John Hill

John Edward Bernard Hill (13 November 1912 – 6 December 2007) was a British barrister, farmer and Conservative politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for South Norfolk for 19 years, from 1955 to 1974. He was also one of the UK's first MEPs, serving from 1973 to 1974. After two years travelling in Asia and the Middle East, he became a barrister, called to the Bar at Inner Temple in 1938. His majority fell to only 119 in 1966. He did not stand in the February 1974 general election and was succeeded as MP by John MacGregor.

In Parliament, Hill concentrated mainly on the agricultural interests of his largely rural constituency. Elected to the executive of the 1922 Committee in November 1956, in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis, he became an assistant government whip in January 1959 alongside Willie Whitelaw. While an MP, he pressed for the introduction of a small clock in the corner of the internal monitors, which would tell everyone within the Palace of Westminster how long a member has been speaking for.

Hill served as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury from 1960 to 1964 and as Opposition spokesman on education and science briefly in 1965–66. He was later active on the education and agriculture select committees. He supported Edward Heath's policy of joining the European Community, and was a delegate to the Council of Europe and the Western European Union. When the UK joined the EC in 1973, Hill was appointed as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and served from January 1973 until July 1974. At that time MEPs were appointed by national parliaments, rather than being directly elected.

Personal life In later life Hill concentrated on farming. He collected British art, particularly paintings by Samuel Palmer. He married Edith Luard (née Maxwell) in 1944; she died in 1995. Hill was survived by their adopted daughter.