Robert Armstrong, Baron Armstrong of Ilminster
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Robert Temple Armstrong, Baron Armstrong of Ilminster GCB CVO (born 30 March 1927), son of the musician Sir Thomas Armstrong, is a British life peer and former civil servant.
Contents
Life
He was educated at the Dragon School, Eton College, where he was a King's Scholar, and Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Greats. In a long civil service career, Armstrong worked in several departments, including HM Treasury and the Home Office. From 1970 to 1975 he served as the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. He was knighted in 1978. From 1979 to 1987, he served as Secretary of the Cabinet under Margaret Thatcher.[1]
Armstrong was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1974,[2] a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 1975 Birthday Honours.[3] In the 1978 Birthday Honours he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)[4] and to Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in the 1983 New Year Honours.[5]
He was created a life peer as Baron Armstrong of Ilminster, of Ashill in the County of Somerset on 26 February 1988,[6] and sits as a crossbencher.[7][8]
He is credited with bringing the phrase "economical with the truth" into popular usage, after he used it during the Spycatcher trial in 1986 - his use of the phrase was subsequently included in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.
From 1994 to 2006, Lord Armstrong was Chancellor of the University of Hull. He was chairman of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation until 2013.
Allegations of Child abuse cover-up
Armstrong was aware of Sir Peter Hayman’s paedophilia, and since leaving office, has commented “Clearly, I was aware of it at the time but I was not concerned with the personal aspect of it.”. [9]
Armstrong gave Margaret Thatcher what he calls a “veiled” warning not to sanction Jimmy Savile’s knighthood for charitable work, due to allegations around his sexual abuse of children. [10]
Armstrong was warned by the security services in 1986 that an MP had ‘a penchant for small boys’. But no action was taken and Armstrong, who refused to name the MP involved, insisted the allegations were just ‘shadows of a rumour’. He said he believed the decision not to investigate the paedophile claims was ‘correct at the time’. [11]
In popular culture
Armstrong has been portrayed by the following actors in film and television productions;
- Rupert Vansittart in the 2002 BBC production of Ian Curteis's controversial The Falklands Play.
- Timothy West in the 2004 BBC production of The Alan Clark Diaries.
Arms
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See also
References
- ↑ http://www.dodonline.co.uk/engine.asp?lev1=4&lev2=38&menu=81&biog=y&id=26633&group=5&Page=Lord%20Armstrong%20of%20Ilminster%20:%20Political%20Biography
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46254. p. 4396. 5 April 1974.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46593. p. 7372. 14 JUne 1975.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 47549. p. 6231. 3 June 1978.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49212. p. 3. 31 December 1982.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 51259. p. 2581. 3 March 1988.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[unreliable source?]
- ↑ http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/rolls/peerage/lifebarons.htm
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/17/westminster-child-abuse-paedophile-ring-failure
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
- Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
- Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
Offices held
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister 1970–1975 |
Succeeded by Kenneth Stowe |
Preceded by | Permanent Secretary of the Home Office 1977–1979 |
Succeeded by Brian Cubbon |
Preceded by | Cabinet Secretary 1979 – 1987 |
Succeeded by Sir Robin Butler |
Preceded by | Head of the Home Civil Service 1981 – 1987 |
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- Articles lacking reliable references from February 2013
- 1927 births
- Living people
- Crossbench life peers
- Permanent Under-Secretaries of State for the Home Department
- Civil servants in HM Treasury
- Secretaries of the Cabinet (United Kingdom)
- Private secretaries in the British Civil Service
- People educated at The Dragon School
- People educated at Eton College
- Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
- Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
- People associated with the University of Hull
- Principal Private Secretaries to the Prime Minister
- Life peer stubs