Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord King of Bridgwater
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| Secretary of State for Defence | |
| In office 24 July 1989 – 11 April 1992 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher John Major |
| Preceded by | George Younger |
| Succeeded by | Malcolm Rifkind |
| Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 3 September 1985 – 24 July 1989 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Douglas Hurd |
| Succeeded by | Peter Brooke |
| Secretary of State for Employment | |
| In office 16 October 1983 – 2 September 1985 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Norman Tebbit |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Young of Graffham |
| Secretary of State for Transport | |
| In office 11 June 1983 – 16 October 1983 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | David Howell |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Ridley |
| Secretary of State for the Environment | |
| In office 6 January 1983 – 11 June 1983 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Michael Heseltine |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Jenkin |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy | |
| In office 19 November 1976 – 4 May 1979 |
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| Leader | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | John Biffen |
| Succeeded by | David Owen |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 9 July 2001 Life Peerage |
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| Member of Parliament for Bridgwater |
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| In office 12 March 1970 – 14 May 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Gerald Wills |
| Succeeded by | Ian Liddell-Grainger |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 June 1933 Rugby, Warwickshire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Jane King |
| Alma mater | Emmanuel College, Cambridge |
Thomas Jeremy King, Baron King of Bridgwater (born 13 June 1933) is a British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He served in the Cabinet, which is a group of senior government ministers, from 1983 to 1992. He was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bridgwater in Somerset from 1970 to 2001. In 2001, he was made a life peer, which means he became a member of the House of Lords for life.
Contents
Life and Political Journey
Early Life and Education
Thomas King went to two independent schools. First, he attended St Michael's School in Tawstock, Devon. After that, he went to Rugby School, a boarding school for boys in Warwickshire. He then continued his studies at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
Military Service
In 1952, King became an officer in the Somerset Light Infantry. During his time of national service, he was sent to serve with the King's African Rifles.
Starting His Political Career
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Thomas King was first elected to Parliament in 1970. This happened during a special election called a by-election for the Bridgwater area. He took over from the previous MP, Sir Gerald Wills, who had passed away.
Serving in the Cabinet
In 1983, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher asked Thomas King to join her Cabinet. This meant he became a very important part of the government. He held several key roles during this time.
Important Government Roles
He first served briefly as the Environment Secretary. Then, he became the Transport Secretary. After these roles, he took on the jobs of Employment Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary. These were very important positions at the time.
Defence Secretary and Beyond
Later, Thomas King became the Defence Secretary under Prime Minister John Major. He held this role during the Gulf War. After the 1992 general election, he left the Cabinet.
He then became the Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 1994 to 2001. This committee looks at important national security matters. During his time, a former KGB agent named Vasili Mitrokhin shared information that revealed Melita Norwood was a spy.
Joining the House of Lords
Thomas King left the House of Commons in 2001. On 9 July 2001, he was made a life peer. This means he was given the title of Baron King of Bridgwater and became a member of the House of Lords. He continues to be a part of the House of Lords today. He also helps with the Conservative Party's work on national and international security.
Images for kids
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Official portrait of Lord King of Bridgwater
