Lord Selsdon, businessman, banker and Tory peer who once caused consternation in the DVLA

His claim to have obtained phone numbers of litter-dropping motorists from friends in the agency appeared to breach the Data Protection Act

The 3rd Baron Selsdon, who has died aged 86, was a banker, businessman and from 1999 to 2021 one of the Conservative peers elected to continue serving in the Lords after Tony Blair’s cull of the hereditaries. Succeeding his father in 1963, he was the second longest-serving member of the House by the time he was lapsed for non-attendance at the age of 83.
Generally a low-key member of the Lords – though for a time secretary of its yacht club – Selsdon only made headlines once. In 2013 he confessed during a debate to obtaining from “friends at the DVLA” the telephone numbers of motorists who threw litter from their cars, and calling them to point out the error of their ways.
“I find when you look at the international scene that, believe it or not, some of the most badly behaved now are British families in large 4x4s driving to the Alps to ski,” he told the Lords. “They are the ones I’ve followed occasionally and, for a bit of fun, I’ve just taken note of their number and occasionally manage – because I have friends with DVLA – to find their telephone and I give them a ring.
“I just say, ‘I’m sorry I happen to be involved in the political world a bit and it was noticed that at a particular point you did this.’ And of course most continental motorways have got signs every kilometre or every half kilometre or often more often so you know exactly where you are.”
His actions appeared to breach the Data Protection Act, which requires organisations such as the DVLA to keep the personal information in their hands secure and make sure it is not inappropriately accessed. The DVLA said it was urgently trying to contact Selsdon about what had happened before launching an internal investigation into a potential breach by members of its staff. But no more was heard of the matter.
Selsdon suffered somewhat from confusion between the title his grandfather had adopted and the libertarian free-marketeers led by Nicholas Ridley and Sir Keith Joseph who in 1973 formed the Selsdon Group, today chaired by John Redwood.
The group had its roots in a policy session chaired by Edward Heath prior to the 1970 election at the Selsdon Park Hotel, near Croydon, at which robust policies including letting industrial “lame ducks” go to the wall had been adopted; Harold Wilson gave Tories of this kind the soubriquet “Selsdon Man”.
Yet Selsdon himself had no connection with the group, and little politically in common with it. His Conservatism was of a more centrist variety.
Malcolm McEacharn Mitchell-Thomson was born on October 27 1937, the son of the 2nd Baron and his first wife, Phoebette Swithinbank.
His grandfather, the 1st Baron, was the Conservative politician who oversaw the birth of BBC television – appearing in the first night’s transmission from Alexandra Palace. His father competed in the Le Mans 24-hour race either side of the war; in 1949, with Luigi Chinetti, he drove a Ferrari to victory there for the first time after Enzo Ferrari had refused to enter a car himself.
Educated at Winchester, Malcolm followed his father into the Royal Navy, doing National Service from 1956 to 1958 as a sub-lieutenant.
He then went into business with a succession of companies: the UAM Group from 1959 to 1963, the London Press Exchange to 1972 and CT Bowring and the bankers Singer & Friedlander from then until 1976. With the Midland Bank from 1976 to 1990, he was its advisor in turn on the EEC and public finance.
Selsdon took his seat in the Lords in July 1963, but did not make his maiden speech – on pollution and the environment – until December 1970.
A month later he spoke in the debate on Heath’s opening negotiations with Brussels to take Britain into the EEC. His performance impressed Lord Jellicoe, Leader of the Lords and a fellow Wykehamist, who chose him that November to second the Loyal Address on the Queen’s Speech.
From 1972 to 1978, Selsdon was a delegate to the Council of Europe, but he never contemplated a career confined solely to politics.
Since 1987 he had been involved with vineyards in Provence, while continuing his City career with, in turn, Merloni Group, Raab Karcher and, from 1996, the housebuilders MJ Gleeson.
He chaired the Committee for Middle East Trade from 1979 to 1986, was a member of the British Overseeas Trade Board and the Eastern European Trade Council, and between 1992 and 1998 was president of the British Exporters’ Association. Since 2001 he had been president of the Anglo-Swiss Society.
A player of rackets, squash, real and lawn tennis, a skier and sailor, he chaired the Greater London and South East Regional Council for Sport and Recreation from 1977 to 1983.
Selsdon married first, in 1965, Patricia Smith; they divorced, and she died in 2018. In 1995 he married secondly Gabrielle Williams. She survives him, with a son from his first marriage: Callum Malcolm McEacharn Mitchell-Thomson, born 1969, who succeeds to the title as 4th Baron.
Lord Selsdon, born October 27 1937, died September 18 2024