Peter Luff (campaigner)

This article is about the campaigner. For the Member of Parliament, see Peter Luff.

Peter John Roussel Luff, Director Mass1, Trustee, Mass Extinction Memorial Observatory (MEMO), Vice Chair, World Federalist Movement - Institute for Global Policy, formerly CEO Action for a Global Climate Community (2003-2011) Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society (1997–2001); formerly Director and Vice Chair of The European Movement UK, The International European Movement (1986–1995) Funding and Marketing Director of the Social Democratic Party (1981–1987) and Assistant Director of Amnesty International UK (1974–1978)

Personal life

He was born in Brussels 14 September 1946, educated at Eltham College and Swansea University where he graduated in politics and international relations. In 2013, he completed a master's degree in The Study of Religions at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He married Carolyn Luff in 1969 and has four children - Ben Luff, Tom Luff, David Luff and Becky Luff.

Career

His first post was with the Voluntary Committee on Overseas Aid and Development and subsequently as a Counselor with the UK Immigrants Advisory Service. He was appointed Assistant Director of Amnesty International U in 1974, where he directed several country campaigns and organised the first UK Trades Union Human Rights conference. With John Cleese, he originated and produced ‘A Poke in the Eye’ and ‘The Mermaids Frolics’, the first two shows in The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979) comedy series with a cast including Monty Python, Beyond the Fringe, the Goodies, Eleanor Bron, John Bird and John Fortune, Peter Ustinov, Barry Humphries and John Williams. In 2002, he co-produced, with Caroline Warner, another comedy revue – ‘Peter Cook: a Posthumorous Tribute’ for The Peter Cook Foundation with a cast including David Frost, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Dilly Keane, Sandy Tostvig, Griff Rhys Jones, Clive Anderson, Jimmy Carr, Angus Deayton, David Baddiel, Jonathan Ross, Josie Lawrence, Bonnie Langford and Mark Watson.

He was an assistant producer on the series Prisoners of Conscience at the BBC (1979–1981). Until 2001, Peter Luff was Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, a pan-Commonwealth non-governmental organisation, supported by a worldwide membership, working to inform and educate people in all 54 member states about the work and importance of the Commonwealth.

He has written three books: The Simple Guide to Maastricht, The Reform of the United Nations with Georges Berthoin and A Brilliant Conspiracy – a study of the European federal agenda and a pamphlet. He has occasionally been invited in the past to speak on television and radio news and discussion programmes and has been a panellist on the BBC’s Any Questions and Question Time.

Peter Luff is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts & Manufacturers and the Royal Geographical Society; a member of the Royal Institute for International Affairs and is a former Trustee of Responding to Conflict and the European Multicultural Foundation.

AGCC

Action for a Global Climate Community; A new initiative led by the European Union and India that aims to unite a group of countries – north and south – in a commitment to reduce their carbon emissions further and faster than existing Kyoto obligations.

European Movement

The European Movement UK is the British section of the pro-European group European Movement International which is the UK's campaigning organisation for close ties with Europe. It argues that the European Union should become more democratic, effective and accountable, and that Britain should play a full role in reforming and developing the EU. The President of the European Movement UK was the late Rt Hon Charles Kennedy and the current chairman is Laura Sandys. The European Movement is independent of the British Government, from political parties, or from the European Union or any of its institutions.

Peter has remained involved with the European Movement since he was Director of it and oversaw a period where the demographics of the organisation weakened, and membership began its plummet through the early 2000s. The Movement has since moved on but he continues to remain involved, though not in any elected position. Most recently he has led an abortive attempt to make the Movement's structure undemocratic and more business-like, further seeking to make redundant the organisation's local branches and youth wing.

References

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