▁life ▁peer ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁L ords . ▁▁▁▁ ▁Lord ▁Lex den ▁has ▁been ▁official ▁historian ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 9 ; ▁Cons ult ant ▁and ▁Editor ▁in ▁Chief , ▁Conserv ative ▁Research ▁Department ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁official ▁historian ▁and ▁archiv ist ▁of ▁the ▁Carl ton ▁Club ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁academic ▁career ▁Co oke ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁second ▁son ▁of ▁Dr ▁Bas il ▁Co oke ▁and ▁Nancy ▁I rene ▁Co oke ▁( née ▁Ne al ). ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁the ▁independent ▁F ram ling ham ▁College , ▁Su ff olk . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁Peter house , ▁Cambridge , ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁graduated ▁Master ▁of ▁Arts ▁( MA ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁L ect urer ▁and ▁T utor ▁in ▁Modern ▁History ▁at ▁The ▁Queen ' s ▁University ▁of ▁B elf ast ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁Ph D ▁from ▁that ▁institution ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁ ▁Co oke ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁des k ▁officer ▁within ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Research ▁Department ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁political ▁advis er ▁to ▁A ire y ▁Ne ave , ▁Sh adow ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for