Roy Kennedy, Baron Kennedy of Southwark

British politician and life peer (born 1962)

The Right Honourable

The Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Official portrait, 2024

Chief Whip of the House of Lords
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms

Incumbent

Assumed office
10 July 2024
Prime Minister| Keir Starmer
Preceded by| The Baroness Williams of Trafford
Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Lords
In office
1 June 2021 – 5 July 2024
Party Leader| Keir Starmer
Preceded by| The Lord McAvoy
Succeeded by| The Baroness Williams of Trafford
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal

Life Peerage

Assumed office
28 June 2010
Personal details
Born|

Roy Francis Kennedy

(1962-11-09) 9 November 1962 (age 62)
Lambeth, London, England
Political party| Labour Co-op
Spouse| Alicia Kennedy

Roy Francis Kennedy, Baron Kennedy of Southwark, PC (born 9 November 1962)[1] is a British politician and life peer serving as Chief Whip of the House of Lords since 2024. He is a member of the Labour and Co-operative Parties.

## Early life

[edit]

Born in Lambeth, London to Irish parents, Kennedy grew up on the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark.[2] His mother, Frances, worked in the Member's Tea Room in the House of Commons.[2] He attended St Joseph's Primary School in Camberwell and St Thomas the Apostle School in Nunhead.

## Political career

[edit]

In 1986, at the age of 23, Kennedy was elected to represent Newington ward on Southwark Council. He subsequently held several positions on the Council, including Deputy Leader, and was appointed an Honorary Alderman in 2007.

Employed as a full-time Labour staffer from 1990, he became an organiser in Coventry, West Midlands the following year. During the 1992 general election, in the constituency of Coventry South East, Kennedy worked on Jim Cunningham's campaign and helped narrowly defeat Militant-affiliated MP Dave Nellist, who had been deselected as Labour's candidate. He moved to the East Midlands in 1994, where he served as Labour's Regional Director from 1997 to 2005. Kennedy took up the national role of Director of Finance and Compliance in 2005.

Soon after leaving the employment of Labour in September 2010, Kennedy was appointed as an Electoral Commissioner following a nomination by the party. He chose to seek election to Lewisham Council rather than serve a second term on the Commission, and was elected to represent Crofton Park ward from May 2014 to May 2018.

### House of Lords

[edit]

Kennedy was made a life peer in the 2010 Dissolution Honours on the recommendation of Gordon Brown, the outgoing prime minister. He was created Baron Kennedy of Southwark, of Newington in the London Borough of Southwark, on 21 June 2010.[3] He made his maiden speech in the House of Lords on 21 July 2010.[4] During his tenure in Parliament, Kennedy has been Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Voter Registration, Vice Chair of the APPG on Credit Unions and a member of the Co-operative Party Parliamentary Group.

He first joined the opposition frontbench as a whip from October 2011 to September 2012, under the leadership of Ed Miliband. Kennedy returned to the role in September 2015, under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, and was also appointed as a shadow spokesperson for Communities and Local Government, Housing and Home Affairs.[5]

Kennedy was elected unopposed as Opposition Chief Whip in the Lords in June 2021,[6] and stepped down as an opposition Home Affairs and Cabinet Office spokesperson. He was appointed to the Cabinet Office role less than a month earlier, and stepped down from his remaining spokesperson roles in December 2021. As Opposition Chief Whip, he became Deputy Chair of the Lords Committees and a shadow cabinet attendee, now under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer.

Kennedy held the title of Honorary President of the National Pubwatch until 11th September 2024 and was succeeded by Graham Evans, Baron Evans of Rainow.

## Personal life

[edit]

Kennedy is married to Alicia Kennedy, former Deputy General Secretary of the Labour Party, who sits alongside him as a life peer in the Lords.[7] They served together on Lewisham Council from 2014 to 2016 as well.

He is a supporter of Millwall Football Club.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Debrett's homepage". Debrett's. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
2. ^ a b "Lord Roy Kennedy – A Family Affair". Politics Home. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
3. ^ "No. 59468". The London Gazette. 24 June 2010. p. 11914.
4. ^ Lord Kennedy delivered his maiden speech on 21 July 2010.
5. ^ "Labour Lords". Labour Lords. 24 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
6. ^ "Exclusive: Top Keir Starmer Aide Digs In Over Plan To Remove Her From Leader's Office". Politics Home. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
7. ^ "Baroness Kennedy of Cradley". UK Parliament. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom

Political offices

Preceded by

The Baroness Williams of Trafford

|  Chief Whip of the House of Lords
2024–present  | Incumbent
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
2024–present
Party political offices
Preceded by

Lord McAvoy

|  Labour Chief Whip in the House of Lords
2021–present  | Incumbent
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by

The Lord Deben

|  Gentlemen
Baron Kennedy of Southwark | Followed by

The Lord Knight of Weymouth

Authority control databases: People |

* UK Parliament

|