Matt Ridley Elected To The House Of Lords
Viscount Ridley has been elected as a Conservative hereditary Peer in the recent by-election to fill the vacancy after Earl Ferrers’ death in November 2012.
Under the House of Lords Act 1999, the House of Lords elected 90 hereditary Peers to sit in the reformed House. When one of these hereditary Peers dies, a by-election is held: in this case, the vacancy occurred among the Conservative hereditary Peers, so the electors were those hereditary Peers belonging to the Conservative party.
All those on the Register of Hereditary Peers are eligible to stand in by-elections. The by-election must take place within three months of any vacancy occurring.
Dr Matt Ridley
Matt Ridley has been a scientist, journalist and businessman. With BA and DPhil degrees from Oxford University, he worked for the Economist for nine years as science editor, Washington correspondent and American editor, before becoming a self-employed writer and businessman. He is the author of several books, which have sold over 900,000 copies, been translated into 30 languages, been short-listed for nine major literary prizes and won several awards. He is a member of the GWPF’s Academic Advisory Council.