Swinton Park Estate owner Felicity Cunliffe-Lister defeats Conservative rival to win North Yorkshire County Council by-election
Felicity Cunliffe-Lister is now the Liberal Democrat county councillor for Fountains and Masham, having polled 1,349 votes. Her only rival, Conservative candidate Brooke Hall, received 801. The seat was previously Tory.
Lady Masham, a lawyer, is married to Mark Cunliffe-Lister, the Earl of Swinton, whos family have owned Swinton Park since the 1880s. It was purchased by his ancestor Samuel Cunliffe- Lister, a Bradford mill baron.
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Hide AdIronically, the Cunliffe-Listers have always been staunch Conservative supporters, and even hosted Edward Heath’s shadow cabinet ministers for away days in the 1960s.
Countess Felicity has been instrumental in the development of Swinton Park into a luxury hotel, spa and leisure resort. The family seat is now Dykes Hill House, near Masham.
Her roots are not aristocratic – her parents were teachers and her previous renovation project before moving into Swinton Park was a one-bedroom flat in London.