James Bethell, 5th Baron Bethell


James Nicholas Bethell, 5th Baron Bethell, is a British hereditary peer and junior minister in the House of Lords.

Biography

The Hon. James Nicholas Bethell was educated at the independent, fee-paying Harrow School before going on to study for a Scottish Master of Arts in History and Politics at the University of Edinburgh.
Bethell worked as a journalist, then managed the Ministry of Sound nightclub, before founding Westbourne Communications which he sold to Cicero Group after succeeding to his family titles.
He contested the 2009 primary to become the Conservative Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Gosport. He came second behind Caroline Dinenage, who went on to become the Member of Parliament in the 2010 general election.
Bethell entered the House of Lords in July 2018, after successfully contesting a Conservative hereditary peers' by-election.
In July 2019, he was appointed a Lord-in-Waiting and, in March 2020, was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Innovation at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Personal life

Bethell is married to Melissa, a businesswoman, Lord and Lady Bethell have four children. He succeeded his father Nicholas as Baron Bethell in 2007.