Francis Noel-Baker

Francis Edward Noel-Baker was born on 7 January 1920 in London, England, and died on 25 September 2009. He was a member of the British Labour Party and served as a Member of Parliament (MP). His father was Philip Noel-Baker, who was also an MP and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Early Life and Education:

Noel-Baker was educated at Westminster School and later attended King's College, Cambridge. He was awarded an exhibition to study history at Cambridge and was the founding chairman of the Cambridge University Labour Club. The club had separated from the Cambridge University Socialist Club due to disagreements over pacifism and support for the Soviet Union. During this period, Noel-Baker spent time fighting for the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War. He achieved a first-class in his preliminary exams, but his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, and he did not complete his degree.

Military Service:

During World War II, Noel-Baker served in the Intelligence Corps and was mentioned in despatches while deployed in the Middle East.

Political Career:

Noel-Baker was first elected as MP for Brentford and Chiswick during the Labour landslide in the 1945 general election. At that time, he was the youngest Labour MP. During his initial parliamentary term, he was particularly interested in international affairs. In 1948, he conducted covert activities within Francoist Spain, observing political conditions and liaising with underground resistance activists. His report, titled "Spanish Summary," included a foreword by Lady Megan Lloyd George and contributed to raising awareness about Francoist Spain's political status in Europe.

He lost his seat in the 1950 general election but was re-elected as MP for Swindon in the 1955 election, winning by a narrow margin. He held this seat through subsequent elections, with his majority increasing beyond 10,000 votes. Noel-Baker was known for his active participation and advocacy within parliament and managed family estates on the Greek island of Euboea, where he became fluent in modern Greek.

In 1956, he played a semi-official role in the UK government's dealings with Archbishop Makarios and the Cypriot independence movement. As an MP, he also expressed concerns about political corruption and the influence of outside interests in Parliament, warning of potential political corruption in a 1961 article.

Family and Political Expectations:

His father, Philip Noel-Baker, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959. Following Harold Wilson’s ascension to Prime Minister in 1964, both father and son anticipated governmental appointments, but Noel-Baker was not included in the cabinet, leading to disappointment.

Support for the Greek Regime:

In April 1967, Noel-Baker expressed support for the military regime in Greece following the coup d’état by the colonels. His stance was controversial and led to increased tensions within his political environment in Britain. He announced he would not contest the 1970 election and retired from Parliament in March 1969.

Party Affiliation Changes:

In 1968, Noel-Baker left the Labour Party in opposition to its stance against British membership of the European Economic Community. He later joined the Social Democratic Party and in 1984 switched to the Conservative Party.

Later Years:

Following his parliamentary retirement, Noel-Baker spent considerable time in Greece, engaging in charitable activities and managing his estate in Euboea. His residence became the subject of political tensions due to his publicly expressed support for the Greek military junta, which led to attempts by Greek authorities to seize his land. Only the discovery of his estate’s title deeds, with signatures from Greek and Turkish officials, prevented his eviction.

Family:

Noel-Baker married Ann Saunders in 1947; the marriage was dissolved in 1955. He married Barbara (or Barbro) Sonander in 1957, who died in 2004 from skin cancer. He had four sons and a daughter from his two marriages, with one son predeceasing him.

References:

- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages

- "An Isle of Greece: The Noels in Euboea" by Barbro Noel-Baker

- External links include the official parliamentary contributions, Noel-Baker's home in Evia, Greece, and his obituary in The Guardian.