Alan Duncan

Last updated

The Right Honourable
Sir Alan Duncan
KCMG
Official portrait of Sir Alan Duncan crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2017
Minister of State for Europe and the Americas
In office
15 July 2016 –22 July 2019

Sir Alan James Carter Duncan KCMG (born 31 March 1957) [1] is a British former politician who served as Minister of State for International Development from 2010 to 2014 and Minister of State for Europe and the Americas from 2016 to 2019. [2] A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rutland and Melton from 1992 to 2019.

Contents

He began his career in the oil industry with Royal Dutch Shell, and was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1992 general election. After gaining several minor positions in the government of John Major, he played a key role in William Hague's successful bid for the Conservative leadership in 1997. Duncan received several promotions to the Conservative front bench, and eventually joined the Shadow Cabinet after the 2005 general election. He stood for the Conservative leadership in 2005, but withdrew early on because of a lack of support. Eventual winner David Cameron appointed him Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in December 2005; the name of the department he shadowed was changed to Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in July 2007.

Following the 2010 general election, the new Conservative Prime Minister Cameron appointed Duncan as Minister of State for International Development. [3] He left this post following the government reshuffle in July 2014, [4] and was subsequently appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in September 2014, for services to international development and to UK–Middle East relations. [5] While on the backbenches, Duncan served on the Intelligence and Security Committee between 2015 and 2016. [6]

After two years out of government, he returned to frontline politics when new Prime Minister Theresa May appointed him as Minister for Europe and the Americas, and effective deputy to then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, in July 2016. [7] Duncan resigned as Minister of State on 22 July 2019 citing Johnson's election to the Tory leadership and, hence, the UK's premiership. [8] [9]

He became the first openly gay Conservative Member of Parliament, publicly coming out in 2002. [10]

Early life

Duncan was born in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, the second son of James Grant Duncan, an RAF wing commander, [11] and his wife Anne Duncan (née Carter), a teacher. [1] [12] The family travelled much, following Duncan's father on NATO postings, including in Gibraltar, Italy, and Norway. [13]

Education

Duncan was educated at two independent schools: Beechwood Park School in Markyate, and Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood, at both of which he was 'Head Monitor' (head boy). [13] He had two brothers, who also attended Beechwood Park School. Their family supported the Liberal Party, and Duncan ran (and lost) as a Liberal at a school mock election in 1970; two years later he joined the Young Conservatives. [13]

He then attended St John's College, Oxford, where he coxed the college's first eight, and was elected President of the Oxford Union in 1979. [14] Whilst there, he formed a friendship with Benazir Bhutto, and ran her successful campaign to become the President of the Oxford Union. [15] He gained a Kennedy Scholarship to study at Harvard University between 1981 and 1982. [16]

Business career

After graduating from Oxford, Duncan worked as a trader of oil and refined products, first with Royal Dutch Shell (1979–81) [17] and then for Marc Rich from 1982 to 1988 [18] (Rich became a fugitive from justice in 1983). He worked for Rich in London and Singapore. [19] Duncan used the connections he had built up to be self-employed from 1988 to 1992, acting as a consultant and adviser to foreign governments on oil supplies, shipping and refining. [12]

In 1989, Duncan set up the independent Harcourt Consultants, which advises on oil and gas matters. He made over £1 million after helping fill the need to supply oil to Pakistan after supplies from Kuwait had been disrupted in the Gulf War. [13]

Political career

Duncan was an active member of the Battersea Conservative Association from 1979 until 1984, [14] when he moved to live in Singapore, from which he returned in 1986. After Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned in November 1990, he offered his home in Westminster as the headquarters of John Major's leadership campaign. [13]

Member of Parliament

Duncan first stood for Parliament as a Conservative candidate in the 1987 general election, unsuccessfully contesting the safe Labour seat of Barnsley West and Penistone. [6] For the 1992 general election he was selected as the Conservative candidate for Rutland and Melton, a safe Conservative seat, which he retained with a 59% share of the votes cast. In the Labour landslide of 1997, his proportion of the vote was reduced to 46% but increased at subsequent elections to a high of 62.8% in 2017.

