Tony Baldry - Early Life

Early Life

Born in 1950, Baldry was educated at Leighton Park School, a Quaker school, and the University of Sussex where he read Law. During his university years, Baldry was actively involved in student politics and whilst attending Sussex, took the Students' Union to the High Court on the grounds that the Students' Union was making ultra vires payments out of Student Union funds to various political organisations. Baldry v. Feintuck for the first time defined the legal status of students' unions.

In 1971 whilst attending Sussex, Baldry joined the Sussex Yeomanry, reaching the rank of Acting Major during his nearly 20 years in the Royal Artillery. He retired from the Territorial Army on 1 April 1990.

Baldry began his political career in the February 1974 general election, serving as personal assistant to Maurice MacMillan, then Chief Secretary to the Treasury and in the October 1974 general election, he was personal assistant to Margaret Thatcher. When Margaret Thatcher later became Leader of the Conservative Party in 1975, Baldry joined her Private Office, working as the link between Mrs Thatcher and the "Britain in Europe Campaign" and the "Yes" Campaign, for the 1975 EU referendum. Baldry was active in the European movement and won the Robert Schumann Silver Medal in 1978 for contributions to Europe. In 1975, Baldry was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn and became a common lawyer, joining the Oxford and Midlands Circuit.

Tony Baldry was first selected as a Parliamentary candidate for the Thurrock constituency for the 1979 general election where he secured one of the largest swings to the Conservative Party.