The Right Honourable The Lord Teverson |
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Member of the European Parliament for Cornwall and West Plymouth | |
In office 1994–1999 |
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Preceded by | Seat created |
Succeeded by | Seat merged into South West England |
Personal details | |
Born | 31 March 1952 |
Nationality | British |
Political party | Liberal Democrats |
Spouse(s) | Terrye Jones |
Alma mater | Exeter University |
Website | www.libdems.org.uk |
Robin Teverson, Baron Teverson (born 31 March 1952) is a Liberal Democrat politician, and former Member of the European Parliament.
At the 1994 European Parliament election, Teverson was elected Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Cornwall and West Plymouth, becoming one of the first two Liberal Democrats ever elected to the European Parliament along with Graham Watson in Somerset and North Devon. He was Chief Whip of the European Liberal Democrats from 1997 and 1999. In 1999, he was Chairman of Finance South West Ltd.
At the 1999 European Parliament election, the UK switched from electing MEPs in first past the post constituencies to a form of region-based proportional representation. Each party put forward a list of candidates, and the higher its vote share, the more seats it would be awarded. Watson and Teverson were both MEPs in the South West region, and the Liberal Democrats placed Watson in first position on its list and Teverson in second position. At the election, the Liberal Democrats polled 16.5% of the vote in the South West, entitling them to just one of the region's seven seats. Thus Watson was elected, but Teverson lost his seat.
On 1 June 2006, he was created a life peer as Baron Teverson, of Tregony in the County of Cornwall.
During his time in the Lords he has chaired both the House of Lords EU select sub-committee on External Affairs, and its ad-hoc select committee on the Arctic. He oversaw the publication of the Committee's report 'responding to a changing Arctic' which explored 'recent and expected changes in the Arctic and their implications for the UK and its international relations'.