Career
He is notable for being one of the first peers suspended from the House of Lords since the 17th century. Taylor was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the 1969 Birthday Honours, and promoted to a Commander (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1974 Birthday Honours. He was created a Life Peer on 4 May 1978 taking the title Baron Taylor of Blackburn, of Blackburn in the County of Lancashire.
He became National President of the Education Authorities of the United Kingdom.
In 1977 he was Chairman of a Government Committee of Enquiry into Management and Government of Schools, and later he was the author of the Taylor Report on problems in universities. He was listed in Who"s Who 2009 as a Non-executive Director of Drax Power Limited. and A Division Holdings, a Consultant to British Aerospace Systems PLC
Initial Electronic Security Systems Limited. And an adviser to Electronic Data Systems Limited.
Advanced Encryption Standard Electric Limited; United Utilities PLC
Experian and Capgemini United Kingdom PLC On 29-January-2009 Experian agreed with Lord Taylor that he would retire as an adviser to them However, by 30 January 2009 he was an Adviser to National Physical Laboratory Estates, Alcatel-Lucent, Canatxx Energy Ventures Limited, British Telecom plc, Gersphere United Kingdom and T-Systems, and a Non-executive Director only of A Division Holdings
He is President or patron of various organisations and holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Lancaster, 1996.
He"s a Justice of the Peace Blackburn, 1960 and former Chairman of the Juvenile Bench.
He is a Freeman of Blackburn and of the City of London. In late-January 2009 Lord Taylor was one of 4 Labour peers of the realm accused of "sleaze" by the Sunday Times - it was alleged by the Sunday Times that Taylor proclaimed to two journalists posing as lobbyists that he was ready, willing and able to help a business secure favourable legislation in their sphere of interest in return for a fee.
Taylor was duped, and his behaviour exposed, by the reporter"s "sting" operation. On 20 May the House of Lords considered the report of its Privileges Committee and voted to suspend Lord Taylor and Lord Truscott for six months, the first such action since the 17th century.