Search Results

15 February 2010 : Press Release

Sir Michael Spicer, MP

The imminent General Election will mark the end of the long and distinguished parliamentary career of Sir Michael Spicer, MP. To mark this occasion, the West Worcestershire Conservative Association is holding a special retirement dinner for Sir Michael and Lady Spicer, at the Abbey Hotel, Malvern.

As a token of his esteem for Sir Michael, Sir Peter Tapsell will be joining them as the Guest of Honour. Sir Peter is MP for Louth and Horncastle and is the longest serving Conservative Member of Parliament.

The Association has invited not only its own members but a number of other distinguished guests to the dinner. While it is a celebration of Sir Michael’s service to the Conservative Party, this naturally also implies service to the constituency and the country as a whole, and hence politicians, and supporters from other parties and none, have also been warmly invited to attend.

The 180 seat capacity of the Elgar Room at the Abbey Hotel, Malvern, has been reached in the last few days and hence no more tickets can be made available.

A distinguished parliamentary career

After leaving university Michael Spicer became a financial journalist, writing for national newspapers including the Daily Mail, The Sunday Times and The Statist. Following this he joined the staff of the Leader of the Opposition, Edward Heath, to re-establish contact between the Conservative Party and the Universities. In 1969 Michael Spicer founded his own company, Economic Models, employing ground breaking modelling techniques at the dawn of the modern computer age. He sold this highly successful company in 1979, when he became a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry.

Sir Michael Spicer has been an MP in the Worcestershire area since February 1974. He fought his first general election in 1966 against Emmanuel Shinwell in the constituency of Easington (when he was the youngest candidate in the country, fighting the oldest) and again in 1970. He was elected to Parliament in 1974 for the constituency of South Worcestershire. In 1997 this was divided up and part of it became West Worcestershire.

While Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, Michael Spicer was Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, Minister for Aviation, Minister for Electricity and Coal and Minister for Housing. When John Major became Prime Minister, Michael Spicer left the Government. He became the Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee and was knighted in 1996.

When the Conservatives went into Opposition in 1997, Sir Michael Spicer joined the Treasury Select Committee, which he left in 2001 to become Chairman of the Conservative Parliamentary Party, the 1922 Committee, and member of the Board of the Conservative Party. In 2007 he was made Chairman of the Party’s Finance and Audit Committee. As Chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Michael presided over the Leadership Elections for Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Howard and David Cameron.

In 2006, Sir Michael announced his intention of retiring at the next General Election and since then has offered every support and encouragement to his intended successor, Harriett Baldwin, the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for West Worcestershire.

Throughout his life Michael Spicer has always painted. He also captains the Lords and Commons Tennis Club. When he has time he writes novels including detective stories, and has published many books. In order to relax, he and Ann enjoy playing bridge and tennis.