From 1993 to 1995, Duncan was a member of the Social Security Select Committee. [14] His first governmental position was as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Health, a position he obtained in December 1993. He resigned from the position within a month, after it emerged that he had used the Right to Buy programme to make profits on property deals. [20] It emerged that he had lent his elderly next-door neighbour money to buy his home under the Right to Buy legislation. The neighbour bought an 18th-century council house at a significant discount and sold it to Duncan just over three years later. [21] Gyles Brandreth describes this event in his diary: "little Alan Duncan has fallen on his sword. He did it swiftly and with good grace." [22]

After returning to the backbenches, he became Chairman of the Conservative Backbench Constitutional Affairs Committee. [14] He returned to government in July 1995, when he was again appointed a Parliamentary Private Secretary, this time to the Chairman of the Conservative Party, Brian Mawhinney. [14] In November 1995, Duncan performed a citizen's arrest on an Asylum Bill protester who threw paint and flour at Mawhinney on College Green. [23]

Duncan was involved in the 1997 leadership contest, being the right-hand man of William Hague, the eventual winner. In this capacity, he was called "the closest thing [the Conservatives] have to Peter Mandelson". [23] Duncan and Hague had both been at Oxford, both been Presidents of the Oxford Union, and had been close friends since at least the early 1980s. [23]

Front-bench career

As a reward for his loyalty to Hague during the leadership contest, [23] in June 1997, Duncan was entrusted with the positions of Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party and Parliamentary Political Secretary to the Party Leader. He became Shadow Health Minister in June 1998. [24] A year later he was made Shadow Trade and Industry spokesman, and he was appointed a front-bench spokesman on Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in September 2001.

When Michael Howard became Conservative Party leader in November 2003, Duncan became Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, but as Howard had significantly reduced the size of the Shadow Cabinet, Duncan was not promoted to the top table. This continued to be the case when he was moved to become Shadow Secretary of State for International Development in September 2004. However, following the 2005 general election, the Shadow Cabinet was expanded to its original size once more, and Duncan joined it as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. [25]

He held this position for just seven months, becoming Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 7 December 2005, after David Cameron's election to the party leadership the previous day. On 2 July 2007, he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, as new prime minister Gordon Brown had abolished the Department of Trade and Industry the previous week, replacing it with the aforementioned new department. In January 2009, Duncan became Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. [26]

Failed leadership bid

Before the 2005 general election, he was rumoured to be planning a leadership campaign in the event that then-leader Michael Howard stepped down after a (then-likely and later actual) election defeat. [27] On 10 June 2005, Duncan publicly declared his intention of standing in the 2005 leadership election. [28] However, on 18 July 2005, he withdrew from the race, admitting in The Guardian that his withdrawal was due to a lack of 'active lieutenants', and urged the party to abandon those that he dubbed the 'Tory Taliban':

Our Achilles heel, though, has been our social attitude. Censorious judgmentalism from the moralising wing, which treats half our own countrymen as enemies, must be rooted out. We should take J. S. Mill as our lodestar, and allow people to live as they choose until they actually harm someone. If the Tory Taliban can't get that, they'll condemn us all to oblivion. Thank heavens for the new intake of MPs who do. [29]

MPs' expenses 2009

Duncan in 2010 Conservative MP Alan Duncan in Westminster.jpg
Duncan in 2010

On 15 May 2009, the satirical BBC programme Have I Got News for You showed footage of Duncan's previous appearance on the show in which he boasted about his second home allowance, denied that he should pay any of the money back and stated it was "a great system". The show then cut to footage of David Cameron announcing that Duncan would return money to the fees office, followed by Duncan's personal apology, in which he called for the system to be changed. [30]

On 14 August, Duncan said (whilst being filmed without his knowledge by Don't Panic), that MPs, who were at the time paid around £64,000 a year, were having "to live on rations and are treated like shit. [31] I spend my money on my garden and claim a tiny fraction on what is proper. And I could claim the whole lot, but I don't." [32] These remarks attracted the attention of the press, and were criticised by commentators from all sides. [33] Duncan apologised once more, and Cameron, though critical of Duncan's comments, denied that he would sack him from the Shadow Cabinet. [34] Despite these assurances, on 7 September 2009, Duncan was "demoted" from the Shadow Cabinet, to become Shadow Minister for Prisons, after he and Cameron came to an agreement that his position was untenable. [35]

