Sally Oppenheim-Barnes, Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes

Sarah A. Oppenheim-Barnes, Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes, PC (née Viner; born 26 July 1928^[1]) is a British Conservative politician.

Born in Dublin in 1928, and raised and educated in Sheffield where her father worked as a diamond cutter, Viner was educated at Lowther College and worked as a social worker in London before entering politics.^[1][2]

In the 1970 general election she defeated John Diamond to represent the constituency of Gloucester; Diamond was the only cabinet minister to lose his seat at that election. Some found her previous occupation to be somewhat appropriate — she had worked as a diamond cutter. She continued as Member of Parliament for Gloucester until 1987 and was Minister of State for Consumer Affairs in the Department of Trade between 1979 and 1982.

Oppenheim-Barnes was created a life peer, as Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes of Gloucester in the County of Gloucestershire, on 9 February 1989.^[3] Her son Phillip Oppenheim was formerly Conservative MP for Amber Valley. Between 1983 and 1987 mother and son served simultaneously in the House of Commons.

References

1. "Ireland, Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958" index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F13Z-H5P: accessed 12 Mar 2014), BIRTHS entry for Sarah A Viner; citing Dublin South, Jul-Sep 1928, vol. 2, p. 527, General Registry, Custom House, Dublin; FHL microfilm 101230.
2. Jewish Virtual Library biodata, with year of birth given correctly as 1928
3. The London Gazette: no. 51646. p. 1935. 15 February 1989.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sally Oppenheim-Barnes
• Women's Rights: Radical Change – video of Oppenheim appearing in a BBC debate first televised in 1974