Rupert Speir

Who was Rupert Speir?

Sir Rupert Malise Speir was a British Conservative Party politician.

He was born at East Saltoun in East Lothian, Scotland, and educated at Eton College and at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he was chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association. He became a solicitor, and in 1939 he joined the army, where he served in the Intelligence Corps throughout World War II.

At the 1945 general election, he stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate in the safe Labour seat of Linlithgowshire in Scotland, winning 36% of the votes. He was unsuccessful again at the 1950 general election.

At the 1951 general election he was elected as Member of Parliament for Hexham, and held the seat until he retired at the 1966 general election.

Three private members bills sponsored by Speir was passed into law: the Litter Act 1958, the Noise Abatement Act 1960 and the Local Government Act 1963.