He briefly became a crossbench member, citing his dislike of Blairism and 'the smell' of cash for questions.

[2][3] He worked at the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics, where he was the Cassel Professor of Commercial Law from 1964 until his retirement in 1992.

[4] After graduating in law from Queens' College, Cambridge, Wedderburn served in the RAF for two years.

He had a long career in labour law, and on 20 July 1977 was created a life peer with the title Baron Wedderburn of Charlton, of Highgate in Greater London[5] (Wedderburn chose this title as a tribute to his favourite football team Charlton Athletic F.C.

[4] In 1951 he married Nina Salaman, a medical researcher from a family of scientists and named after a grandmother.