John Patten, Baron Patten

The Right Honourable The Lord Patten PC
Secretary of State for Education
In office 10 April 1992 – 20 July 1994
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Kenneth Clarke (Education and Science)
Succeeded by	Gillian Shephard
Minister of State for Home Affairs
In office 13 June 1987 – 10 April 1992
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher John Major
Preceded by	David Mellor
Succeeded by	Peter Lloyd
Minister of State for Housing
In office 2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Ian Gow
Succeeded by	The Hon. William Waldegrave
Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon Oxford (1979–1983)
In office 3 May 1979 – 1 May 1997
Preceded by	Evan Luard
Succeeded by	Evan Harris
Personal details
Born	17 July 1945
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Religion	Roman Catholic

John Haggitt Charles Patten, Baron Patten, PC (born 17 July 1945) is a former Conservative Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon. A Roman Catholic, he was educated by the Jesuits at Wimbledon College before graduating from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.

He was first elected for Oxford in 1979, transferring to Oxford West and Abingdon in 1983 after boundary changes divided the seat. He stood down at the 1997 general election. The seat was subsequently won by the Liberal Democrat Evan Harris.

Patten was offered the role as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Margaret Thatcher but refused.^[1]

Patten served as Secretary of State for Education from 1992 to 1994. He was interviewed at some length by Brian Sherratt in 1994 regarding his role as Secretary of State.^[2] While he was Education Secretary, Patten described Birmingham education chief Tim Brighouse as "a madman ... wandering the streets, frightening the children." Brighouse sued, and won substantial damages which were donated to educational charities.^[3]

Patten was created a life peer as Baron Patten of Wincanton in the County of Somerset on 17 June 1997.^[4]

He is married to the businesswoman Louise Patten and they have one daughter, Mary-Claire.^[5]

References

1. Michael White. "David Cameron's cabinet reshuffle: gossip, guesswork and predictions". the Guardian.
2. Radical Educational Policies and Conservative Secretaries of State, Ribbins P and Sherratt B, Cassell, 1997, pp 168-199
3. "The secrets of Saint Tim", The Guardian, 24 April 2007
4. The London Gazette: no. 54812. p. 7187. 20 June 1997.
5. Louise Patten, Evening Standard, 2009-08-27

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by John Patten