power, he became a [[Parliamentary private secretary]] at the [[Department of Trade]]. He was later made a Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. He became a [[Parliamentary under-secretary of state]] at the [[Department for Transport|Department of Transport]] in 1984 and served until 1987 with specific responsibility for aviation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baron Spicer |url=https://www.debretts1769.com/f/3825?query=spicer&page=1&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bconfigure%5D%5BhitsPerPage%5D=100&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bpage%5D=1&slug=1188 |website=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (online) |publisher=Debretts.com |access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref>

In 1987, he moved to the [[Department of Energy (United Kingdom)|Department of Energy]], again as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary, this time with responsibility for electricity and coal. In January 1990, he was promoted to become a [[Minister of State]] at the [[Secretary of State for the Environment|Department of the Environment]], but after the ousting of [[Margaret Thatcher]] in November 1990, he left the government payroll over his opposition to British participation in the [[European Exchange Rate Mechanism]].<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news |title=Michael Spicer, founder of European Research Group, dies at 76 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/29/michael-spicer-founder-erg-dies-76 |accessdate=29 May 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=29 May 2019}}</ref>

On leaving the government, he became the chairman of the [[Parliamentary and Scientific Committee]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]. In 1993, he founded the [[Euroscepticism|eurosceptic]] [[European Research Group]] within the Conservative Party.<ref name=Guardian />
In the [[1996 New Year Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54255 |date=30 December 1995 |page=2 |supp=y}}</ref> he received a [[Knight Bachelor|knighthood]], with the honour conferred by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] on 13 February 1996.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54537 |date=27 September 1996 |page=12875}}</ref> Following the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]] he became a member of the [[Treasury Select Committee]].

He was an author and had a number of books published, including ''The Spicer Diaries''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baron Spicer |url=https://www.debretts1769.com/f/3825?query=spicer&page=1&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bconfigure%5D%5BhitsPerPage%5D=100&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bpage%5D=1&slug=1188 |website=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (online) |publisher=Debretts.com |access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref>

His majority declined in 1997 in keeping with the general trend across the country, but he kept his seat which had become West Worcestershire after boundary changes that year. His majority almost doubled four years later, at the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]]. However, unlike most other Conservative MPs, he failed to increase his majority in [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]]; instead, it was more than halved, and he held one of the Conservatives' most marginal seats against the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]].

Following the 2001 general election, Spicer was elected Chairman of the [[1922 Committee]], a position that he held until he stood down in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baron Spicer |url=https://www.debretts1769.com/f/3825?query=spicer&page=1&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bconfigure%5D%5BhitsPerPage%5D=100&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bpage%5D=1&slug=1188 |website=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (online) |publisher=Debretts.com |access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref>

As chairman of the 1922 Committee, he had the distinction of presiding over more [[:Category:Conservative Party (UK) leadership elections|leadership elections]] than any of his predecessors since [[Iain Duncan Smith]], [[Michael Howard]] and [[David Cameron]] were all elected during his tenure. This record has now been surpassed by [[Graham Brady]].{{cn|date=April 2023}}

In the Commons, he became known for asking short questions, usually of one-sentence questions to government ministers and at [[Prime Minister's Questions]] and once simply asking [[Gordon Brown]], "Will the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] confirm that he will soldier on to the bitter end?"<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-10-14c.286.9&s=Bitter+end+speaker%3A10560#g298.0 | title=Engagements: 14 Oct 2009: House of Commons debates}}</ref> On another occasion, he asked Brown, "Why are there always so many strikes at the end of a Labour government?"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-06-18d.936.7&s=speaker:10560|title=Engagements: 18 Jun 2008: House of Commons debates|website=TheyWorkForYou|accessdate=15 September 2020}}</ref>

On 26 March 2006, Spicer announced that he would not contest the Worcestershire West seat at the 2010 election and that he would retire as an MP.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baron Spicer |url=https://www.debretts1769.com/f/3825?query=spicer&page=1&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bconfigure%5D%5BhitsPerPage%5D=100&indices%5BFamilies%5D%5Bpage%5D=1&slug=1188 |website=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (online) |publisher=Debretts.com |access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref>

