William Michael Hardy Spicer, Baron Spicer, PC (22 January 1943 – 29 May 2019) was a British politician and life peer who was a Conservative member of the House of Lords from 2010 until 2019. He served as Member of Parliament for West Worcestershire from 1974 to 2010 and was a minister from 1984 to 1990. He later served as chairman of the 1922 Committee from 2001 to 2010.
Early life
He was born in Bath, Somerset, to Lt. Col. (later Brigadier) Leslie Hardy Spicer and Muriel, daughter of Wallis G. Carter of Bath.[1] Spicer was educated in Vienna, at Gaunts House Preparatory School and Wellington College, and received a degree in economics from Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After graduation, he worked as a financial journalist for The Statist, the Daily Mail and The Sunday Times. He was Director of Conservative Systems Research Centre from 1968 to 1970, and managing director of Economic Models Ltd from 1970 to 1980.
He was an author and had a number of books published, including The Spicer Diaries.[6]
His majority declined in 1997 in keeping with the general trend across the country, but he kept his seat which had become West Worcestershire after boundary changes that year. His majority almost doubled four years later, at the 2001 general election. However, unlike most other Conservative MPs, he failed to increase his majority in 2005; instead, it was more than halved, and he held one of the Conservatives' most marginal seats against the Liberal Democrats.
Following the 2001 general election, Spicer was elected Chairman of the 1922 Committee, a position that he held until he stood down in 2010.[7]
In the Commons, he became known for asking short questions, usually of one-sentence questions to government ministers and at Prime Minister's Questions and once simply asking Gordon Brown, "Will the Prime Minister confirm that he will soldier on to the bitter end?"[8] On another occasion, he asked Brown, "Why are there always so many strikes at the end of a Labour government?"[9]
On 26 March 2006, Spicer announced that he would not contest the Worcestershire West seat at the 2010 election and that he would retire as an MP.[10]
A demi-lion Or resting its sinister paw on a Ministerial Box Proper.
Escutcheon
Gules a cross moline Argent charged with another Azure between four quill pens in bend sinister Argent quilled Or each surmounted by a paint brush in bend Or the ferrule Argent.
Supporters
On either side a lion resting the exterior paw on the grip of a tennis racquet the head downwards Or.
Motto
Et Facere Et Pati Fortia (To Act And Suffer Bravely)[13]
