He was born in Gorakhpur, India, and was educated at Harrow and Balliol College, Oxford. During the Boer War was a correspondent for the Times, and later edited the Times History of the South African War. In 1911 he was elected as a Conservative MP for Sparkbrook, Birmingham. As an under-secretary in Lloyd George's national government he helped draft the Balfour Declaration (1917). He was First Lord of the Admiralty (1922 - 1924) under Andrew Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin then later Colonial Secretary (1924 - 1929).

In the 1930's Amery along with Churchill was a bitter critic of appeasement, often openly attacking his own party. He famously attacked Chamberlain's government in 1940 after the failure to save Norway, quoting Oliver Cromwell at the end:

"You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go".

During World War II he was Secretary of State for India. On his retirment Amery published his autobiography, My Political Life (1955).