Douglas Hurd

British Conservative politician and novelist (born 1930)

Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell (born 8 March 1930) is a British Conservative politician. He served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major from 1979 to 1995.


The Lord Hurd of Westwell
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office
26 October 1989 – 5 July 1995
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
John Major
Preceded byJohn Major
Succeeded byMalcolm Rifkind
Home Secretary
In office
2 September 1985 – 26 October 1989
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byLeon Brittan
Succeeded byDavid Waddington
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office
27 September 1984 – 2 September 1985
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byJames Prior
Succeeded byTom King
Minister for Europe
In office
4 May 1979 – 9 June 1983
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byMalcolm Rifkind
Member of Parliament
for Witney
In office
9 June 1983 – 1 May 1997
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded byShaun Woodward
Member of Parliament
for Mid Oxfordshire
In office
28 February 1974 – 9 June 1983
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born
Douglas Richard Hurd

(1930-03-08) 8 March 1930 (age 94)
Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)(1) Tatania, daughter of Major Arthur Eyre MBE (div. 1982) ;
(2) Judy née Smart (d. 2008)
RelationsAnthony, Lord Hurd (father);
Sir Percy Hurd (grandfather); Sir Archibald Hurd (uncle)
Children3 sons (by 1st wife);
1 son and 1 daughter (by 2nd wife)
Alma materEton College
Trinity College, Cambridge

He was born in the market town of Marlborough in Wiltshire. Hurd first entered Parliament in February 1974 as MP for the Mid Oxfordshire constituency (Witney from 1983). His first government post was as Minister for Europe from 1979 to 1983 (being that office's inaugural holder) and he served in several Cabinet roles since 1984.

His jobs include Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1984–85), Home Secretary (1985–89) and Foreign Secretary (1989–95). He stood unsuccessfully for the Conservative Party leadership in 1990, but retired from frontline politics during a Cabinet reshuffle in 1995.

In 1997, Hurd was elevated to the House of Lords and is one of the Conservative Party's most senior elder statesmen. He is a patron of the Tory Reform Group and remains an active figure in public life.

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