Douglas Hurd

Douglas Hurd 1930-, British politician. Educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, he worked in the diplomatic service (1952-66) and later served as Prime Minister Edward Heath 's political secretary (1970-74). He entered the House of Commons in 1974 and held a succession of junior posts in Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher 's government before serving in the cabinet as secretary for Northern Ireland (1984-85), home secretary (1985-89), and foreign secretary (1989-95). A moderate, he played a leading role in defining Great Britain's position in the European Community (now the European Union). After Thatcher's resignation in 1990, he entered the leadership race but was unsuccessful. He remained foreign secretary under Prime Minister John Major and was praised for his handling of Britain's role in the Persian Gulf War . Conservative party "Euroskeptics" opposed to Hurd's advocacy of British integration in the European Union forced his resignation as foreign secretary in 1995.

Hurd, Douglas (b. 1930). Former Conservative cabinet minister. After attending Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, Hurd entered the diplomatic service. He served in Peking (1954–6), at the United Nations (1956–60), and in Rome (1963–6) before leaving to enter politics. In 1966 he joined the Conservative research department and later served as Edward Heath's private secretary (1968–74). In 1974 Hurd became MP for Mid-Oxon and managed to make a smooth transition from Heath to Thatcher. Considered a moderate, he held various cabinet appointments including Northern Ireland (1984–5) and the Home Office (1985–9) before becoming foreign secretary (1989–95). He is the first former official of the Foreign Office subsequently to become its head. Hurd stood in the leadership contest of November 1990 but came third behind John Major and Michael Heseltine. He retired in 1995 to take a position in the city. Hurd also has a sideline as a writer of thriller novels.

Richard A. Smith