Political funding

The Rutland and Melton Constituency Association has received £12,166.66 in donations since 2006. Duncan has received corporate donations from The Biz Club (£6,000, 2006–09), Midland Software Holdings (£8,000, 2007–09), and ABM Holdings (£1,500, 2009). Duncan has also had tens of thousands of pounds from private individual donors. [36] [37]

WikiLeaks 2010

According to a US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks and reported on by The Daily Telegraph [38] and The Guardian , [39] US Intelligence drew up a dossier on several members of the Conservative party, including Duncan, in order to assess the possible policies of a future Conservative government. US intelligence compiled details of Duncan's political associations with leading Conservatives, including William Hague. The cable called for further intelligence of "Duncan's relationship with Conservative party leader David Cameron and William Hague", and asked: "What role would Duncan play if the Conservatives form a government? What are Duncan's political ambitions?"

Nuclear power

As shadow business secretary in 2008, Duncan stated, referring to the Hinkley Point C project, that "on no account should there be any kind of subsidy for nuclear power." [37]

Middle East

In August 2011, Duncan found himself under pressure to remove a video of himself accusing Israel of a "land grab" in the occupied territories. [40] In an October 2014 speech to the Royal United Services Institute, Duncan said: "Indeed just as we rightly judge someone as unfit for public office if they refuse to recognise Israel, so we should shun anyone who refuses to recognise settlements are illegal. No settlement endorsers should be regarded as fit to stand for public office, remain a member of a mainstream political party or sit in a parliament. How can we accept lawmakers in our country or any other country when they support lawbreakers in another?" [41] In a BBC Radio interview linked to that speech and another given during a House of Commons debate on Palestinian statehood he said: "All know that the United States is in hock to a very powerful financial lobby which dominates its politics." Commenting on Duncan's statements, a spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews called him "breathtakingly one-sided". [42]

Star and badge of a KCMG KCMG Jpegfile.jpg
Star and badge of a KCMG

Libyan oil cell

In August 2011, it was reported that Duncan had played an instrumental role in blocking fuel supplies to Tripoli, Libya, during the Libyan conflict. [43] In April 2011, the former oil trader convinced the UK prime minister to establish the so-called 'Libyan oil cell', which was run out of the Foreign Office.

The cell advised NATO to blockade the port of Zawiya to stifle Gaddafi's war effort. They also helped identify other passages the smugglers were using to get fuel into Libya via Tunisia and Algeria.

London-based oil traders were encouraged to sell fuel to rebels in Benghazi, [44] with communication being established between traders and the rebels to route the fuel.

One Whitehall source commented: 'The energy noose tightened around Tripoli's neck. It was much more effective and easier to repair than bombs. It is like taking the key of the car away. You can't move. The great thing is you can switch it all back on again if Gaddafi goes. It is not the same as if you have bombed the whole city to bits. [45]

Appointment to Privy Council

On 28 May 2010, he was appointed to the Privy Council, upon the formation of the Coalition government. [46] [47] He was sworn into the Privy Council on 9 June 2010 at Buckingham Palace. [48] This entitled him to the Honorific Prefix "The Right Honourable" for life.

Comments by Israeli embassy official

In January 2017, Al Jazeera aired a series entitled The Lobby . [49] The last episode showed Shai Masot, the political officer at the Israeli embassy in London, proposing an attempt to "take down" British "pro-Palestinian" politicians, including Duncan. [50] The leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn wrote an open letter to Theresa May objecting to what he called an "improper interference in this country's democratic process" and urging the prime minister to launch an inquiry on the basis that "[t]his is clearly a national security issue". [51] The Israeli ambassador Mark Regev apologised to Duncan for the "completely unacceptable" comments made in the video. [52] A Foreign Office spokesman, effectively rejecting Corbyn's comments, said it "is clear these comments do not reflect the views of the embassy or government of Israel". [53] [54] Masot resigned shortly after the recordings were made public. [55] Pro-Israel British activists and a former Israel embassy employee complained to Ofcom about The Lobby, but Ofcom dismissed all charges. [50] [56]

