▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁ 1 9 7 7 – 7 9 . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Political ▁Centre ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁as ▁Ass istant ▁Director , ▁becoming ▁Deput y ▁Director ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁and ▁Director ▁between ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁an ▁Officer ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁( OB E ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁New ▁Year ▁Hon ours . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁founder , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁and ▁member ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁Archive ▁Trust . ▁He ▁was ▁Chair man ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁of ▁the ▁pressure ▁group ▁Fri ends ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁Senior ▁Trust ee ▁of ▁the ▁T . ▁E . ▁Ut ley ▁Memorial ▁Fund ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁House ▁of ▁L ords ▁ ▁Co oke ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁life ▁peer ▁as ▁Baron ▁Lex den , ▁of ▁Lex den ▁in ▁the ▁County ▁of ▁Es sex ▁and ▁of ▁Str ang ford ▁in ▁the ▁County ▁of ▁Down , ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁on ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁David ▁Camer on . ▁He ▁s its ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁L ords ▁as ▁a ▁Conserv ative . ▁ ▁Lord ▁Lex den ' s ▁website ▁highlight s ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁L ords , ▁including ▁speech es , ▁videos ,