John Maples facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Maples
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Official portrait, c. 2005
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| Economic Secretary to the Treasury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 26 October 1989 – 10 April 1992 |
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| Prime Minister | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Richard Ryder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Anthony Nelson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
John Cradock Maples
22 April 1943 Fareham, England |
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| Died | 9 June 2012 (aged 69) Westminster, London, England |
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| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses |
Lawry Kennedy
(m. 1976; div. 1980)Jane Corbin
(m. 1986) |
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| Children | 2 (by Corbin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Marlborough College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater |
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John Cradock Maples, Baron Maples (born April 22, 1943 – died June 9, 2012) was an important British politician. He was known as a life peer, which means he was given a special title for life. He served as the Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 1989 to 1992. This role involves managing the country's money and economy.
John Maples was a member of the Conservative Party. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for two different areas. First, he represented Lewisham West from 1983 to 1992. Later, he represented Stratford-upon-Avon from 1997 to 2010.
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Early Life and Education
John Cradock Maples was born in Fareham, England. His father was a businessman. John went to Marlborough College for his schooling. After that, he studied law at Downing College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he played hockey and performed with the Cambridge Footlights, a famous comedy group.
In 1964, John earned his Master of Arts degree. He later continued his studies at the Harvard Business School in the United States. In 1965, he became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer, after training at the Inner Temple in London. In the 1960s, John Maples also helped start a law firm called Maples and Calder in the Cayman Islands.
Parliamentary Career Highlights
John Maples had a long career in the British Parliament, serving as an MP and later as a Lord.
Serving as an MP for Lewisham West (1983–1992)
John Maples first became an MP for Lewisham West in the 1983 general election. His experience in business was helpful in his political roles. Margaret Thatcher, who was Prime Minister at the time, appointed him to work closely with Norman Lamont, who was then the Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
When Nigel Lawson resigned in 1989, Norman Lamont moved to a new role. John Maples then took over as the Economic Secretary to the Treasury. He held this important position from 1989 to 1990. During this time, he worked with David Cameron on a policy to link the British pound to the German currency, called the Exchange Rate Mechanism. He also dealt with the case of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), an Arab bank that faced serious problems and collapsed. John Maples was also responsible for keeping an eye on the Bank of England's money policies and making sure banks followed the rules.
In the 1992 general election, John Maples lost his seat in Lewisham to the Labour Party. Before returning to Parliament, he became the Chairman of Saatchi and Saatchi, a well-known advertising company.
Serving as an MP for Stratford-on-Avon (1997–2010)
In 1995, the MP for Stratford-upon-Avon, Alan Howarth, changed parties. John Maples then won the chance to become the Conservative candidate for that area. He was elected as the MP for Stratford-on-Avon in the 1997 general election. This area was considered a very safe seat for the Conservative Party. He was re-elected in both the 2001 and 2005 general elections.
John Maples was part of William Hague's shadow cabinet from 1997 to 2000. A shadow cabinet is a group of opposition politicians who "shadow" the government ministers. He held important roles dealing with Health, Defence, and Foreign Policy.
In November 2006, David Cameron appointed him as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. His job was to help choose new candidates for elections. John Maples was a strong supporter of David Cameron. In 2009, there was a public issue regarding MP's expenses. John Maples stated that he had not done anything wrong. On January 10, 2010, he announced that he would step down as an MP in the general election that May.
Becoming a Life Peer (2010–2012)
On June 24, 2010, John Maples was given a special title for life. He became a Life Peer called Baron Maples, of Stratford-upon-Avon in the County of Warwickshire. This meant he could sit in the House of Lords, which is the second chamber of the UK Parliament.
In a debate in the House of Lords in November 2010, Lord Maples talked about the differences between his former constituencies. He described Lewisham West as "three square miles of concrete" and said it lacked a clear "identity." He also mentioned that Stratford-upon-Avon had "very articulate" voters. Lord Maples also worked on the Financial Services Bill as part of a special parliamentary committee.
Personal Life
John Maples married Lawry Kennedy in July 1976. She was a designer who helped improve old houses in Boston, USA, and London, England. They divorced in July 1980.
In December 1986, he married Jane Corbin, who is a journalist. They were married in Westminster. John and Jane had a son and a daughter together.
John Maples passed away on June 9, 2012, at the age of 69. He died from cancer in Westminster, London. His death was announced in the House of Lords.