==Later life==
He was created a [[life peer]] on 8 July 2010 as '''Baron Spicer''', of [[Cropthorne]] in the [[Worcestershire|County of Worcestershire]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59487 |date=13 July 2010 |page=13285}}</ref>

He was sworn of the [[Privy Council (United Kingdom)|Privy Council]] on 15 May 2013 at [[Buckingham Palace]]; he thus acquired the [[post-nominal letters]] "PC" for life.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/document2013-05-16-140548.pdf |title=ORDERS APPROVED AND BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE QUEEN AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON 15TH MAY 2013  |last=Tilbrook |first=Richard |date=15 May 2013 |website=The Privy Council Office |access-date=22 October 2022 }}</ref>

{{Infobox COA wide
|image = [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|centre|150px]][[File:Spicer Escutcheon.png|centre|200px]]
|escutcheon = Gules a cross moline Argent charged with another Azure between four quill pens in bend sinister Argent quilled Or each surmounted by a paint brush in bend Or the ferrule Argent.
|crest = A demi-lion Or resting its sinister paw on a Ministerial Box Proper.
|supporters = On either side a lion resting the exterior paw on the grip of a tennis racquet the head downwards Or.
|motto = Et Facere Et Pati Fortia (To Act And Suffer Bravely)<ref>{{cite book|title=Debrett's Peerage |date=2019 |page=4435}}</ref>}}

==Death==
Spicer died at the [[Cromwell Hospital]] in Kensington, London,<ref>{{Cite ODNB |last=Riddell |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Riddell |date=13 April 2023 |title=Spicer, (William) Michael Hardy, Baron Spicer (1943–2019), politician |doi=10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000380934}}</ref> from complications of [[Parkinson's disease]] and [[leukaemia]] on 29 May 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/lord-michael-spicer-former-chairman-of-conservative-1922-committee-dies-aged-76-a4154466.html|title = Lord Michael Spicer, former chairman of Conservative 1922 Committee, dies aged 76|last = Wills|first = Ella|date = 29 May 2019|accessdate = 29 May 2019|work = [[Evening Standard]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050607062625/http://www.sirmichaelspicer.net/ Sir Michael Spicer MP] official site
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,,-4923,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics – Ask Aristotle: Sir Michael Spicer MP]
* [https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/michael_spicer/west_worcestershire TheyWorkForYou.com – Michael Spicer MP]
* {{Hansard-contribs |mr-michael-spicer |Sir Michael Spicer MP}}
* [http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/table/york Ministerial Posts]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/646.stm BBC Politics page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051201021620/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/646.stm |date=1 December 2005 }}

===News items===
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1410769.stm Elected Chairman of 1922 committee in 2001]

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Gerald Nabarro]]}}
{{s-ttl
  | title  = Member of Parliament for [[South Worcestershire]]
  | years  = [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|Feb. 1974]]–[[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]
}}
{{s-non | reason = Constituency abolished}}

{{s-new | constituency}}
{{s-ttl
  | title  = Member of Parliament for [[West Worcestershire]]
  | years  = [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]–[[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]
}}
{{s-aft | after  = [[Harriett Baldwin]]}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box |before=[[Archie Hamilton]] |title=Chairman of the [[1922 Committee]] |years=2001–2010 |after=[[Graham Brady]]}}
{{s-other}}
{{s-new|reason=European Research Group founded}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[European Research Group]]|years=1994–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=[[David Heathcoat-Amory]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Chairmen of the 1922 Committee}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spicer, Michael}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:British Eurosceptics]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) life peers]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Deaths from leukemia in England]]
[[Category:Deaths from Parkinson's disease in England]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:People educated at Wellington College, Berkshire]]
[[Category:Politicians from Bath, Somerset]]
[[Category:UK MPs 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:Life peers created by Elizabeth II]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]