Joyce Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St John's

The Right Honourable
The Baroness Anelay
of St John's
DBE FRSA
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Assumed office
6 August 2014
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by The Baroness Warsi (Senior Minister of State)
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
Lord's Chief Whip
In office
12 May 2010 – 6 August 2014
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by The Lord Bassam of Brighton
Succeeded by The Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Lords
In office
2 July 2007 – 11 May 2010
Leader David Cameron
Preceded by The Lord Cope of Berkeley
Succeeded by The Lord Bassam of Brighton
Lord Temporal
Assumed office
17 October 1996
Personal details
Born (1947-07-17) 17 July 1947
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Richard Anelay
Alma mater University of Bristol
University of London
Brunel University
DBE insignia

Joyce Anne Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St John's, DBE, PC, FRSA (born 17 July 1947) is a British Conservative Party politician, currently serving as Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (since 6 August 2014).

Lady Anelay was Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords from 12 May 2010 until 6 August 2014, having previously been Opposition Chief Whip prior to the 2010 General Election.[1]

Early life

Born on 17 July 1947, daughter of Stanley Clarke, she was christened Joyce Anne and was educated locally at Enfield County School.[2] She went up to Bristol University, graduating with the degree of BA and after further studies at Brunel, took the postgraduate degree of MA.

Following university, Anelay worked as a secondary school teacher from 1969 to 1974. She later became a volunteer adviser with the Citizens' Advice Bureau, served as a Justice of the Peace for Surrey and sat on the Social Security Appeal Tribunal.[3]

Political career

Prior to her elevation to the peerage, Anelay held a number of senior posts in the Conservative Party organisation. She was Chair of the Conservative Women's National Committee from 1993 to 1996, appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1990,[4] and in 1995 Anelay was promoted Dame Commander (DBE).[5] She was created a Life Peeress as Baroness Anelay of St John's, of St John's in the County of Surrey in 1996.[6]

Between May 1997 and June 2002, Baroness Anelay served in various Conservative front bench posts, including Opposition Whip and Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport. She was a Shadow Home Office Minister from June 2002 to July 2007, and from 2 July 2007, she served as Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords until 2010.[7] In 2009, Lady Anelay was sworn of the Privy Council.

After the General Election, on 12 May 2010, Lady Anelay was appointed Government Chief Whip in the Lords and Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms.[8]

On 6 August 2014, the day after The Baroness Warsi's resignation, Lady Anelay was appointed in Warsi's place as Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, attending Cabinet (although not as a member). Anelay did not on take on Lady Warsi's Faith and Communities brief, which reverted to Eric Pickles.[9]

On 16 June 2015 Francis Wheen writing in The Independent quoted Lady Anelay alleging the majority of the Saudi population supported the torture of Raif Badawi. Wheen asked the Foreign Office how she could be certain and received no answer. Wheen maintains further people cannot know what the people in the absolute monarchy of Saudi Arabia support or oppose. Wheen maintains Lady Anelay was motivated by her wish to sell arms to the Saudi government.[10]

Stance against aiding migrants in the Mediterranean Sea

While discussing Operation Mare Nostrum in 2014 she stated, "We do not support planned search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean [and] believe that they create an unintended ‘pull factor,’ encouraging more migrants to attempt the dangerous sea crossing and thereby leading to more tragic and unnecessary deaths."[11] The subsequent EU operation, Operation Triton, did not receive British support and early 2015 saw a 1600% increase in the number of migrants drowning while attempting to cross the Mediterranean compared to early 2014.[12]

Personal life

Anelay married in 1970, her university contemporary, Richard Anelay, QC, a Deputy High Court Judge, leading family and criminal law barrister, and former head of 1 King's Bench Walk Chambers.[13]

Styles

References

  1. ↑ www.parliament.uk
  2. ↑ Enfield County School Centenary
  3. ↑ www.gov.uk/government/ministers
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 52173. p. 9. 15 June 1990. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 54066. p. 8. 16 June 1995. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 54554. p. 13805. 17 October 1996. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
  7. ↑ "Cameron reshuffles shadow team". BBC News. 3 July 2007.
  8. ↑ Her Majesty's Government
  9. ↑ www.gov.uk/government/people/anelay-of-st-johns
  10. ↑ UK ministers have started to defend Saudi Arabia's flogging of Raif Badawi – it's breathtaking. How medieval does a regime have to be before ministers pause to consider the relationship?
  11. ↑ "The real reason for the Mediterranean migrant crisis". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "What’s Behind the Surge in Refugees Crossing the Mediterranean Sea". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  13. ↑ www.1kbw.co.uk

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by
The Lord Cope of Berkeley		 Conservative Chief Whip of the House of Lords
2007–2014 		Succeeded by
The Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Political offices
Preceded by
The Lord Cope of Berkeley		 Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Lords
2007–2010 		Succeeded by
The Lord Bassam of Brighton
Preceded by
The Lord Bassam of Brighton		 Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords
2010–2014 		Succeeded by
The Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
2010–2014
Preceded by
The Baroness Warsi
as Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs		 Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
2014–present 		Incumbent
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