Janet Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon

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The Right Honourable
The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
PC
BaronessRoyallPortrait.jpg
Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
In office
11 May 2010 – 27 May 2015
Leader Harriet Harman (Acting)
Ed Miliband
Harriet Harman (Acting)
Preceded by The Lord Strathclyde
Succeeded by The Baroness Smith of Basildon
Leader of the House of Lords
In office
3 October 2008 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by The Baroness Ashton of Upholland
Succeeded by The Lord Strathclyde
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office
5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by Liam Byrne
Succeeded by The Lord Strathclyde
Lord President of the Council
In office
2 October 2008 – 5 June 2009
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by The Baroness Ashton of Upholland
Succeeded by The Lord Mandelson
Chief Whip in the House of Lords
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
In office
24 January 2008 – 3 October 2008
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by The Lord Grocott
Succeeded by The Lord Bassam of Brighton
Personal details
Born (1955-08-20) 20 August 1955 (age 68)
Gloucester, United Kingdom
Political party Labour
Spouse(s) Stuart Hercock
Children Charlie
Ned
Harry
Alma mater University of London

Janet Anne Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon PC (born 20 August 1955) is a British Labour politician. She announced in May 2015 that she would not seek re-election as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords.[1]

Education and early political career

Royall grew up in Hucclecote and Newnham on Severn, where her parents ran a shop. [2]

Royall was educated at the Royal Forest of Dean Grammar School and Westfield College, University of London, where she gained a BA in Spanish and French in 1977.

Royall was a special adviser to Neil Kinnock, the leader of the Labour Party, in the 1980s, and she has remained a close ally of his ever since. She sought selection as Labour's candidate for Ogmore in a 2002 by-election. However, the constituency party preferred Huw Irranca-Davies as their candidate. When in 2003 she became head of the European Commission office in Wales, there were calls for her to stand down because of her connections to the Labour Party.[3]

House of Lords

On 25 June 2004 she was created Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, of Blaisdon in the County of Gloucestershire.[4] In the House of Lords, she became government spokesperson for Health, International Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

On 24 January 2008 Baroness Royall was appointed government chief whip in the House of Lords, following the resignation of Lord Grocott. She was appointed a Privy Counsellor later in the year. On 3 October 2008, she was promoted to the cabinet by Gordon Brown, who made her Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. On 5 June 2009, Royall was succeeded as Lord President by Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, and was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

She voted for a 100% elected House, on the last occasion that the House of Lords voted on Reform of the House of Lords in March 2007.[5] She has called for a national referendum on any reforms of the chamber.

In September 2012, she spoke out against the proposed badger cull.[6]

She announced in May 2015 that she would not seek re-election as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords.[7]

Family

She was married to Stuart Hercock until his death in 2010, and has a daughter, Charlie, and two sons, Ned and Harry.

Styles of address

  • 1955-2004: Ms Janet A. Royall
  • 2004-2008: The Right Honourable The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
  • 2008-: The Right Honourable The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon PC

References

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  4. The London Gazette: no. 57341. p. 8139. 30 June 2004.
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2007-03-14&number=5&mpn=Baroness_Royall_of_Blaisdon&mpc=Lords&house=lords&house=lords
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External links

Political offices
Preceded by Chief Whip in the House of Lords
2007–2008
Succeeded by
The Lord Bassam of Brighton
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
2007–2008
Preceded by Lord President of the Council
2008–2009
Succeeded by
The Lord Mandelson
Leader of the House of Lords
2008–2010
Succeeded by
The Lord Strathclyde
Preceded by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
2009–2010
Preceded by Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
2010–2015
Succeeded by
The Baroness Smith of Basildon
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords
2008–2015
Succeeded by
The Baroness Smith of Basildon