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| Public Affairs - Press Release | |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 15, 2004 Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins (662) 329-7124 Retired Member of Parliament will speak to MUW students and give public lecture COLUMBUS, Miss. Mississippi University for Women will host special guest speaker Sir Fergus Montgomery, a retired Member of Parliament, on Thursday, Sept. 16. Sir Fergus will speak informally to humanities classes and give a public lecture primarily on Margaret Thatcher at 7 p.m. in Poindexter Hall. Eric Daffron, professor of English and study abroad programs coordinator, said, ³MUW and Columbus have a rare opportunity to hear a lecture by a retired member of Parliament who can teach us a great deal about British politics. By all accounts, Sir Fergus is a knowledgeable and entertaining speaker. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity.² Sir Fergus retired from Parliament in 1997 and lectures extensively in the United States to colleges, universities, clubs and political groups. Daffron said one of MUW¹s affiliated study abroad programs is at Huron University USA in London, where MUW has two students this fall. As a result, MUW is able to benefit from Sir Fergus¹ relationship with Huron and the partnership between Huron and MUW. Tom Howard, Huron admissions officer, will accompany Sir Fergus. Howard will speak to MUW students about the institution in London. Sir Fergus started his political career as a Young Conservative and was National Young Conservative chairman from 1957-58. In April 1967, he was elected MP for Brierly Hill. This constituency disappeared in the boundary redistribution, which took place at the general election of February 1974. In the general election of October 1974, he was elected member of Atrincham and Sale. He was returned for a fourth time in June 1987. In April 1992, he was returned for a fifth time with the highest majority ever achieved. Sir Fergus was elected secretary of the Conservative Parliamentary Education Committee and became its vice chairman in 1971. Two years later he was appointed parliamentary private secretary to Thatcher when she was secretary of state for education and science. After Thatcher became leader of the opposition, Sir Fergus was her parliamentary private secretary from 1975-1976. He also was a member of the Select Committees on Environment and Home Affairs and chairman of the North West Group of Conservative MPs from 1990-97. In the 1985 New Year Honours List, Sir Fergus was given a knighthood. |
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