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Dr Richard Lawson was born in Hayling Island, Hampshire, UK in
1946, qualified in medicine (Westminster Hospital) in 1969, and
travelled overland around the world in 1971-2 (sadly without crossing
the Equator - bit of an error there).
After seven years of hospital psychiatry he transferred to general
practice.He is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists,
and has been in general medical practice in Congresbury, North
Somerset since 1979, retiring to go part time in Autumn 2006.
Medical interests include social and preventive medicine, demand
management, psychotherapy (cutting ties and PTSD desensitisation),
clinical ecology, acupuncture, hypnosis and manipulation. Many
letters have been pyublished in national papers, and he has had
occasional articles in the medical press, including the BMJ.
He has been a UK Green Party member since about 1975, holding
various national offices including Co-Speaker (one of two principal
spokespersons for the national party) in the 1992 General Election.
He was elected to the then Woodspring District Council in 1986,
retiring after six years' service. Received nearly 25% of the
vote in the 1985(?) European election - one of the highest ever
Green votes in Europe, but was denied representation by the profoundly
undemocratic electoral system. Wrote
Green Politics in a Nutshell that sold out in green party
circles. He held the post of Health Speaker for the Green Party
until 1999. He contributed an Overview
to the first International journal of Green Economics. He is a
strong protagonist n the current debate in green circles about
carbon offsetting, being very much in favour of ecologically and
socially sensitive planting policies.
Married, with three children, he enjoys gardening, cycling, and
treework, and has in the past indulged in roller hockey, windsurfing,
sand yachting and scuba diving and hangliding, but not all at
the same time. He plays the flute, writes poems, short stories
and songs.
He has a number of inventions, chiefly a double film, flexible
aerofoil sail which he has been developing steadily for a number
of years. It performs with great promise in high winds, and is
ready for commercial adoption by a sailmaker for to low wind speeds.
He is at present involved with a promising energy saving project.
He is also the author of a web based medical symptom assessment
service (although this is currently out of action due to technical
difficulties with the wizard that drives it).
He is a Quaker and a member/supporter
of Greenpeace,
Friends of the
Earth, Campaign Against the
Arms Trade Sustrans,
Survival International,
Charter 88, Intermediate
Technology, Shelter,
Amnesty International, MEDACT,
Medical Foundation
for Victims of Torture, Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament, New
Economics Foundation, Medical
and Scientific Network, Free
Tibet Campaign , British
Scociety for Clinical Ecology, United
Nations Association and was active in the Campaign
Against Sea Dumping. (NB some memberships may have lapsed
due to the passage of time)
At present, his most important role is as founder of and contact
for the Campaign for an
Index of Human Rights in the UN. He is currently (2006) joint
International Coordinator for the Green Party England and Wales.
Tel: +44-(0)1934-835140
E-mail: rlawson@gn.apc.org
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