James Cran

James Douglas Cran (28 January 1944 – Template:Circa 1 June 2023) was a British Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Beverley (1987–1997) and for Beverley and Holderness (1997–2005).

Early life

Cran went to Ruthrieston School in Aberdeen and became the school's 1959 Dux Medallion winner.<ref>Aberdeen Schools Dux Winners, Aberdeen Evening Express, 13 June 1959</ref> He studied at the University of Aberdeen, gaining an Honours MA. He was the National Winner of the 1968 Daily Mirror Speaking Trophy.<ref>Winner National Speaking Competition, Aberdeen Evening Express, 9 May 1968</ref>

Cran was a researcher in the Conservative Research Department during 1970–71 and was a member of then-Leader of the Opposition Ted Heath's briefing team during the 1970 general election. From 1971 to 1979, Cran was the Secretary and Chief Executive of the National Association of Pension Funds.<ref>Who's Who in Finance 1975-76 - Register of Professional Bodies and Financial Associations, Gower Press, Template:ISBN</ref><ref>NAPF Yearbook 1979, Template:ISBN</ref> He was the Northern Director for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from 1979 to 1984<ref>One Thing After Another, Stan Crowther MP, 2005, Template:ISBN</ref> and was the CBI's West Midlands Director from 1984 to 1987.<ref>Yearbook and Who's Who, 1985, Coventry Evening Telegraph, Template:ISBN</ref><ref>The Birmingham Post Yearbook and Who's Who, 1984-85</ref> From 1974 to 1979, he was a councillor in the London Borough of Sutton, and served as Chairman of the Health and Housing Committee.<ref>Committee Chairman, Wallington and Carshalton Times, 30 April 1976</ref>

Parliamentary career

Cran became MP for Beverley in 1987 taking over from Sir Patrick Wall. In 1997 this constituency was abolished and Cran was elected to the successor constituency of Beverley and Holderness.

Cran was a member of the '92 Group of right-wing Conservative MPs and took an active part in the leadership contests involving John Major (June 1995), Michael Howard (1997) and the latter stages of William Hague's campaign (1997).<ref>Michael Portillo - The Future of the Right, Michael Gove, 1995, Template:ISBN</ref><ref>Guilty Men - Conservative Decline and Fall 1992-97, Hywel Williams, 1998, Template:ISBN</ref> Cran was a consistent opponent of the Maastricht Treaty, and of the single currency and closer European integration.<ref>Cracking the Whip, Christopher Gill, 2012, Template:ISBN</ref>

Cran was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Patrick Mayhew from 1995 to 1996.<ref>Mayhew Picks Cran as Aide, The Financial Times, 4 May 1995</ref> He was present with the Secretary of State in Washington DC at the first meeting with Gerry Adams, then President of Sinn Féin. Cran was also Pairing Whip and then Assistant Chief Whip (1997–2001).<ref>Parliament in the 21st Century, Edited by Nicholas D J Baldwin, Template:ISBN</ref> He was appointed Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons by then-Leader of the Opposition Iain Duncan Smith but resigned shortly thereafter to pursue other activities.<ref>Two Tories Quit Tory Team, The Times, 18 October 2001</ref><ref>The Spicer Diaries, Michael Spicer, 2012, page 466, Template:ISBN</ref> He was a member of a number of Select Committees: Trade and Industry (1987–92); Administration (1997–98); Selection (1998–2001); and Defence (2001–05). He was also a member of the Chairman of Ways and Means Panel (2001–05) and a member of the Council of Europe and the WEU (2001–02).<ref>Annuaire de l'Assemblee, Avril 2002, Strasbourg</ref>

Other Parliamentary activities included:

• Vice Chairman, Conservative Backbench Northern Ireland Committee (1992–95)
• Order of St John All Party Group (1994–95)
• Secretary, Conservative Backbench Committee on Constitutional Affairs (1989–91)
• European Affairs (1989–91)
• All Party Anglo-Malta Group (1992–94) Co-founder
• Parliamentary Group on Occupational Pensions (1992)
• Member, Northern Ireland Grand Committee (1996–2001)
• Treasurer, European Research Group (1994–97)
• Member, '92 Group Steering Committee (2001–04)
• Council Member, Pension Trustees Forum (1992–95)
• Parliamentary Consultant, Lincoln National (UK) Plc (1994–98).

Personal life and death

Cran married Penelope Barbara Wilson of South Kensington in 1973 and they had one daughter, Alexandra. Penelope died in 2014. Cran's dead body was discovered at his home in the village of Ashkirk on 1 June 2023. He was 79.

Following his death, James Cran's daughter, Dr Alexandra Walker, alleged sustained emotional (and occasionally physical) abuse at his hands, beginning in her childhood and carrying on up until she broke off contact with him shortly before he died. Dr Walker described Cran as "terrifying", a "Jekyll and Hyde character" prone to mood swings and sudden fits of rage exacerbated by alcohol. She recounted that he once locked her in a car for "what felt like hours" for accidentally hitting him with a skimming stone, and tied her arms down at a restaurant as a toddler for throwing a salt shaker, among various other incidents. Walker also felt that Cran consistently belittled her as an adult, and emotionally blackmailed her in the aftermath of her mother's death.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Some personal artefacts associated with Cran were listed for sale by auction on 13 February 2025 by Eastbourne Auctions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

References

• Who's Who 2005, A&C Black, London, 2005.
• Diaries 1987–1992, Edwina Currie MP, 2002, Template:ISBN.

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External links

• They Work For You