UEA/GRAY - Richard S. Grayson (Gen. Sec. of the SU)

UEA/GRAY

Series

Richard S. Grayson (Gen. Sec. of the SU)

1982-1991

3 boxes Mixed

Grayson, Richard S.

Liberal Democrats (Great Britain)
Students -- Political activity
Social Democratic Party (Great Britain)
University of East Anglia. Union of UEA Students

Grayson, Richard S.Richard S. Grayson (1969- ) was a student at UEA in English and American Studies (EAS) from 1987-91. In 1989-90 he held the post of sabbatical General Secretary of the Students' Union. The role replaced the previous 'President' for a few years until the current flat structure was brought in.

Following UEA, RSG obtained a Doctorate of Philosophy in Modern History at Queen’s College, Oxford.

During subsequent years RSG was involved in the Liberal Democrats at a number of levels. In 1999-2004 he was the party's Director of Policy, coordinating the writing of the party's 2001 general election manifesto. In 1999-2001 he was also Charles Kennedy's principal speechwriter. He was the party’s parliamentary candidate for Hemel Hempstead constituency in the 2005 and 2010 general elections.

RSG took up an academic post at Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2004.

After 25 years in the Liberal Democrat Party, RSG effectively withdrew his membership on 30/6/13.

This series was gifted by RSG to UEA and was deposited in the Archives in February 2013.

This series contains several files of correspondence and printed ephemera from RSG’s time as UEASU Gen. Sec. He was just 20 years old. Some files cover the 'Horsham Halls Committee' which published a magazine for the Fifers Lane residence and organised events/campaigns there, over 5 miles from the UEA campus. There are also papers of UEA students’ involvement in the Social Democrat Party/Liberal Party Alliance (SDP/LIB Alliance).

RSG’s vast archive of his involvement in politics in the Liberal Democrats is held with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) which also holds the Party archive.