After more than 50 years, Lord Henry Plumb is bowing out of national politics on Thursday 2 November when he gives his farewell speech to the House of Lords. Starting as Vice-President of the NFU at the age of 38, Lord
Plumb was successively NFU President for almost 10 years, Member of the European Parliament (EP) for the Cotswolds, Chairman of its Agriculture Committee, Leader of the Conservatives in the EP, first (and now only) British President of the EP and member of the House of Lords for over 30 years.
NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “Lord Plumb’s CV says it all. A career in British agriculture and politics that has spanned 78 years including being the longest serving NFU President of nearly 10 years, first (and now only) British President of the European Parliament and member of the House of Lords for over 30 years.
“Throughout his life Henry’s two abiding interests have been farming and Europe. As a farmer’s son and devoted stockman, farming was always in his blood. Interest in European cooperation came to him when as a young boy he watched Coventry in flames from the fields of his father’s farm.
“It is poignant that his valedictory speech to the House of Lords concerns British farming and Brexit. Henry has considerable concerns about the way things are going and it is a fair bet that his satisfaction at the close of a distinguished political career will be tinged with sadness. I wish him well in retirement.”