Political views

Duncan was described in 2008 as a 'moderniser' in the Conservative Party Alanduncanmp.jpg
Duncan was described in 2008 as a 'moderniser' in the Conservative Party

Duncan was described by the BBC in 2002 as a right-wing libertarian. [57] The Guardian has described him in 'economically libertarian' (2008) [58] and 'socially libertarian' (2004). [27] The LGBT journal PinkNews called him in 2005 the 'liberal, urbane face of the Conservative Party', naming him as one of the then '50 most powerful LGBT people in British politics'. [59] He was described by The Daily Telegraph in 2008 as a "moderniser". [60]

One of the chapters in his book Saturn's Children is devoted to an explanation of his support for the legalisation of all drugs. This chapter was removed when the paperback edition was published to prevent embarrassment to the party leadership; [61] however, Duncan had, at one time, posted the chapter on his website, "for the benefit of the enquiring student". [62] Duncan believes in minimising the size of government, [57] and in Saturn's Children advocated limiting government responsibility to essential services such as defence, policing and health.

In 2002, Duncan was described by the BBC as a "staunch" Eurosceptic. [57] However, he declared for the 'Remain' camp in the run-up to the UK's referendum on EU membership. [63] [64] On 2 October 2017, Duncan spoke at the Chicago Council of Global Affairs. In his speech he attributed Britain's majority vote to leave the EU to a "blue-collar tantrum against immigration". [65]

The manner in which the campaign was fought stirred up a lot of sentiment amongst people that are not habitual voters, particularly on the issue of immigration. You could feel in the last 10 days of the campaign, traditional blue-collar urban Labour opinion going viral for leave. They were stirred up by an image of immigration, which made them angry and throw a bit of a tantrum. That was part of the chemistry that explains the result.

He is on the council of the Conservative Way Forward (CWF) group. He is one of the leading British members of Le Cercle, a secretive foreign policy discussion forum. [66] In contrast to most members of both CWF and Le Cercle, who hold pro-Republican Atlanticist views, he actively supported John Kerry in the US 2004 presidential election. [67] This surprised some, but Duncan is a friend of Kerry, having met him while at Harvard. [67]

Following the release of the Panama Papers, which contained revelations about David Cameron's income from overseas funds set up by his father, Duncan defended the Prime Minister. He urged Cameron's critics, especially MPs, to "admit that their real point is that they hate anyone who has got a hint of wealth in them" from whose viewpoint it followed that "we risk seeing a House of Commons which is stuffed full of low-achievers". [68] Michael Deacon wrote in The Daily Telegraph: "There are two inferences to draw from Sir Alan's outburst. One is that he thinks the Commons should only be 'stuffed with' the rich. The second is that he thinks the vast majority of his constituents, not being rich, are 'low-achievers'. Probably not a view to advertise in his next election leaflet". [69]

During the Israel-Hamas war, Duncan criticised Conservative Friends of Israel. Speaking on LBC in April 2024, he said that they had "been doing the bidding of Netanyahu, bypassing all proper processes of government to exercise undue influence at the top of government." Duncan added, "What you have is a lot of people now sitting around Rishi Sunak who are giving him appalling advice. Let's start with the head of CFI, who has been for many years Lord Polak. In my view, I think he should be removed from the Lords because he is exercising the interests of another country, not that of the parliament in which he sits, joined, I have to say, by Lord Pickles. They're the sort of the Laurel and Hardy who should be pushed out together." Polak, CFI's honorary president, is Jewish, while Pickles, the group's parliamentary chair, is not Jewish. The Jewish Leadership Council accused Duncan of sharing "antisemitic tropes", and the Board of Deputies of British Jews labelled his comments "disgraceful". The Conservative Party consequently began investigating him. [70] On 16 July 2024, he was cleared of wrongdoing following an internal investigation. The Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) investigation, which Duncan termed a "McCarthyite witch-hunt", found his comments were within political debate and not anti-semitic. [71]

