Tribute to the Earl of Sandwich – by Lord Alton
11th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu: 11 April 1943 – 1 February 2025 | Image courtesy of UK Parliament
4 min read
A hereditary peer who supported Lords reform and devoted his life to the causes of international development and human rights, John Montagu was a man of expertise, kindness and wisdom
Last May the former lord speaker, Baroness D’Souza opened the Second Reading debate on her Private Members’ Bill to alter the legal status of two international organisations: the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
It is hard to think of a more appropriate debate in which John Montagu – the 11th Earl of Sandwich – would make his valedictory speech. After a lifetime devoted to international development, overseas aid, and human rights, his contributions in the House of Lords were always shaped by a combination of insight, wisdom, and firsthand experience.
At the age of 81, and with increasing challenges to his health, John told the House that it was time to retire, and urged the House to reappoint the Lord Speaker’s committee on Lords reform.
Lord Howell, now aged 89, with a twinkle in his eye and as lucid as ever told the House: “I cannot quite understand why he is going, actually – he seems to be quite a young man to me. His speeches are very young indeed, and of course we shall miss them, because he covers the whole world with great acumen and perception.”
As crossbench peers, John and I collaborated with Lord Howell and Baroness (Joyce) Anelay to persuade the House to establish the Lords International Relations and Defence Select Committee.
As an FCDO minister Joyce also had to face regular questions from John and recalls that, “when John rose to put his questions to me they would reflect his deep knowledge of the subject and his ability to probe courteously and determinedly the most important aspects of current developments in Sudan".
John was deeply committed to the people of Sudan
John was deeply committed to the people of Sudan and described the horrific war there as a “forgotten conflict". More than 11.4 million people have now been displaced and over three million people – mostly women and children – have fled to neighbouring countries.
Throughout the past 20 years John was a mainstay of the All-Party Group on Sudan and South Sudan – now chaired by Rachael Maskell MP – continuing to support its work in retirement. Rachael recalls that, “Just days before he died he took part in a meeting with the minister. He will be such a loss to the APPG.” Glen Promnitz, the APPG secretariat, says John’s commitment never wavered, noting his “wisdom, kindness, and expertise”.
In 1974 John joined Christian Aid – subsequently becoming a director – and he often worked alongside the British Red Cross, frequently reminding the House about the dangers facing the 4,000 volunteers from the ICRC and Red Crescent, working on the front line in Darfur and Gaza.
John and his wife Caroline, with whom he had once lived in India, combined their political and charitable interests with practical action on many fronts. Domestically he also took a great interest in heritage, the environment and conservation. He co-founded the APPG for prescribed drug dependence in 2015 with the then MP Oliver Letwin, and his work in this area led to important changes in Nice clinical guidelines to improve patient safety.
John’s title originated with Charles II’s senior admiral, Edward Montagu, the 1st Earl of Sandwich – while the 4th Earl’s story reminds us that well before McDonalds his family was the originator of fast food after the Earl apparently asked his servants to place meat between two slices of bread so he could continue to gamble whilst he eat. John recalled that the 4th Earl, unsure where to sit in the Lords, “ended up on the crossbenches. My father refused to come here from the House of Commons, and said it was stuffy – how wrong could he be?”
John was certainly not given to stuffiness and today’s Crossbench Convenor, the Earl of Kinnoull, sums up the man perfectly: “John, with his great mass of life experience, used his kindness and courtesy to project common sense on so many difficult and heart wrenching subjects.”
On 1 February it was announced that John had died peacefully in his sleep. May he rest in peace.
Lord Alton of Liverpool is a Crossbench peer
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