| Jeffery John Mumford Speed | |
| Honorific Suffix: | CBE FRSA FInstLM FRGS |
| Birth Date: | 3 October 1936 |
| Known For: | Director of Fundraising, Conservative Central Office (1995–96) |
| Nationality: | British |
Jeffery John Mumford Speed CBE FRSA FInstLM FRGS (born 3 October 1936) was Director of Fundraising and the Treasurer's Department at Conservative Central Office (1995–96).[1] Speed was described as the "ultimate party worker", a party stalwart, and he was credited with turning around the party's finances, wiping-out over twelve million pounds in the party's deficit and building-up the party coffers before the 1996 elections.[2]
Jeffery John Mumford Speed was born on 3 October 1936, the son of Herbert Victor Speed and Dorothy Barbara Speed (née Mumford).[3] He was educated at Bedford Modern School.
Speed started his career in commerce with General Motors before being made a Conservative Party Agent (1965–78).[3] He was election agent for the Rt Hon. Iain MacLeod (1970); Cecil Parkinson (1970); and the Rt Hon. Edward Heath (1974).[3]
Speed held a number of positions at Conservative Central Office including Director of Constituency Services (1993–95) before becoming the Director of Fundraising (1995–96). Speed was described as the "ultimate party worker", a party stalwart, and he was credited with turning around the party's finances, wiping-out over twelve million pounds in the party's deficit and building-up the party coffers before the 1996 elections.[2] He mysteriously resigned just before those elections, due, it was said, to a disagreement with Dr Brian Mawhinney, the Conservative Party Chairman.
Speed is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management.[3] He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1993 and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 2003.[3]
Speed was invested as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1991.[3]
In 1985, Speed married Hilary Anne Busfield, daughter of the late Haley Busfield of Mayfield, Sussex.[3] His interests include antique maps (especially those by John Speed), oenology, travel (particularly in Spain), musical theatre and film.[3] He is a member of the Royal Over-Seas League.[3]
Jeffery Speed is the brother of Sir Herbert Keith Speed and a direct descendant of John Speed.[4]