Partners for 50 years... but Lord St John tied the knot only to save money: Tory dandy married gay lover in secret to avoid £1.2million inheritance tax bill
- Lord St John of Fawsley arranged ceremony with partner Adrian Stanford
- Partnership prevented taxman from taking 40 per cent of £3.3m estate
- Mr Stanford said the 'tax advantages' made the decision 'elementary'
- They had the ceremony at Westminster flat before Lord St John died
By Ben Ellery
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As a Tory Arts Minister, Cambridge college master and chairman of the Royal Fine Art Commission, the flamboyant Lord St John of Fawsley was renowned for his erudition, wit and irrepressible social skills.
But the urbane dandy also applied his keen mind to more practical financial matters – as The Mail on Sunday can reveal that he secretly entered into a civil partnership with his long-term partner to avoid paying inheritance tax.
The politician arranged the ceremony with Adrian Stanford to keep the taxman from taking 40 per cent of his £3.3 million estate.
Erudite: Lord St John of Fawsley (left), who died last march at 82, entered into a civil partnership with his partner of more than 50 years Adrian Stanford, 77, (right) to avoid a 40 per cent tax on his £3.3m estate
Although they kept their relationship discreet, they were partners for more than 50 years. But they decided to tie the knot only when they realised they would get a tax break.
Last night, Mr Stanford, 77, a former banker, said: ‘When we saw the tax advantages of a civil ceremony the decision was elementary.
‘I know some people do these things because they want their partnership to be recognised by law, but ours was to avoid the 40 per cent fee. There was no pomp and circumstance, it was very modest.
‘Normally one would have to go to a proper licensed building, but we had it at our flat because I am not very mobile since suffering a stroke.’
Lord St John with Margaret Thatcher, who he nicknamed 'the Leaderene'
Speaking at the £2 million Westminster penthouse they shared until the peer’s death last March at 82, Mr Stanford added: ‘There are those who are afraid to reveal they are in same-sex partnerships because they are concerned other people will look upon them negatively, but our reason was because we felt a private life should remain private.
‘People who knew us were already aware we were partners – it becomes pretty obvious once you have lived with someone for 50 years.’
The couple met 57 years ago when Lord St John – then Norman St John-Stevas – taught Mr Stanford law at Oxford.
Lord St John would later follow a political career, becoming Arts Minister and Leader of the Commons under Margaret Thatcher – but was one of the first Tory ‘wets’ to be sacked in 1981.
He is said to have coined the Prime Minister’s nickname Tina – from the initials of her mantra ‘There is no alternative’ – and also called her ‘the Leaderene’ and ‘the Blessed Margaret’.
He was known for affecting the manner of a fey Edwardian aesthete, such as lapsing into Latin and mispronouncing modern words.
The civil ceremony took place on November 19, 2009, the same month Lord St John drew up a will with Mr Stanford as the main beneficiary.
Had they not become partners in the eyes of the law, his estate would have been taxed at 40 per cent on everything above the £325,000 threshold – leaving a potential bill of up to £1.2 million.
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