Personal life

Duncan was the first sitting Conservative MP voluntarily to acknowledge that he is gay; [10] he did this in an interview with The Times on 29 July 2002, although he has said that this came as no surprise to friends. [60] Indeed, in an editorial published on the news of Duncan's coming out, The Daily Telegraph reported, "The news that Alan Duncan is gay will come as a surprise only to those who have never met him. The bantam Tory frontbencher can hardly be accused of having hidden his homosexuality." [72]

On 3 March 2008, it was announced in the Court & Social page of The Daily Telegraph that Duncan would be entering into a civil partnership with his partner James Dunseath, [73] which would make him the first member of either the Cabinet or the Shadow Cabinet to enter into a civil partnership. [74] The two were joined as civil partners on 24 July 2008 at Merchant Taylors' Hall in the City of London. [75]

Duncan had a following in the gay community and was active in speaking up for gay rights. [74] He was responsible for formulating the Conservatives' policy response to the introduction of civil partnership legislation in 2004, [73] which he considered his proudest achievement of the Parliament between 2001 and 2005. [76] He was among those who rebelled against his party by voting for an equal age of consent between heterosexuals and homosexuals on numerous occasions between 1998 and 2000. [77] He voted against same-sex adoption in 2001. [78]

Works and appearances

Books

Duncan is the author of three published nonfiction books:

His pamphlet An End to Illusions proposed an independent Bank of England, the break-up of clearing banks, reduction of implicit tax subsidies given to owner-occupiers, curtailment of pension fund tax privileges, and new forms of corporate ownership.[ citation needed ]

Saturn's Children presents a detailed case regarding the history and consequences of government control over institutions and activities which were historically private, to the extent that many citizens assume that privately or communally developed municipal facilities and universities are creations of the state, and that prohibitions on drug use, sex, and personal defence have always existed.[ citation needed ]

In the Thick of It is Duncan's diary from the eve of the Brexit referendum in 2016 to the UK's eventual exit from the EU. The book was serialised in the Daily Mail. [79]

Television and radio

Duncan appeared four times on the satirical news quiz Have I Got News for You : first appearing on 28 October 2005, [80] then 20 October 2006, [81] and again on 2 May 2008 [82] and 24 April 2009. [83] His 2009 appearance featured a badly received ironic joke about murdering the latest Miss California, who stated that she opposed same-sex marriages. [84] He appeared on many occasions as a panellist on BBC TV's Question Time and BBC Radio 4's Any Questions? [ citation needed ] In 2006, he took part in a documentary entitled How to beat Jeremy Paxman. [85]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iain Duncan Smith</span> British politician (born 1954)

Sir George Iain Duncan Smith, often referred to by his initials IDS, is a British politician who was Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2003. He was Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2010 to 2016. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Chingford and Woodford Green, formerly Chingford, since 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Howard</span> British politician (born 1941)

Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne is a British politician who was Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005. He previously held cabinet positions in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including Secretary of State for Employment, Secretary of State for the Environment and Home Secretary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crispin Blunt</span> British politician

Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reigate from 1997 to 2024. Formerly a member of the Conservative Party, he was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Youth Justice within the Ministry of Justice from 2010 to 2012 and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee from 2015 until 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Ancram</span> British politician and peer (1945–2024)

Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, Baron Kerr of Monteviot,, commonly known as Michael Ancram, was a British politician and peer who served as Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party from 2001 to 2005. He was formerly styled Earl of Ancram until he inherited the marquessate in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Davis (British politician)</span> British politician (born 1948)

Sir David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Goole and Pocklington. He was previously the MP for Haltemprice and Howden and, before that, for Boothferry, where he was first elected in 1987. He served as Shadow Home Secretary from 2003 to 2008 and Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union from 2016 to 2018. Davis was sworn of the Privy Council in the 1997 New Year Honours, having previously been Minister of State for Europe from 1994 to 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Cameron</span> Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016

David William Donald Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton, is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. After his premiership, he served as Foreign Secretary under Rishi Sunak from 2023 to 2024. Cameron was Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He was Leader of the Opposition from 2005 to 2010 and Member of Parliament (MP) for Witney from 2001 to 2016. Cameron identifies as a one-nation conservative and has been associated with both economically liberal and socially liberal policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quentin Davies</span> British politician (born 1944)

