George Coleridge, The Earl of Strathmore

The Right Honourable The Earl of Strathmore
Portrait painted by Lord Sidmouth.
Secretary of State for the Home Office
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 November 2024 (104 days)
Monarch	Charles III
Prime Minister	The Duke of Somerset
Deputy	Anastasia Hamilton
Senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 November 2024 (102 days)
Monarch	Charles III
Lord Speaker	The Earl of Durham
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 November 2024 (107 days)
Monarch	Charles III
Title	Baron Coleridge of Broadclyst Earl of Strathmore
Personal details
Born	George Henry Edward John Coleridge 10 November 2024 (107 days)
Political party	Unionist Party
Residence(s)	Althorp House Ellerton House
Occupation	Historian Landowner Politician
Title	Earl of Strathmore
Signature
Nickname	Georgie

George Henry Edward John Coleridge, The Earl of Strathmore (joined 10 November 2024) is a British historian, landowner, and Unionist politician. He currently serves as the Secretary of State for the Home Office, Senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord Temporal of the House of Lords, and works on the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Preservation Institute of which John, Prince of Wales is Royal Patron.

In the final parliament of the Reign of Charles III, Coleridge was appointed to be a Member of the House of Lords as the Lord Coleridge of Broadclyst. During the November 2024 General Election, Coleridge came out in support of a proposed unity coalition so that the government could focus solely on the betterment of the region and set aside politics for a parliamentary term. This position was published from his estate, Ellerton House, in the form of A Modest Proposal for Unity in Government. When the Conservative and Unionist Parties were the only political groups to join together under the aegis of unity, Coleridge made the decision to join the latter party. When Matthew Somerset, The Duke of Somerset won the general election and appointed to be Prime Minister of Great Britain a third time, Coleridge was granted the portfolio of Secretary of State for the Home Office. On 19 November 2024, Coleridge was create the Earl of Strathmore, Viscount Althorp, and Baron Coleridge in recognition of previous service by Charles III.

Early Career

36th Parliament

See also: November 2024 General Election and Parliamentary Record of George Coleridge

It was announced on 10 November 2024 that Coleridge would serve in the 36th Parliament of Great Britain as the Lord Coleridge of Broadclyst. During the campaign period of the November 2024 General Election, Lord Coleridge published A Modest Proposal for Unity in Government from Ellerton House. This statement sought to "do away with mere politicking and focus on the solutions which would bring about . . . meaningful reform and progress." Later that day, the Conservative Party and Unionist Party formed a coalition, while the British Workers' Party and Labour Party formed the Rose and Sickle Coalition, and the Heron Party opted out of forming a coalition at all. Lord Coleridge expressed his ". . . disappointment at seeing the formation of the Rose and Sickle Coalition" and "the point of a unity coalition is to bring all of these parties together for the common good and welfare of the region. I just think it's unfortunate that the British Workers' and Labour Parties have decided to turn their backs on that."

Coleridge became a member of the Unionists on 12 November 2024. In a statement from Ellerton House, he said, "I joined the Unionist Party because their commitment to bring people together and to do so in the benefit of the Empire of Great Britain" while criticising Rose and Sickle for "politicking and partisan machinations" which he had "called the Empire to avoid." The Leader of the British Workers' Party, Charles Wright, The Baron Huntingdon, characterised the statement as "turning back to the divisive culture we have seen in the past."

Later that day, The Observer released pre-voting poll results which indicated a Rose and Sickle coalition victory. In an article to The Times, Coleridge wrote, "If I were the Lord Huntingdon, I would reconsider my willingness to serve as the Prime Minister and think about forming a Cabinet just in case his coalition achieves the confidence of the House of Commons." Not long after, Lord Huntingdon released a statement from the Sickle and Rose campaign stating his intentions to properly contest the premiership and determined his proposed Cabinet. Coleridge was listed as First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs should the left-wing coalition win. While writing his article for The Times, Coleridge discovered that "At least five citizens [had] not posted on the forums ranging from 121 to 37 days ago and at least one citizen's nation ceased to exist just over two days ago." He pressed the Prime Minister, Lord Huntingdon, to rectify this to no avail and filed a Judicial Review with the Royal Court of Justice. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Prime Minister conducted a check of the Master Citizenship List himself and the case was closed.

