Constituency : Huntingdonshire 1945-68 ( Liberal National, from 1950 National Liberal and Conservative ) , 1968-79 ( Conservative )
David took over from Sidney Peters at Huntingdonshire. He won comfortably with a Liberal challenger coming third.
David was a doctor's son from Dartford. He was educated at Oundle School and Oxford. where he was President of the Liberal Club. He was a ken cricketer and rugby player. He became a barrister. He served in the Middle East during Wrld War Two and reached the rank of Major. He became president of the British Military Court in Tripoli,
David became friendly with Margaret Thatcher. He helped draft the European Convention on Human Rights in 1950. He was a junior minister in various departments until being sacked in the Night of the Long Knives in 1962. He was a big help to Rab Butler at the Home Office. He took up Recorder positions at Rochester and Guildford during the sixties. He supported joining the EEC. Towards the end of the Heath premiership he chaired a parliamentary committee on drafting legislation.
David had little difficulty holding his seat but clung to the National Liberal label longer than most. He was chair of the party from 1964 and was one of the remaining trio of National Liberal MPs when the party wound itself up in 1968.
David stood down in 1979 and became Baron Renton. He was deputy speaker in the Lords in the eighties. He became president of the Association of Conservative peers in 1998. He played cricket until his late sixties and hunted until 70. He passed his driving test in 2003 aged 95, a record . In 2004 he became the oldest peer.
David had a severely handicapped daughter and was an active supporter of disability charities.
David was slightly built and softly spoken. He had a methodical but effective style.
He died in 2007 aged 98.
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