Biography

Education:

Eton College (King's scholar) 1959-1964; St John's College, Oxford (Open Exhibitioner) 1964-1968; Nuffield College, Oxford (Studentship) 1968-1970

Qualifications: 4 A levels (Economics, History, Ancient History, Greek); BA (Oxon.) - Politics, Philosophy and Economics (1st Class Honours); DPhil.(Oxon)- Thesis on Nationalism in Welsh Politics 1945-1970

Languages: English, fluent French, some German and some Welsh

Employment:

(1) Financial Controller, ICFC Ltd. 1970-1975 - providing

long term capital for small and medium sized firms; he also acted as agent for the Department of Trade and Industry in administering the government's subsidised loan scheme for ships being built in the United Kingdom

(2) Research Fellow at the University of Bath 1975-1978 - transferred to Lecturer,1978-1988; promoted to Senior Lecturer, 1988-1992; Jean Monnet Reader in European Integration since 1992.

Other employment experience:

Worked in family hotel business as a youngster. Acted as PA in France to Sir Eugene Millington-Drake (1964). Served as assistant press officer to the Liberal Party, summer vacation 1967. Took on casual work at the National Eisteddfods of 1968,1969 and 1970. In charge of the Welsh desk for the BBC General Election coverage of 1970, under Dr David Butler. During full time employment at the University of Bath I served as Editor of New Outlook from 1976 to 1979 and, as chairman of Prism Publications Ltd, organised the rescue and financial viability of the magazine. Appointed specialist adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on European Community Affairs (sub-committee A ), responsible for EC regional policy and the structural funds. This appointment continued from 1980 to 1989. Also invited to take on temporary lectureships in European studies and integration in 1989-1990 (University College, Cardiff) and in 1992-1993 (Reading University) to fill short term vacancies. Has served as external examiner for several universities, including Oxford (DPhil and MPhil), London School of Economics (MSc programmes) and the University of Wales( PhD and undergraduate programmes in international politics). Visiting Professor at the University of Richmond (Va) 1991, University of Virginia 1992 and 1994, ESCP-EAP ( a leading Paris business school) and Charles University, Prague 2002 and in 2007-08. Has lectured in over forty universities in four continents.

Publications:

Contributions to numerous books and academic journals. Author of The Welsh Question (University of Wales Press,1975). Joint author A New Deal for Rural Britain (with Roger Pincham and Paul Tyler) issued by the Liberal Party in 1978. More recently has written Accountability in the European Union (1996) , Reforming the European Union (2002; 2nd edition 2005) and John Stuart Mill and Modern Liberalism (2006) - all for the John Stuart Mill Institute.

Political Activities:

Joined the Liberal Party at the age of twelve. Active in St Marylebone Liberal Association 1957-1971, as a Young Liberal, agent, and council candidate. Member, Oxford University Liberal Club 1964-1970 (President, 1965-1966) and council candidate in 1968 and 1969. Approved as Liberal parliamentary candidate in 1966. Founded the Islington Central Liberal Association with Philip Watkins and Christina Baron in 1971, became first chair, fought council elections and gained the highest Liberal share of the poll in inner London as candidate in the 1973 GLC elections. Selected as PPC for Wells in October 1973, remaining candidate until June 1987. Took the constituency into second place in February 1974 election, from 18% of the vote in 1970 to 39% in the 1980s - making it a marginal Liberal/Conservative seat. In the process took constituency membership from 120 to over 1000, and helped organise the Liberal capture of control of Somerset County Council in 1985. Fought the first European elections in 1979 as Liberal candidate for Somerset, overtaking Labour for the first time in the area as a whole, and polling over 48,000 votes. Selected to support the two Liberal Democrat MEPs in SW England on the regional list at the 1999 European elections. Withdrew as parliamentary candidate after 1987 elections, but stayed active in the Wells constituency, acting as agent in the Mendip district council elections of 1991 (14 out of 15 candidates elected), chair of the constituency party from 1998 to 2001, and elected President from 2005.

Other political activities have included contributing to the formation of European policy ahead of the Alliance and Liberal Democrat European election campaigns. Has also acted as policy assessor all over England in the candidate approval process from 1992 to date. Founded the John Stuart Mill Institute in 1992 alongside Nancy Seear, Penelope Jessel and Conrad Russell to act as an independent but Liberal think tank. Elected Convenor of the JSMI trustees since 1996.

Member of the European Movement (President of the Bath & Wansdyke Branch), Electoral Reform Society, Liberty, Green Liberal Democrats and Charter 88. Also member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, London. Previously active with the Green Alliance and the Royal Society of Arts. Joined Friends of the Red Squirrel in 2004.

Non-political activities:

Long-standing interest in music ( member of Eton College, St John's College Oxford choirs, and several church choirs as a tenor over a long period: he also plays piano, harpsichord and violin); Christianity (confirmed member of the Anglican Church, and until recently Treasurer of St Thomas's Church,Wells with Horrington); history, travel and stamp collecting. Helped to found (and was first treasurer) of the Wells Twinning Association in 1976. Elected governor of the Wells Blue School (state comprehensive) and deputy chair of governors, 1988 to 1994.

Joint winner of the Observer silver mace for School Debating in 1964. Winner of the Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Award in 1989 for a study of Britain's relations with the European Community, subsequently serialised in The Times in 1990.