Sir Jeremy Beecham
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Jeremy Hugh Beecham, Baron Beecham (born 14 November 1944) is a British Labour politician and a senior figure in English local government. He was leader of Newcastle City Council and the first Chairman of the
Local Government Association The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. Its core membership is made up of 339 English councils and the 22 Welsh councils through the Welsh Local Government Association.   The LGA is p ...
. He was the elected Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party (October 2005 – September 2006). Beecham was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, and University College, Oxford (1962–1965), where he obtained a first class honours degree in law. He became a solicitor. He joined the Labour Party in 1959, and was elected a councillor for
Benwell Benwell is an area in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. History The place-name 'Benwell' is first attested in the ''Historia de Sancto Cuthberto'' circa 1050 AD, where it appears as ''Bynnewalle'', from the Old English ''bionnan ...
, Newcastle, in the Newcastle City Council elections of 11 May 1967. He stood for Parliament without success in
Tynemouth Tynemouth () is a coastal town in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, North East England. It is located on the north side of the mouth of the River Tyne, hence its name. It is 8 mi (13 km) east-northeast of Newcastle upon T ...
in 1970. He chaired the Social Services Committee on the council from 1973 to 1977 and was Leader of Newcastle from 1977 to 1994, chairing the Finance Committee from 1979 to 1984. In 1991, Beecham became Chairman of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities (AMA). When the AMA merged with the
Association of District Councils The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. Its core membership is made up of 339 English councils and the 22 Welsh councils through the Welsh Local Government Association.   The LGA is p ...
and the
Association of County Councils The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. Its core membership is made up of 339 English councils and the 22 Welsh councils through the Welsh Local Government Association.   The LGA is p ...
on 1 April 1997 to form the
Local Government Association The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. Its core membership is made up of 339 English councils and the 22 Welsh councils through the Welsh Local Government Association.   The LGA is p ...
, he became the first chairman of the LGA. He is, , the LGA vice-chairman and continues to chair the LGA Labour Group.He was the President of the British Urban Regeneration Association (now folded). Beecham belongs to Labour Friends of Israel. Beecham has been a member of many boards and committees in Newcastle and
North East England North East England is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. The region has three current administrative levels below the region level in the region; combined authority, unitary authorit ...
, and advising government. He has been a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee since 1998 and was its chairman. He became a Knight Bachelor in the
1994 Birthday Honours Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday. Publication dates vary from year to year. Most are published in supplements to the ''London Gazette'' and many are formally conferred by the monarch (or ...
having the honour conferred by
HM The Queen Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks th ...
on 22 November 1994. He was made a Freeman of the City of Newcastle in 1995. He is Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Tyne and Wear and continues to represent
Benwell and Scotswood Benwell and Scotswood is an electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. The ward encompasses the Benwell and Scotswood housing areas, as well as the Newcastle Business Park, which is located on the banks of the River Tyne and ...
on the City Council. He has been a council member at charity Common Purpose since 1989. He is Jewish, and a board member of the New Israel Fund in the UK. On 20 July 2010, Beecham was created a
life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...
as Baron Beecham, ''of
Benwell Benwell is an area in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. History The place-name 'Benwell' is first attested in the ''Historia de Sancto Cuthberto'' circa 1050 AD, where it appears as ''Bynnewalle'', from the Old English ''bionnan ...
and Newcastle upon Tyne in the County of Tyne and Wear'', and was introduced in the House of Lords on 28 July 2010.House of Lords Minute of Proceedings
28 July 2010. He sat on the Labour benches until his retirement in 2021.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beecham, Jeremy 1944 births Living people Labour Party (UK) councillors Labour Party (UK) life peers Life peers created by Elizabeth II Councillors in Newcastle upon Tyne Politicians from Newcastle upon Tyne People educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne Alumni of University College, Oxford Deputy Lieutenants of Tyne and Wear Labour Friends of Israel Knights Bachelor Politicians awarded knighthoods Chairs of the Labour Party (UK) Jewish British politicians Leaders of local authorities of England Chairs of the Local Government Association