Garry Hart, Baron Hart of Chilton

The Right Honourable
The Lord Hart of Chilton
The Right Honourable The Lord Hart of Chilton
	Hart in 2016
Member of the House of Lords; Lord Temporal
	In office; 4 June 2004 – 3 August 2017; Life Peerage
Personal details
Born	29 June 1940
Died	3 August 2017
Political party	Labour

Garry Richard Rushby Hart, Baron Hart of Chilton (29 June 1940 – 3 August 2017), was a British Labour politician. From 1998 to 2007, he was Expert and then Special Adviser to the Lord Chancellor, first Lord Irvine of Lairg and then Lord Falconer of Thoroton.

Education

Hart was educated at Northgate Grammar School for Boys, Ipswich and University College London^[1]

Professional career

Before entering public service Hart was a highly successful planning solicitor with Herbert Smith. His appointment in 1998 was the subject of some controversy, but he was regarded as having a very beneficial influence on Lord Irvine, and serving also as a source of sound advice to Lord Falconer when the latter became Lord Chancellor in 2003.^[2] Hart helped guide the Lord Chancellor's Department as it became the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and again as it became the Ministry of Justice.^[3]

He was created a life peer on 4 June 2004 taking the title Baron Hart of Chilton, of Chilton in the County of Suffolk.^[4]

When Lord Falconer resigned in 2007, Lord Hart left his appointment. He had not spoken in the House of Lords following his peerage as this was considered inconsistent with his Government role. However, in 2007 he seconded the motion on the Queen's Speech in a well received contribution.^[5]

Personal life

Lord Hart married first, in 1966, Paula Shepherd. They had two sons and a daughter. The marriage was dissolved in 1986. He married, secondly, in 1986, Valerie Davies, a lawyer. They had twin daughters.^[3]

Lord Hart lived in Chilton Hall in Suffolk with his second wife. Lord Hart was also godfather to Tony Blair's daughter Kathryn.^[6]^[3]

Arms

Coat of arms of Garry Hart, Baron Hart of Chilton
	Adopted 2007 Coronet Coronet of a Baron Crest A Dragon sejant Gules armed langued and supporting with the dexter foreclaws a Sword point downwards Or Escutcheon Or three Cross Crosslets fitchy in fess Sable the lower limb of each surmounted by a Rose Gules seeded Or Supporters On either side a Suffolk Punch Gules the tail and mane plaited and tied with Ribbons Or Motto RISUS SAPIENTIAM EFFECIT Badge A Suffolk Punch's Head caboshed Gules holding in the mouth a Rose to the sinister Gules barbed seeded leaved and slipped Or Symbolism The Crest contains a Welsh allusion with the sword of justice reflecting the law. The cross crosslets are derived from the Arms of a family of Crane; and the rose for England is also an allusion to Cardinal Wolsey. Like many grantees, the ownership and breeding of animals provides for Crest and Supporter material.

References

^ Northgate Grammar School for Boys, Magazine, Winter 1962, page 13
^ Irvine, Politically Incorrect, Dominic Egan (London 1999)
^ ^a ^b ^c Lord Hart of Chilton, New Labour peer – obituary, The Telegraph; accessed 11 August 2017.
^ "No. 57312". The London Gazette. 9 June 2004. p. 7175.
^ House of Lords Hansard, 6 November 2007
^ UK Politics Blair escapes tribunal appearance, bbc.co.uk; accessed 4 August 2017.