Garry Richard Rushby Hart, Baron Hart of Chilton (29 June 1940 – 3 August 2017), was a British

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

politician. From 1998 to 2007, he was Expert and then Special Adviser to the

Lord Chancellor The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. Th ...

, first

Lord Irvine of Lairg Alexander Andrew Mackay Irvine, Baron Irvine of Lairg, (born 23 June 1940), known as Derry Irvine, is a Scottish lawyer, judge and political figure who served as Lord Chancellor under his former pupil barrister, Tony Blair. Education Irvine wa ...

and then Lord Falconer of Thoroton.

Education

Hart was educated at Northgate Grammar School for Boys, Ipswich and

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

Professional career

Before entering public service Hart was a highly successful planning solicitor with Herbert Smith. His appointment in 1998 was the subject of some controversy, but he was regarded as having a very beneficial influence on Lord Irvine, and serving also as a source of sound advice to Lord Falconer when the latter became

in 2003. Hart helped guide the Lord Chancellor's Department as it became the

Department for Constitutional Affairs The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) was a United Kingdom government department. Its creation was announced on 12 June 2003; it took over the functions of the Lord Chancellor's Department. On 28 March 2007 it was announced that the Dep ...

, and again as it became the

Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...

.Lord Hart of Chilton, New Labour peer – obituary
The Telegraph; accessed 11 August 2017. He was created a life peer on 4 June 2004 taking the title Baron Hart of Chilton, of Chilton in the County of Suffolk. When Lord Falconer resigned in 2007, Lord Hart left his appointment. He had not spoken in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

following his peerage as this was considered inconsistent with his

Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...

role. However, in 2007 he seconded the motion on the Queen's Speech in a well received contribution.

Personal life

Lord Hart married first, in 1966, Paula Shepherd. They had two sons and a daughter. The marriage was dissolved in 1986. He married, secondly, in 1986, Valerie Davies, a lawyer. They had twin daughters. Lord Hart lived in Chilton Hall in Suffolk with his second wife. Lord Hart was also godfather to

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...

's daughter Kathryn.UK Politics Blair escapes tribunal appearance
bbc.co.uk; accessed 4 August 2017.

Arms

References

Links

Profile
hansard.millbanksystems.com; accessed 4 August 2017. Labour Party (UK) life peers 1940 births 2017 deaths English solicitors People educated at Northgate Grammar School, Ipswich Deaths from cancer in England 20th-century English lawyers Life peers created by Elizabeth II {{Life-peer-stub