Janet Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon

Janet "Jan" Anne Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, PC (born 20 August 1955) is a Labour politician and the current Leader of the House of Lords. The daughter of Basil and Myra Royall, Jan Royall was educated at the Royal Forest of Dean Grammar School and Westfield College, University of London where she gained a BA in Spanish and French in 1977. Royall was a special adviser to Neil Kinnock, the Leader of the Labour Party, in the 1980s, and she... more

Janet "Jan" Anne Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, PC (born 20 August 1955) is a Labour politician and the current Leader of the House of Lords. The daughter of Basil and Myra Royall, Jan Royall was educated at the Royal Forest of Dean Grammar School and Westfield College, University of London where she gained a BA in Spanish and French in 1977. Royall was a special adviser to Neil Kinnock, the Leader of the Labour Party, in the 1980s, and she has remained a close ally of his ever since. She sought selection as Labour's candidate for Ogmore in a 2002 by-election. However, the constituency party preferred to choose Huw Irranca-Davies as their candidate. When in 2003 she became head of the European Union's office in Wales there were calls for her to stand down because of her Labour connections. On 25 June 2004 she was created Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, of Blaisdon in the County of Gloucestershire. In the House of Lords, she became a Government whip, as well as being Government... less