John Quentin Davies, Baron Davies of Stamford is a British Labour politician and life peer who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Grantham and Stamford from 1987 to 2010. He served as a junior defence minister in the Brown ministry from 2008 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Osborne</span> British newspaper editor and politician (born 1971)

George Gideon Oliver Osborne is a British retired politician and newspaper editor who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016 and as First Secretary of State from 2015 to 2016 in the Cameron government. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Tatton from 2001 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Grayling</span> British politician (born 1962)

Christopher Stephen Grayling, Baron Grayling,, is a British politician and author who served as Secretary of State for Justice from 2012 to 2015, Leader of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016 and Secretary of State for Transport from 2016 until 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Epsom and Ewell from 2001 to 2024. Before entering politics, Grayling worked in the television and film industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Spelman</span> British politician (born 1958)

Dame Caroline Alice Spelman is a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Meriden in the West Midlands from 1997 to 2019. From May 2010 to September 2012 she was the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in David Cameron's coalition cabinet, and was sworn as a Privy Counsellor on 13 May 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Maples</span> British politician (1943–2012)

John Cradock Maples, Baron Maples was a British politician and life peer who served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 1989 to 1992. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Lewisham West from 1983 to 1992 and Stratford-upon-Avon from 1997 to 2010.

Patrick John Mercer is a British author and former politician. He was elected as a Conservative in the 2001 general election, until resigning the party's parliamentary whip in May 2013 following questions surrounding paid advocacy, and was an Independent MP representing the constituency of Newark in Parliament until his resignation at the end of April 2014 when a Standards Committee report recommended suspending him for six months for "sustained and pervasive breach of the house's rules". He was Conservative shadow homeland security minister from 2003 to 2007, when David Cameron forced him to resign after he had made remarks about racism which Cameron found unacceptable.

David Laurie Ruffley is a former Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, which encompasses Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, having first taken his seat at the 1997 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant Shapps</span> British politician (born 1968)

Grant Shapps is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Defence from August 2023 to July 2024. Shapps previously served in various cabinet posts, including Conservative Party Co-Chairman, Transport Secretary, Home Secretary, Business Secretary, and Energy Secretary under Prime Ministers David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Welwyn Hatfield from 2005 to 2024. He was defeated and lost his seat in the 2024 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Crabb</span> British politician

Stephen Crabb is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Preseli Pembrokeshire from 2005 to 2024 and Chairman of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee from 2020. A member of the Welsh Conservatives, he served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from March to July 2016 under Prime Minister David Cameron. Crabb had previously been appointed a government whip, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (2012–2014) and Secretary of State for Wales (2014–2016) under Cameron. He lost his seat in the 2024 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Conservative Party leadership election</span> British leadership election to replace Michael Howard

The 2005 Conservative Party leadership election was called by party leader Michael Howard on 6 May 2005, when he announced that he would be stepping down as Leader of the Conservative Party in the near future following the party's third successive general election defeat. However, he stated that he would not depart until a review of the rules for the leadership election had been conducted, given the high level of dissatisfaction with the current system. Ultimately, no changes were made and the election proceeded with the existing rules, which were introduced in 1998.

Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) is a British parliamentary group affiliated to the Conservative Party, which is dedicated to strengthening control over business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel, as well as between the British Conservative Party and the Israeli Likud party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Turning Back (political group)</span> Group within the British Conservative Party

No Turning Back is a group within the British Conservative Party advocating Thatcherite policies. It was founded in 1985 to defend Margaret Thatcher's free-market reforms. The group was named in honour of Thatcher's 1980 Conservative conference quote "U-turn if you want to. The lady's not for turning." No Turning Back published less material in the nineties and became involved in Conservative party in-fighting, resulting in both Michael Portillo and Francis Maude leaving the group, but became more prominent during Iain Duncan Smith's time as Conservative leader because he had been a member until he was elected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Montgomerie</span> British political activist, blogger, and columnist (born 1970)

