The James Goldsmith Story: Politics, Business, and Beyond

James Goldsmith was a British businessman and politician who made a name for himself in the 1980s. He was a member of the wealthy Goldsmith family.

Born in 1933, Goldsmith was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. He served in the Coldstream Guards.

Goldsmith's entry into politics was through the Conservative Party, where he stood for Parliament in the 1960s. He later became a member of the Social Democratic Party.

Goldsmith's business career was marked by controversy, including a high-profile takeover battle at the Guinness brewery in 1986.

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James Goldsmith was born in Paris, France, to a wealthy family with a long history in banking. His father, Frank Goldsmith, was a luxury hotel tycoon and former Conservative MP.

James's family was Jewish and had been influential in international merchant banking since the 16th century. His great-grandfather, Benedikt Hayum Goldschmidt, founded the B. H. Goldschmidt bank and was consul to the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

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James had to flee France with his family in 1940 when Nazi Germany overran the country. They managed to escape on the last over-loaded ship from the French port of exit, leaving behind their hotels and much of their property.

The family relocated to the Bahamas, and James was sent to school in Canada, where he founded a business trapping small furbearing animals like rabbits and mink. He later attended Millfield and Eton College, where he left early in 1949 at the age of 16.

James won £8,000 on a horse racing bet, which was a significant amount of money at the time, equivalent to £357,000 in today's currency. With the money, he decided to leave Eton immediately, declaring "a man of my means should not remain a schoolboy!"

After leaving school, James took over a business in Paris from his brother Teddy, which sold a cure for rheumatism and electrical plugs and sockets. He also served as a Gunner in the British Army's Royal Artillery under the National Service requirements, during which time he received a commission as an officer.

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James Goldsmith's political career was marked by his strong opposition to the European Union. He became increasingly concerned about the EU's centralising powers and its supposed desire for German domination.

Goldsmith publicly declared his opposition to the EU in a televised lecture in March 1993, which was broadcast on Channel 4 Television. He also financially supported a Eurosceptic think tank called the European Foundation.

In 1994, Goldsmith founded and financed the Referendum Party in the UK, with the goal of holding a public vote on whether the UK should leave the EU. This party was modelled after the Majorité pour l'autre Europe.

The Referendum Party stood candidates in the 1997 general election, with Goldsmith running in the Putney area of London. He received 3.5% of the votes, which was not enough to save the seat of his opponent, David Mellor.

Goldsmith's election performance was weakened by his poor health, as he was secretly battling cancer during the campaign. He also lost his £500 candidate's deposit due to receiving less than 5% of the votes.

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Goldsmith attracted little attention until he became embroiled in a damaging dispute with anti-establishment satirical magazine Private Eye.

The controversy started in 1976 when Private Eye accused Goldsmith of being part of a conspiracy to obstruct justice in relation to Lord Lucan, a fugitive wanted for murder.

Goldsmith was falsely accused of participating in a meeting called by John Aspinall to help Lucan, but in reality, he was just a regular at Aspinall's gambling club, the Clermont.

Goldsmith pursued a large number of civil lawsuits against the editor of the magazine and a journalist, and even sought to bring a criminal libel prosecution, which had not been done in over 50 years.

Through his actions, Goldsmith formed an unlikely friendship with Labour Party Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who shared his disdain for Private Eye.

Goldsmith's access to Wilson proved beneficial when he became head of the troubled Slater Walker, and this is said to have contributed to his eventual knighthood.

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The costly libel suits were eventually settled by Goldsmith, but he was subsequently dogged by disparaging commentary from the British media.

In November 1977, the BBC's The Money Programme aired a critical account of Goldsmith's business history and methods.

Goldsmith appeared in person on the second programme, countering the implication of asset stripping by pointing to an investment of over a hundred million pounds his company was making to upgrade their going concerns.

Goldsmith bought the French weekly L'Express in 1977 and published the UK news magazine NOW! between 1979 and 1981, which never met circulation targets and incurred heavy losses.

After 84 issues, Goldsmith closed NOW! in early May 1981.

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James Goldsmith had a complex and multifaceted personal life. He was married three times, which is a remarkable fact in itself.

His first marriage was to María Isabel Patiño y Borbón, who tragically passed away in 1954 during pregnancy. Their daughter, Isabel, was born via C-section and survived.

He then married Ginette Léry, with whom he had two children, Manes and Alix. They divorced in 1978, but continued to share a house in Paris.

Ginette also had a house built on James' estate in Mexico, which she still maintains to this day. Manes went on to work for FIFA and owned football teams in Mexico.

Alix took over her father's properties in Mexico and manages them with her husband, including the famous hotels Cuixmala and Hacienda de San Antonio.

James Goldsmith was a British entrepreneur and investor who made his fortune in the 1970s and 1980s.

He built his business empire through a series of shrewd investments and mergers, including his role in the formation of the Hanson Trust.

Goldsmith's business ventures often involved taking on established companies and turning them around for profit.

He was known for his ruthless tactics and ability to spot undervalued assets.

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Goldsmith's business acumen and strategic thinking allowed him to accumulate a vast fortune and establish himself as a respected figure in the business world.

However, his legacy is also marred by controversy and criticism of his business practices.

Goldsmith's influence extended beyond his business dealings, as he was also a prominent figure in British politics and a vocal advocate for certain causes.

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