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Brian Cotter, Baron Cotter

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The Right Honourable
The Lord Cotter
Official portrait, 2018
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office
30 May 2006 – 14 November 2023
Life peerage
Member of Parliament
for Weston-super-Mare
In office
1 May 1997 – 11 April 2005
Preceded byJerry Wiggin
Succeeded byJohn Penrose
Personal details
Born
Brian Joseph Michael Cotter

(1936-08-24)24 August 1936
Ealing, Middlesex, England
Died14 November 2023(2023-11-14) (aged 87)
Political partyLiberal Democrats (after 1988)
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
Eyleen Wade
​
(m. 1963)​
Children3

Brian Joseph Michael Cotter, Baron Cotter (24 August 1936 – 14 November 2023), was a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was Member of Parliament for Weston-super-Mare from 1997 to 2005, and subsequently a member of the House of Lords from 2006 until his death.

Background and career

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Born in Ealing, the son of a doctor from Weston-super-Mare, Cotter was educated at Saint Benedict's School, Ealing, and Downside School in Somerset, where, aged sixteen, he ran a 4½ minute mile.[1] Upon leaving school, he entered the British Army, serving two years National Service, spending time stationed in West Germany.[1] He entered business after leaving the army. He studied Business Studies at a polytechnic in London, eventually running his own small manufacturing company, Plasticable Ltd in Alton, which is now run as a co-operative.[1]

Formerly a Conservative before joining the Liberals in 1983, during the Liberal/SDP Alliance, Cotter was elected to Woking Borough Council in 1986, representing the Mount Hermon West ward.[1] He retained this seat until standing down in 1990.

Parliamentary career

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After unsuccessfully contesting the seat in 1992, Cotter was elected the Liberal Democrat MP Member of Parliament for Weston-super-Mare in 1997. This was the first time the constituency had not returned a Conservative MP since 1923.[1] He was re-elected in 2001, but lost the seat to John Penrose of the Conservatives at the 2005 general election. Throughout his time in Parliament, he served as the Liberal Democrat spokesman for small business.[1]

In April 2006, it was announced that Cotter would be created a life peer to join the Liberal Democrat ranks in the House of Lords, and on 30 May he was created Baron Cotter, of Congresbury in the County of Somerset.[2] He delivered his maiden speech in the Lords on 29 June.[citation needed]

Cotter took an interest in a number of areas, and on various issues as they arose. Specifically, before the coalition government was formed in 2010, he led for the Liberal Democrats on Small Business issues and vocational education; specifically apprenticeships. Within the coalition, he concentrated on business and vocational training issues.[1]

Personal life

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Lord Cotter was a practising Roman Catholic. Cotter was a patron of domestic violence charity the ManKind Initiative.[3]

Cotter married Eyleen Patricia Wade in February 1963. They had two sons and a daughter. Lord Cotter died from complications of dementia on 14 November 2023, at the age of 87.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Lord Cotter, Liberal Democrat MP who championed small businesses – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  2. ^ "No. 58001". The London Gazette. 5 June 2006. p. 7665.
  3. ^ "About us". Archived from the original on 17 August 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  4. ^ Hill, Amber (14 November 2023). "Former Weston MP, Lord Cotter of Congresbury, passes away". The Weston Mercury. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Lord Cotter obituary". The Times. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
[edit]
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Weston-super-Mare
1997–2005 		Succeeded by
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