View source for Chris Clarke (politician)

{{Short description|British politician (1941–2009)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{For|other people of the same name|Chris Clarke (disambiguation){{!}}Chris Clarke}}

Sir '''Christopher James Clarke''' [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] FRSA (24 March 1941 – 15 December 2009), usually known as '''Chris Clarke''', was a British [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] politician, leader of [[Somerset County Council]] and of his party's group in the [[Local Government Association]].

==Life==
Originally from [[Essex]], where he was educated at [[Westcliff High School for Boys]], Clarke first entered politics as an [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|SDP]] councillor in [[Richmondshire]], North Yorkshire, before moving to [[Somerset]] where he worked for the shoe manufacturer Clarks. He was elected to [[Mendip District]] Council, rising to become its leader for four years. He was also elected to [[Somerset County Council]], serving as member for the [[Wells, Somerset|City of Wells]] from 1985 to 2005 and leading the county council from 1993 to 2001. He was then leader of the Liberal Democrats in the [[Local Government Association]] from 2001 to 2005.<ref>[http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=6662612 Tributes paid] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717023647/http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=6662612 |date=17 July 2011 }}, 17 December 2009 by Firstonline</ref><ref name=aldc>[http://www.aldc.org/editorial/1281/16/12/2009/Sir_Chris_Clarke Sir Chris Clarke] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413170444/http://www.aldc.org/editorial/1281/16/12/2009/Sir_Chris_Clarke |date=13 April 2010 }}, editorial dated 16 December 2009 at aldc.org</ref><ref>[http://wellslibdems.org.uk/news/000022/sir_chris_clarke_obe_has_died.html Sir Chris Clarke OBE has died] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413184844/http://wellslibdems.org.uk/news/000022/sir_chris_clarke_obe_has_died.html |date=13 April 2010 }} dated 16 December 2009 at wellslibdems.org.uk</ref><ref>[http://www.learningpool.com/resources/podcasts/files/view.php?id=14 Thoughts on Modern Councillor]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at learningpool.com</ref><ref name="wdp">'Dedicated to Helping', Obituary in ''[[Western Daily Press]]'' dated 29 December 2009, p. 14, cols 1–3</ref>

In 2005 Clarke moved from Somerset to [[Gloucestershire]] to marry Liz, settling at [[Tibberton, Gloucestershire|Tibberton]] and standing unsuccessfully for [[Gloucestershire County Council]].<ref name=wdp/> He went on to become Chairman of the South West Region of [[Arts Council England]] and of the NHS South Gloucestershire Trust Board,<ref>[http://www.ourareaourfuture.org.uk/WhoWeAre/SirChrisClarke.htm Sir Chris Clarke] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413155512/http://www.ourareaourfuture.org.uk/WhoWeAre/SirChrisClarke.htm |date=13 April 2010 }} at ourareaourfuture.org.uk</ref> a Specialist Adviser to the [[Department for Communities and Local Government]], and implementation manager at the [[Improvement and Development Agency]].<ref>Tony Hallett, [http://www.silicon.com/management/public-sector/2006/05/08/public-sector-it-chiefs-back-shared-services-push-39158750/ Public sector IT chiefs back shared services push] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927131726/http://www.silicon.com/management/public-sector/2006/05/08/public-sector-it-chiefs-back-shared-services-push-39158750/ |date=27 September 2011 }}, 8 May 2006, at silicon.com</ref> He was also a board member of the Stroud Theatre and the Somerset Arts Partnership and worked as a consultant as Director of Word on the Street Ltd.<ref name=wdp/>

On 15 October 2007, Clarke intervened in a Liberal Democrat Party leadership crisis, appearing on [[BBC Television|BBC TV]]'s ''World at One'' with [[Menzies Campbell]]'s deputy [[Vince Cable]]. Cable conceded that Campbell's position was "certainly under discussion", adding "I don't think it's under threat", but Clarke advised Campbell to "go with dignity and go back to being foreign affairs spokesman, where the world listens to you."<ref>[[Michael White (journalist)|Michael White]], [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2007/oct/15/michaelwhitespoliticalblog6 Michael White's Political Blog] for 15 October 2007 at guardian.co.uk</ref> Later the same day came an announcement by the party that Campbell would step down as leader.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071014233923/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2007%2F10%2F12%2Fnlibs112.xml Sir Ming warned as Lib Dems hunt poll boost] ''The Daily Telegraph''</ref><ref>[http://politics.guardian.co.uk/libdems/story/0,,2189705,00.html Lib Dem leader may face challenge as poll ratings drop] ''The Guardian''</ref>

In May 2009, in defence of a former Somerset County Council colleague accused by its chief executive of bullying, Clarke offered to give evidence to the [[Adjudication Panel for England]] to the effect that there was a 'culture of bullying' within the county council.<ref>[http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Culture-bullying-Somerset-council/article-971806-detail/article.html 'Culture of bullying' at Somerset council'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413154912/http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Culture-bullying-Somerset-council/article-971806-detail/article.html |date=13 April 2010 }} dated 7 May 2009, at thisissomerset.co.uk</ref> The affair was debated in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] on 21 April 2009.<ref>[http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090421/debtext/90421-0013.htm Hansard for 21 April 2009 : Column 210] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605034250/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090421/debtext/90421-0013.htm |date=5 June 2011 }}</ref>

Following his death in December 2009, his [[obituary]] in the ''[[Western Daily Press]]'' noted that Clarke "was famous for his dry sense of humour",<ref name=wdp/> while his LGA colleague Richard Kemp said of him {{quote|We will remember Chris as a great liberal, a hard working councillor and a person whose dry humour brought life to many an interminable meeting on arcane matters of local government finance and administration.<ref name=aldc/>}}

==Honours==
In June 2000, Clarke was appointed an Officer of the [[Order of the British Empire]] "for services to Local Government and to the community in South West England".<ref>''[[London Gazette]]'', Issue 55879 of 19 June 2000, Supplement No. 1, [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/55879/supplements/10 p. B10] at london-gazette.co.uk</ref> In the [[Birthday Honours 2005|Birthday Honours List of June 2005]] he received a [[knighthood]] "for services to Local Government".<ref>''London Gazette'', Issue 57665 of 11 June 2005, Supplement No. 1, [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/57665/supplements/1 p. B1] at london-gazette.co.uk</ref>

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Chris}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Members of Somerset County Council]]
[[Category:Leaders of local authorities of England]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People educated at Westcliff High School for Boys]]
[[Category:People from Mendip District]]
[[Category:Politicians from Essex]]
[[Category:Councillors in Somerset]]