PERSON OF STYLE & SUBSTANCE
he did become head boy of his grammar school ( kind of like class president ) and going on to study English and Law at Keele University . He was called to the Bar in 1978 and felt that he finally held a position which he could to fight the racial injustice he became familiar with growing up in the English midlands . This , however , was only the first step .
Let us again press the forward button through what was a successful career in law to 1992 when John Taylor won the right to be the Conservative party candidate for Cheltenham ( political riding ) in the 1992 General Election . He lost by a slim margin in an election that many viewed as being highly influenced by the issue of race . However , his poise and elocution raised eyebrows and gave him a level of notoriety he had not previously held amongst the party . He quickly became one to watch . Obviously impressing the right people , John Major himself ( British Prime Minister ), four years later in 1996 , made John Taylor “ Lord Taylor of Warwick ”, one of the youngest men ever to sit in the House of Lords and the only black man at that time .
Lord John Taylor and his wife Lady Laura Taylor
to effect real and lasting change , that his eyes come to life . This is when I truly got to know Lord Taylor of Warwick and started to understand him as a person with a distinct life philosophy .
Growing up in Birmingham , the son of Jamaican immigrants is not a traditional path to the House of Lords . His mother Enid , a nurse , and father Derief a cleaner , led a modest life and taught John ( yes Lord Taylor does have a traditional first name ) strong family values and the strength to pursue his own path . One thing that Lord Taylor remembers of Birmingham in the 1950 ’ s was that his family was often referred to as “ those Jamaican immigrants ” and being defined by this status . When Derief rose to prominence as a highly skilled cricketer ( baseball on valium for those who aren ’ t familiar with the sport ) his status changed to that of a local hero and John saw the value of setting oneself apart from the crowd . And set himself apart
This appointment fulfilled a dream he had since his first school trip to Parliament at the age of 10 . Lord Taylor ’ s eyes open wide at this point in our interview accompanying a soft grin as he recalls this young boy looking up at the ceilings of Westminster and feeling a “ strong sense of belonging ”. This is the point when you can ’ t help but like Lord Taylor . He comes across as a genuine soul who really and truly sought after a life in politics not for the prestige but because he felt it was a calling . “ Politics is about the now . It is about anticipating future trends and gearing them towards building bridges of thought and conscience ” says Taylor . “ In Parliament there seems to be an information overload and a lack of revelation ”.
In addition to spearheading important pieces of legislation such as the Criminal Amendments Act of 1997 which sought to protect the public through DNA evidence recording , Lord Taylor has been a champion of diversity and the development of youth . The 1997 establishment of the Warwick Leadership Academy ( now the Warwick Leadership Academy ) seeks to develop oratory skills and confidence in motivated young people and effective training for entrepreneurs
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Fall 2016 1961 Magazine