After unsuccessfully contesting the
1953 Paddington North by-election, Eden was first elected as a
Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for
Bournemouth West at the
1954 Bournemouth West by-election, which he would continue to represent from 1954 until 1983. When first elected, he was the
Baby of the House, the youngest member of the
House of Commons. He was appointed to the
Privy Council on 10 April 1972 and was created a
life peer as
Baron Eden of Winton, of
Rushyford in the
County of Durham on 3 October 1983, following his retirement from the House of Commons. He retired from the House of Lords on 11 June 2015 under the provisions of the
House of Lords Reform Act 2014. Following the death of
Lord Healey on 3 October 2015, Eden became the oldest surviving former MP with the earliest date of first election. Appointments: • Member of the House of Commons Estimates committee (1960–1964) • Delegate to Council of Europe and West European Union (1960–1962) • Delegate to NATO Technology (June–October 1970) •
Minister of State for Industry (1970–1972) •
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1972–1974) • Member of the House of Commons Expenditure committee (1974–1976) • Chairman of the Select Committee on EEC Legislation (1976–1979) • Chairman of the Select Committee on Home Affairs (1980–1983) • Chairman of the British Lebanese Association (1990–1998) • Chairman of the
Royal Armouries Association (1986–1994) • Member of Timken Company International Advisory Board • Chairman of Lady Eden's Schools Ltd ==Family life==