In an upset, defying polling results, all but one of the Sickle and Rose candidates were returned to the House of Commons with the Conservative and Unionist Parties winning the day in a landslide. After the Kissing of the Hands, Coleridge was appointed by Charles III to serve as Secretary of State for the Home Office in the Third Somerset Ministry. In his opening statement, Coleridge expressed his gratitude to serve as the Home Secretary, saying the Home Office is "the beating heart of not only His Majesty's Government, but the Empire of Great Britain at large." He announced that Anastasia Hamilton would continue in her role as Deputy Secretary of the Home Office and that the nations which had departed the Empire of Great Britain to New Oracle had returned. The next day, he hired Charles Wright, The Baron Huntingdon as a Minister of State for the Home Office to help give "a strong emphasis gameside.".

In his Maiden Speech to the House of Lords, Coleridge entreated his colleagues to change the footing with which they have recently judged bills from the House of Commons. He stated, "I sincerely wish to demonstrate to my noble colleagues that there are often more paths than are immediately given to us. Beyond Content, Not Content, and Abstain, we have the privilege and opportunity to hold the agendas of the Other Place in our hands" as the House of Lords has "unconsciously in the past, distanced itself away from critique and the desires of the community at large." As a solution, he proposed the House "return to its earliest days, when amendments were the first solution, where we negotiated with the Other Place, and who improved the quality of the bills tabled before us." On 15 November 2024, Coleridge was appointed Senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords by the Lord Speaker, Prince William, Earl of Durham.

Coleridge was created the Earl of Strathmore, Viscount Althorp, and Baron Coleridge on 19 November 2024 by Charles III in recognition of past service in previous lives. These titles also came under a special remainder "that the titles shall be non-hereditary and shall be deemed extinct on the departure of Mr. Coleridge from the Empire."

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles

• 19 November 2024: Earl of Strathmore
• 23 June 2024: Viscount Althorp
• 6 April 2024: Baron Coleridge

Styles

• 10 November 2024: Mr George Coleridge
• 10 November 2024 - 19 November 2024: The Right Honourable Lord George Coleridge, Baron Coleridge of Broadclyst
• 19 November 2024 - present: The Right Honourable Lord George Coleridge, The Earl of Strathmore

Selected Quotes

We are at a turning point within the history of our great Empire and if we can agree to work together in a special relationship for just one term, I believe we can achieve wonders for the betterment of the community we have all come to enjoy and rely.

— George Coleridge, Baron Coleridge of Broadclyst, A Modest Proposal for Unity in Government

I feel the Home Office is grievously misunderstood as a Cabinet Office and it often has the reputation of merely being paperwork. However, it is the beating heart of not only His Majesty's Government, but the Empire of Great Britain at large.

— George Coleridge, Baron Coleridge of Broadclyst, Sailing into the Dawn

I do not want us to lose hope, however. The recruitment and retention crisis is merely something we shall overcome as we continue on our shared journey within the Empire. Even now, the schism with our onsite region is being mended as the departed nations of New Oracle have returned to our shores. So take heart and hearken to me! We are sailing into the dawn and it shall be valorous indeed when we witness the turning of the tide.

— George Coleridge, Baron Coleridge of Broadclyst, Sailing into the Dawn

In this hall of gold and garnet, we speak in sight of the Throne — by whose leave we are granted our seats here, the coronets on our brow, the rings on our fingers, the rods of gold in our hands, and the cloaks of ermine on our shoulders. To each of us, in the carefully manicured shelves of the William V Royal Galley are our letters patent. I would like to read a copy of His Royal Highness The Earl of Durham’s, of which the language is the same for all princes. “. . . that he may preside there and may direct and defend those parts. . .”. While not all of us are princes, I like to believe we are, all of us, commanded to preside, direct, and defend the Empire of Great Britain — the Imperial Family to which we all belong. We cannot forget why we are here, why we serve. Our first duty is to represent the interests of His Majesty The King, but our second duty, that which gives the bones of this House its flesh, is sober second thought.

— George Coleridge, Baron Coleridge of Broadclyst, "To Preside, Protect, and Defend"

Change can be good if we let it, if we make it. In a time of lamentation, let us sing with the sound of rigorous and respectful debate. Let not the days go down in the West. Harken, my Lords! For we can show those who are younger how to speak of Kings, for what is golden and good is not lost to elder days.

— George Coleridge, Baron Coleridge of Broadclyst, "To Preside, Protect, and Defend"