Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon, Baron Rippon of Hexham, (28 May 1924 – 28 January 1997) was a British Conservative Party politician. He is most known for drafting the European Communities Act 1972 which took the United Kingdom into the

European Communities The European Communities (EC) were three international organizations that were governed by the same set of Institutions of the European Union, institutions. These were the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Atomic Energy Co ...

on 1 January 1973. He was Chairman of the European-Atlantic Group.

Early life

Born in Penn,

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

, the son of the

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

cricketer Sydney Rippon, Geoffrey Rippon was educated at King's College, Taunton, and

Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The l ...

, where he was president of the University Conservative Association. He was

called to the Bar The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...

in 1948 and was

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

Surbiton Surbiton is a suburban neighbourhood in South West London, within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK). It is next to the River Thames, southwest of Charing Cross. Surbiton was in the Historic counties of England, historic county of ...

1951–52 and a member of the

London County Council The London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today ...

from 1952, representing Chelsea. From 1958, he was the leader of the Conservative Party group on the council.

Parliamentary career

After unsuccessfully contesting the seat of Shoreditch and Finsbury in both

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

and

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the Uni ...

, he became MP for Norwich South in 1955. As Minister for Public Building and Works in 1962, Rippon controversially sought to demolish and redevelop the Italianate

Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is the ministry of foreign affairs and a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. The office was created on 2 ...

main building designed in the 1860s by Sir George Gilbert Scott. After a campaign led by The Victorian Society and a public outcry the decision was overturned and the building was subsequently granted Grade I listed building status. In 1964 Rippon was defeated, but moved to the constituency of Hexham in

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

at the 1966 general election and remained MP there until retiring in

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

. Among his posts in the Shadow Cabinet was that of Shadow Defence Secretary from 1969 to 1970. In 1970 he became

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a ministerial office in the Government of the United Kingdom. Excluding the prime minister, the chancellor is the highest ranking minister in the Cabinet Office, immediately after the prime minister ...

under

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 ...

, and being in favour of the Common Market was given the responsibility of negotiating Britain's entry into it. In 1972 he moved to become Secretary of State for the Environment. During his tenure the

Department of the Environment An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, ...

was housed on Marsham Street in unattractive tower blocks nicknamed 'the three ugly sisters'. Rippon is supposed to have commented to his civil servants that the view from the top floor was the best in London, as one could not see the towers themselves. While Secretary of State for the Environment he introduced the Water Act 1973, which amalgamated over 1500 separate private, and local authority water provision, sewage, water treatment, and regulatory entities into 10 Regional Water Authorities, organised on a natural Hydrological basis. He was at one time a prominent member of the Conservative Monday Club, for whom he authored a booklet entitled ''Right Angle'', and was guest-of-honour at their Annual Dinner in 1970. The Club was, however, divided on the EEC ( European Community) issue, and at their conference in October 1971 members moved and carried a resolution opposing Britain's entry. From 1979 to 1982, Rippon was President of the European Documentation and Information Centre (CEDI). He was created a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...

on 5 October 1987 taking the title Baron Rippon of Hexham, of Hesleyside in the County of

Arms

References

* Copping, Robert, ''The Story of The Monday Club – The First Decade'', (Foreword by George Pole), Current Affairs Information Service, Ilford, Essex, April 1972, (P/B).

External links

* , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Rippon, Geoffrey 1924 births 1997 deaths 20th-century English lawyers Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford British Secretaries of State for the Environment Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster Conservative Party (UK) MEPs Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Rippon of Hexham Councillors in Greater London English King's Counsel English barristers MEPs for the United Kingdom 1973–1979 Mayors of places in Greater London Members of London County Council Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Ministers in the Macmillan and Douglas-Home governments, 1957–1964 People educated at King's College, Taunton People from Chiltern District Presidents of the Oxford University Conservative Association UK MPs 1955–1959 UK MPs 1959–1964 UK MPs 1966–1970 UK MPs 1970–1974 UK MPs 1974 UK MPs 1974–1979 UK MPs 1979–1983 UK MPs 1983–1987 Life peers created by Elizabeth II