Baron Silkin

Baron Silkin, of Dulwich in the County of London, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1950 for the solicitor and Labour politician Lewis Silkin. The peerage was disclaimed by both his eldest son, the second Baron, and the latter's nephew, the third Baron. When the third Baron disclaimed the title in 2002, the barony of Silkin became the first peerage ever to be disclaimed twice; and the only disclaim since the House of Lords Act 1999 (which excluded hereditary peers from automatically sitting in the House of Lords and thereby made such peers eligible to sit in the Commons, the main purpose for the 1963 Act.)

Samuel Silkin, Baron Silkin of Dulwich and John Silkin, younger sons of the first Baron, were also prominent Labour politicians. Lord Silkin of Dulwich was the father of Christopher Silkin, disclaimed third Baron Silkin.

Barons Silkin (1950)

• Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin (1889–1972)
• Arthur Silkin (1916–2001), succeeded as 2nd Baron Silkin on 11 May 1972 and disclaimed 18 May 1972
• Christopher Lewis Silkin (b. 1947), succeeded as 3rd Baron Silkin on 25 November 2001 and disclaimed on 4 April 2002

The heir presumptive is Rory Lewis Silkin, first-cousin of Christopher Silkin.

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages