Christopher Layton

**Christopher Layton** (born 31st December, 1929) was a former journalist, Liberal PPC, SDP MEP candidate, and EEC special advisor. He was known for his Europhilic views within the Liberal and SDP movements and was the Editor for the Alliance magazine. He died on the 12th March, 2023.

## Early life and education

Layton was born on the 31st December, 1929 in Wimbledon, the youngest of seven children. His father, Walter Layton, was a journalist for *The* *Economist*. He met Christopher's mother, Dorothy (née Osmaston) who was a suffragette and on the executive committee of the League of Nations, at Cambridge where Walter had been a lecturer in economics at Trinity College. Christopher's father was raised to the peerage in 1947 to become the 1st Baron Layton following his work in the Ministry of Supply and Ministry of Production during World War II.

Layton spent his early childhood summers playing on Porthleven's rocks and beaches near his grandmother's house with his siblings and cousins. As a six-year-old, Layton met Haile Selassie, the exiled emperor of Ethiopia, and was introduced to Winston Churchill in 1937. During World War II, he was evacuated to New York state in the United States during the early part of the war. However, Layton got homesick and his father, who had been visiting Roosevelt, brought him home to England in 1942 after the US entered the war, telling him that "We've won the war now anyway".

Layton was a pupil at Oundle School in Northamptonshire before studying at King's College, Cambridge, however he had a nervous breakdown and abandoned his degree after two years.

## Journalistic and political beginnings

Layton was in his late teens when in 1948, he attended the post-war European Congress in the Hague as an assistant to his father. Walter Layton was a chief adviser for the Joint War Production Staff in the Second World War and afterwards vice-chairman of the Council of Europe Assembly. A post-war united Europe was Walter’s mission and he ensured his son was made well aware of the arguments in its favour.

Layton worked as a journalist for *The Economist* during the 1950s, following in his father's footsteps, who had been editor of *The Economist* and then chairman of *The Economist Newspaper Ltd*. Layton wrote on international economic affairs and produced the publication's first piece on British entry into the European Economic Community. During this time, Layton joined the *Economist Intelligence Unit*, eventually publishing his views on a Europe-wide science and technology policy in his 1969 book *European Advanced Technology: A Programme for Integration*.

Layton served as personal assistant to Jo Grimond and stood as a candidate in Chippenham for the Liberals in three elections - 1962, 1964, and 1966 respectively. He also stood as a candidate for the Liberals in the 1969 Swindon by-election, coming third.

## Europe and Labour

Through his involvement with the Federal Trust think tank and the Federal Union political group, he crossed paths with Altiero Spinelli, the European commissioner for industry. When Spinelli’s chef de cabinet died unexpectedly in 1971 he nominated Christopher as his successor. It caused an uproar because Britain was not yet part of the EEC but Spinelli maintained that “it would be difficult to find somebody better suited to the role”. In 1971 Christopher moved to the 13th floor of Le Berlaymont, Brussels, and brought his views to bear in the early days of Airbus. When he left in 1981, he was given the rank of honorary director-general.

In the early 1970s, Layton left the Liberal Party for Labour, hoping to achieve a realignment of the left towards the centre. However, like many, Layton was dismayed with the party's shift to radicalism and left for the SDP in its early years.

## The SDP Years

It was in the summer of 1981 that Layton first had the idea for a monthly party magazine which was later realised as the *Alliance* in June 1982. He was keen to create a space where SDP members could share their opinions and read the opinions of their fellow members and party officials. Whilst much of *Alliance* did directly discuss internal and domestic affairs, Layton was keen to include wider coverage, including "the European dimension of politics".

In the 1984 European Parliament election, Layton stood as the SDP candidate for London West, placing third behind Labour and the Conservatives.

Layton withdrew from party politics following the dissolving of the SDP in 1989, instead focusing on creating the Grimstone community.

## Later Years

Layton was a co-founder of the Grimstone community near Dartmoor, whose manor and gardens provided the venue for residential courses in diverse spiritual and artistic subjects. He helped to host personal growth, spiritual and new age residential courses while embracing the practical and organisational tasks that community living required. He put in fence posts, cut the grass, pruned trees, cleared blocked drains and helped in the kitchen.

When Grimstone was sold 17 years later, Chris and his partner Wendy were the last founder members remaining.

At the turn of the century Layton became more concerned about climate change. He helped to bring together delegates from the EU and India with the aim of starting a global climate community. A meeting was held in Potsdam in 2008.

In later years Layton reserved his energy for sculpting, painting and planting trees. He was the co-founder of the Moor Trees charity to restore woodland to Dartmoor, had links with the Findhorn Foundation, a spiritual community in northeast Scotland, and was on the board of a charity that helps war-traumatised children.

## Death

Layton died on the 12th March, 2023, aged 93 years old. His obituary reads "The much loved Father of Diana, Kiran (Stephen), Sarah, Lesley, Laura and the late Ellie; and cherished Grandfather of six, and Great Grandfather of two.  He is also remembered with fondness by nieces, nephews and second cousins." His funeral was held at St. Eustachius' Church, Tavistock on the 1st April, 2023. There was an appeal for donations in Layton's memory for Moor Trees, Peace Building UK, and One World Trust.

## Personal Life

In his early twenties Layton began a five-year marriage to Anneliese von Thadden, a German au pair living near his parents in Sussex, and had two children.

Layton met his second wife, Ann Moon, whilst working at *The Economist*. They had three children before separating in 1990 when Layton moved to Grimstone Manor. Accompanying him was Wendy Daniels, a member of his meditation group in Barnes, southwest London. They had a child and married in 1995. Wendy predeceased him in 2009.