Timothy Montgomerie is a British political activist, blogger, and columnist. He is best known as the co-founder of the Centre for Social Justice and as creator of the ConservativeHome website, which he edited from 2005 until 2013, when he left to join The Times. He was formerly the newspaper's comment editor, but resigned in March 2014. On 17 February 2016, Montgomerie resigned his membership of the Conservative Party, citing the leadership's stance on Europe, which was then supportive of EU membership. In 2019, he was briefly a special adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, advising on social justice issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Conservative Party leadership election</span> British leadership election to replace David Cameron

The 2016 Conservative Party leadership election was held due to Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation as party leader. He had resigned after losing the national referendum to leave the European Union. Cameron, who supported Britain's continued membership of the EU, announced his resignation on 24 June, saying that he would step down by October. Theresa May won the contest on 11 July 2016, after the withdrawal of Andrea Leadsom left her as the sole candidate.

References

  1. 1 2 "Duncan, Rt Hon. Sir Alan (James Carter), (born 31 March 1957), PC 2010; MP (C) Rutland and Melton, since 1992; Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, since 2016". Who's Who. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.14283.
  2. ↑ "Minister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 7 March 2022– via GOV.UK.
  3. ↑ "Her Majesty's Government". Prime Minister's Office. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  4. ↑ Martin, Dan J. (22 July 2014). "Rutland and Melton MP Alan Duncan receives a knighthood". Leicester Mercury. Local World. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "No. 60994". The London Gazette . 19 September 2014. p. 18358.
  6. 1 2 "Sir Alan Duncan". UK Parliament. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  7. ↑ Hope, Christopher (17 July 2016). "Theresa May appoints her own spy at the Foreign Office to keep a check on Boris Johnson as reshuffle is finalised". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 July 2016.(subscription required)
  8. ↑ Heffer, Greg (22 July 2019). "Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan resigns ahead of Boris Johnson's expected premiership". Sky News. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  9. ↑ "Tory leadership race: Alan Duncan resigns as minister". BBC News. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Gay Tory frontbencher comes out". The Guardian. 29 July 2002. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
  11. ↑ "No. 41589". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1958. p. 9.
  12. 1 2 "Alan Duncan". Knitting Circle. Archived from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Routledge, Paul (21 September 1997). "Comment: William's clumsy friend – Profile: Alan Duncan". The Independent. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Alan Duncan MP". Conservative Party. Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  15. ↑ Webster, Philip (28 December 2007). "Loyal colleagues are ready to reap the rewards". The Times. Retrieved 5 May 2008.[ dead link ]
  16. ↑ "Medical student wins Kennedy Scholarship". Imperial College London. 10 August 2007. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2007.
  17. ↑ "Profile: Alan Duncan". BBC News. 29 July 2002. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  18. ↑ Pallister, David; Maguire, Kevin (4 May 2001). "Shadow minister accused of supplying apartheid regime". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  19. ↑ Maguire, Kevin; Pallister, David (4 May 2001). "Top Tory at centre of sanctions busting claims". The Guardian.
  20. ↑ Brazier, Rodney (1997). Ministers of the Crown. Oxford University Press. p. 112. ISBN   0-19-825988-3.
  21. ↑ Watt, Holly (10 May 2009). "Alan Duncan claimed thousands for gardening: MPs' expenses". The Telegraph.
  22. ↑ Brandreth, Gyles. "Saturday 8th January". Breaking the code: Westminster diaries May 1990 – May 1997.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Sylvester, Rachel; Copley, Joy (20 June 1997). "Loyal colleagues are ready to reap the rewards". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
  24. ↑ "Opposition front bench team as at 5 June 1998". House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. UK Parliament. 6 June 1998. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  25. ↑ "Alan Duncan". Rutland & Melton Conservative Party. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  26. ↑ Watt, Nicholas; Sparrow, Andrew (8 September 2009). "George Young replaces Alan Duncan as shadow Commons leader". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  27. 1 2 White, Michael (21 December 2004). "Duncan willing to run for Tory leadership". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  28. ↑ "Duncan to run for Tory leadership". BBC News. 10 June 2005. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
