John Roper, Baron Roper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Roper
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| House of Lords Chief Whip, Liberal Democrats | |
| In office 7 June 2001 – 5 May 2005 |
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| Leader | Charles Kennedy |
| Preceded by | John Harris, Baron Harris of Greenwich |
| Succeeded by | David Shutt, Baron Shutt of Greetland |
| Director, Institute for Security Studies of Western European Union | |
| In office April 1990 – September 1995 |
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| Chief Whip, Social Democrat Party | |
| In office 26 March 1981 – 9 June 1983 |
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| Leader | Roy Jenkins |
| Preceded by | Office Created |
| Succeeded by | John Cartwright |
| Member of Parliament for Farnworth |
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| In office 18 June 1970 – 9 June 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Ernest Thornton |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Francis Hodgess Roper
10 September 1935 |
| Died | 29 January 2016 (aged 80) |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford; University of Chicago |
John Francis Hodgess Roper, also known as Baron Roper, was an important British politician. He was a member of the Liberal Democrats party. He was born on September 10, 1935, and passed away on January 29, 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Roper went to school at William Hulme's Grammar School and Reading School. He then studied at Magdalen College, Oxford and the University of Chicago. His studies focused on subjects like philosophy, politics, and economics.
After finishing his education, he started his career as a teacher. He taught economics at the University of Manchester.
Political Career Highlights
John Roper first tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1964. He ran for the Labour Party in a place called High Peak. He was not elected that time.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1970, he was elected as an MP for Farnworth. This was a big step in his political career.
In 1972, he helped the government pass an important law. This law was about the United Kingdom joining the European Communities. He worked with other Labour MPs who supported this idea.
Changing Political Parties
John Roper was an MP for the Labour Co-operative party from 1970 to 1981. In 1981, he joined a new party called the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He became the party's Chief Whip. A Chief Whip makes sure that members of their party vote in a certain way.
His local area, Farnworth, was later changed. So, in the 1983 election, he ran in a new area called Worsley. He did not win this election.
Serving in the House of Lords
On May 12, 2000, John Roper was given a special title. He became a Life Peer and was known as Baron Roper. This meant he could be a member of the House of Lords for the rest of his life. The House of Lords is part of the UK Parliament.
He served as the Liberal Democrats' Chief Whip in the House of Lords until 2005. Later, he joined the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. This is a group of important advisors to the King or Queen. In 2008, he was chosen as the Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees. He retired from the House of Lords in May 2015.
Addressing Past Claims
John Roper was once wrongly accused of being involved in something called "Stasi." This was a secret police organization from East Germany.
He strongly denied these accusations. He explained that he was actually working to build better relationships with East Germany in the 1980s. This work was approved by the UK government. He said he was tricked by someone he worked with who was secretly a Stasi officer.
Personal Life
John Roper was married to Hope Edwards starting in 1959. She passed away in 2003. Hope's father, John Edwards, was also a politician. John and Hope had one daughter named Kate. He also had three grandchildren.
