Michael Alison

Michael James Hugh Alison (27 June 1926 – 28 May 2004)[1] was a British Conservative politician.

Michael Alison
Member of Parliament for Selby (Barkston Ash 1964–1983)
In office 15 October 1964 – 8 April 1997
Succeeded by	John Grogan
Preceded by	Leonard Ropner
Personal details
Born	Michael James Hugh Alison (1926-06-27)27 June 1926 Margate, Kent, England
Died	28 May 2004(2004-05-28) (aged 77)
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Sylvia Haigh ​ (m. 1958)​
Children	3 (including James)
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Wadham College, Oxford Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Born in Margate, Kent,[2] Alison was educated at Eton College; Wadham College, Oxford; and Ridley Hall, Cambridge. During the war, he served in the Coldstream Guards. He was a councillor on Kensington Borough Council from 1956 to 1959 and a research worker on foreign affairs at the Conservative Research Department from 1958 to 1964.

He served as Member of Parliament for Barkston Ash from the 1964 general election until that constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election,[3] and then for the constituency of Selby which replaced it, from 1983 until he stood down at the 1997 general election.[3]

He held various junior ministerial posts under Margaret Thatcher, including serving as her Parliamentary Private Secretary (1983–87) and as a Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office 1979–81, Department of Employment 1981–83). For ten years from 1987 he was the Second Church Estates Commissioner.[4]