James George Robert Bridges, Baron Bridges of Headley, , is a British

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the

Department for Exiting the European Union The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU; also known as the Department for Brexit or Brexit Department) was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for overseeing negotiations relating to Brexit, and establi ...

Education

Bridges was educated at

Rokeby Preparatory School Rokeby School is an independent all-boys preparatory day school in Kingston upon Thames, London. Its headmaster is Jason Peck. The school offers an education from 4 to 13 years through the integration of a pre-Preparatory school (United Kingdom ...

, then attended

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

followed by

Exeter College, Oxford Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and the fourth-oldest college of the university. The college was founde ...

, where he received a BA degree (later promoted to an MA by seniority).

Life and career

Bridges was Assistant Political Secretary to the Prime Minister

John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Ton ...

from 1994 to 1997. He was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(MBE) in 1997. In the 2000s he served as Director of the

Conservative Research Department The Conservative Research Department (CRD) is part of the central organisation of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. It operates alongside other departments of Conservative Campaign Headquarters in Westminster. The CRD has been descri ...

, succeeded by

James O'Shaughnessy, Baron O'Shaughnessy James Richard O'Shaughnessy, Baron O'Shaughnessy (born 26 March 1976) is a British Conservative politician and member of the House of Lords. He authored the 2010 Conservative Party Manifesto titled 'An Invitation to Join the Government of Britai ...

, and Campaign Director of the Conservative Party. He 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. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...

as Baron Bridges of Headley, of Headley Heath in the

County of Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the west. The largest settlement is Woking. The cou ...

, on 28 May 2015. Bridges served as a parliamentary secretary at the

in 2016 and 2017. Bridges serves as Chair of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee.

Family connections

The Lord Bridges of Headley is a great-grandson of Poet Laureate

Robert Bridges Robert Seymour Bridges (23 October 1844 – 21 April 1930) was a British poet who was Poet Laureate from 1913 to 1930. A doctor by training, he achieved literary fame only late in life. His poems reflect a deep Christian faith, and he is ...

, and a grandson of senior civil servant Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges. He is a nephew of the late crossbench peer and ambassador to Italy Thomas Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges, and of historian Margaret Aston.

References

1970 births Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford Bridges of Headley Life peers created by Elizabeth II Living people People educated at Eton College Members of the Order of the British Empire {{UK-politician-stub