George Thomson is celebrating at his birthday with some old political chums, including two members of the original SDP Gang of Four, Baroness (Shirley) Williams of Crosby and Lord (William) Rodgers of Quarry Bank. “It should have been the Gang of Five,” he says, “but in 1981 I’d just accepted the job as chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority after returning as an ex-politician and redundant from Brussels.” He was one of the first commissioners at the EU, 1973-77, after falling out with the Labour Party over its anti-Europe policy. Nowadays he is a regular speaker in the House of Lords for the Lib Dems, though he strongly objects to the hereditary principal. He has not made up his mind yet about who he will back for the next leadership but says: “I am watching events, though I am very sad and concerned about it all.” Also attending his birthday party are his wife, Grace, and their two grandchildren. Lord Thomson of Monifieth is 85 today. RGT
Gavin Bryars, composer, 63; Sir Robin Dunn, a Lord Justice of Appeal, 1980-84, 88; Professor Sir John Enderby, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Bristol University, 75; Peter Faulkner, president of the RICS, 63; Professor Roy Foster, Irish historian, 57; the Right Rev Michael Henley, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, 1995-2004, 68; Professor Sir Peter Hirsch, metallurgist, 81; Professor Baroness Murphy, chairman of the North East London Strategic Health Authority, 59; Richard Ormond, director of the National Maritime Museum, 1986-2000, 67; Nadine Peppard, race relations consultant, 84; Keith Shackleton, artist and naturalist, 83; Christine Truman, tennis player, 65; Lady Vaizey, art critic, 68; James Watson, chairman of the National Freight Consortium, 1991-94, 71; Michael White, theatre and film producer, 70.