Chris Grayling
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The Right Honourable Chris Grayling MP |
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In office 2 July 2007 – present |
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Leader | David Cameron |
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Preceded by | Philip Hammond |
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In office 6 December 2005 – 2 July 2007 |
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Preceded by | Tim Yeo |
Succeeded by | Theresa Villiers |
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In office 10 May 2005 – 6 December 2005 |
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Leader | Michael Howard |
Preceded by | Oliver Heald |
Succeeded by | Theresa May |
Member of Parliament
for Epsom and Ewell |
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In office 7 June 2001 – present |
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Preceded by | Archie Hamilton |
Majority | 27,146 (54.4%) |
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Born | London, UK April 1, 1962 |
Political party | Conservative |
Alma mater | Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Christopher Stephen Grayling (born April 1, 1962) is a British politician. He is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell and the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
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[edit] Early life
Chris Grayling was born in London and grew up in Buckinghamshire. He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1984. He joined BBC News in 1985 as a trainee, becoming a producer in 1986, he left the BBC in 1988 to join Channel 4 as an editor on its Business Daily programme. He rejoined the BBC in 1991 as a business development manager on BBC Select. On leaving the BBC in 1993, he ran some television production companies, including managing the corporate communications division of Workhouse Ltd from 1992-5 and SSVC Group in Gerrards Cross from 1995-7. He became a management consultant in 1997 with Burson Marsteller, where he remained until his election to Westminster.
[edit] Councillor
Grayling was selected to contest the Labour-held marginal seat of Warrington South at the 1997 General Election, but was defeated by Labour candidate Helen Southworth by 10,807 votes. He was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Merton in 1998 and remained on the council until 2002.
[edit] Member of Parliament
He was elected to the House of Commons for the Surrey seat of Epsom and Ewell at the 2001 General Election following the retirement of the veteran Tory MP Archie Hamilton. Grayling held the seat with a majority of 10,080 and has remained the MP there since. He made his maiden speech on June 25, 2001.[1]
[edit] Shadow Cabinet
He served as a member of the environment, transport and the regions select committee from 2001 until he was promoted to the Opposition Whips' Office by Iain Duncan Smith in 2002, moving to become a spokesman on health later in the year. He became a spokesman on education and skills by Michael Howard in 2003, and following the 2005 General Election he became a member of Howard's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, and since the election of David Cameron as the leader of the Conservative Party in December 2005 he has served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. In June 2007, he was made Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
[edit] Personal life
He is locally praised for his long running campaign to preserve the local Epsom Hospital's A&E. He can boast that he once hit a four off the Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee. He married Susan Clare Dillistone in April 1987 in Surrey and they have a son (born August 1996) and a daughter (born December 1992). As reported on the BBC's The Daily Politics, Grayling is a supporter of Manchester United Football Club.
[edit] Publications
- The Bridgewater Heritage: The Story of Bridgwater Estates by Chris Grayling, 1983, Bridgewater Estates PLC
- A Land Fit for Heroes: Life in England After the Great War by Christopher Grayling, 1985, Buchan & Enright ISBN 0-907675-68-9
- Holt's: The Story of Joseph Holt by Christopher Grayling, 1985, Joseph Holt PLC
- Just Another Star?: Anglo-American Relations Since 1945 by Christopher Grayling and Christopher Langdon, 1987, Virgin Books ISBN 0-245-54603-0
- Insight Guide Waterways of Europe contribution by Chris Grayling, 1989, Apa Publications ISBN 0-88729-825-7
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Chris Grayling MP official site
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Chris Grayling MP
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Chris Grayling MP
- Epsom and Ewell Conservatives
- BBC Politics page
- Open Directory Project - Chris Grayling directory category
[edit] Video clips
[edit] Offices held
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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Preceded by Archie Hamilton |
Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell 2001 – present |
Incumbent |
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