Desmond Banks, Baron Banks

Who was Desmond Banks, Baron Banks?

Desmond Anderson Harvie Banks, Baron Banks was a British Liberal Party politician.

Banks was born in Ascot, Berkshire. He was educated at prep school in Harrow and University College School in Hampstead. During the Second World War he served as an officer in the Royal Artillery. In 1948 he married Barbara Wells who in 1987 was awarded the OBE for services to the Women's Liberal Federation. Banks was a life insurance broker and pensions consultant.

He was Chairman of the Liberal Party Executive from 1961 to 1963 and from 1969 to 1970, and President of the Liberal Party from 1968 to 1969. In 1972, he was awarded the CBE for political service in the New Years Honours list. He was created a life peer in January 1975 as Baron Banks, of Kenton in Greater London. In the House of Lords he was Liberal Deputy Chief Whip from 1977to 1983.

Banks had joined the Liberals while at school. He joined the staff at Liberal Party HQ in 1949 and was at one time editor of the party newspaper Liberal News. He first stood as a parliamentary candidate in the 1950 election in Harrow East, then in St Ives in 1955 election and Hertfordshire South West in the 1959 election. He was sometime speechwriter for Jo Grimond and a frequent contributor to Liberal News as well as author of many pamphlets and policy papers.