  29. ↑ Duncan, Alan (18 July 2005). "The Tory Taliban must be rooted out". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
  30. ↑ "Duncan: 'It's a great system'". BBC News. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  31. ↑ Eaton, George (2 November 2009). "Tory MP: Politicians treated like Jews in Nazi Germany – The most absurd statement on the expenses scandal?". The New Statesman. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  32. ↑ "Duncan sorry for MP pay 'whinge'". BBC News. 12 August 2009.
  33. ↑ Hari, Johann (14 August 2009). "Cruel and out of control: the new face of debt collecting" . The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 16 August 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  34. ↑ "I won't sack Duncan, says Cameron". BBC News. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  35. ↑ "Tory 'rations' MP Duncan demoted". BBC News. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  36. ↑ "Search the Money". Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  37. 1 2 "In quotes: Nuclear plans". BBC News. 10 January 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  38. ↑ Wallop, Harry (29 November 2010). "WikiLeaks: US spies on Alan Duncan". The Telegraph.
  39. ↑ Leigh, David (28 November 2010). "Spies drew up dossier on Alan Duncan". The Guardian.
  40. ↑ "Government in chaos over Alan Duncan's 'land grab' video".
  41. ↑ Wintour, Patrick (8 January 2017). "Why might an Israeli diplomat believe Alan Duncan needs 'taking down'?". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  42. ↑ "British MP condemned for anti-Israel comments". Jerusalem Post. 19 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  43. ↑ Landale, James (31 August 2011). "Landale Online: How UK unit starved Gaddafi of fuel". BBC News.
  44. ↑ Curtis, Polly (1 September 2011). "Government admits Alan Duncan's links to company in 'Libyan oil cell'". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  45. ↑ Curtis, Polly; Watt, Nicholas (31 August 2011). "How Cameron's secret unit choked off oil supplies to Gaddafi's frontline forces". The Guardian.
  46. ↑ "Peerages, honours and appointments". Prime Minister's Office. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  47. ↑ "Privy Counsellors – Privy Council". Archived from the original on 21 December 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  48. ↑ Simpson, Judith (9 June 2010). "ORDERS APPROVED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE QUEEN AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON 9TH JUNE 2010" (PDF). The Privy Council Office. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  49. ↑ The Lobby AlJazeera.
  50. 1 2 "Broadcast and On-Demand Bulletin: The Lobby, Al Jazeera English, 11 to 14 January 2017" (PDF). Ofcom. 9 October 2017. pp. 20–28. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  51. ↑ "Corbyn calls on Theresa May to investigate "interference" by Israeli officials". The Jewish Chronicle. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  52. ↑ Dearden, Lizzie (8 January 2017). "Israeli embassy official filmed discussing how to 'take down' Sir Alan Duncan and other pro-Palestinian MPs" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  53. ↑ Dysch, Marcus (17 January 2017). "Theresa May rejects Jeremy Corbyn's call for probe into Israeli influence in UK politics". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  54. ↑ Cobain, Ian; MacAskill, Ewen (7 January 2017). "Israeli diplomat caught on camera plotting to 'take down' UK MPs". The Observer. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  55. ↑ Dearden, Lizzie (12 January 2017). "Israel embassy scandal: Shai Masot resigns after discussing 'take down' of pro-Palestinian British politicians" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  56. ↑ Chávez, Aída; Grim, Ryan (9 October 2017). "An Al Jazeera reporter went undercover with the pro-Israel lobby in Washington". The Intercept. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  57. 1 2 3 "Alan Duncan". BBC News. 16 October 2002. Archived from the original on 15 December 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
  58. ↑ "Duncan, Alan". Guardian Unlimited. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  59. ↑ "The 50 most powerful LGBT people in British politics". Pink News. 27 December 2007. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  60. 1 2 Tweedie, Neil (5 March 2008). "Alan Duncan: 'I'm an MP who happens to be gay'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  61. ↑ White, Michael (24 June 2005). "Tory candidate takes the Michael". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  62. ↑ "The Legalisation of Drugs – a chapter from Saturn's Children". Alan Duncan's website. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  63. ↑ Duncan, Alan. "Why this lifelong Eurosceptic is now voting to stay in". The Telegraph. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  64. ↑ Goodenough, Tom (16 February 2016). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". The Spectator. London. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  65. ↑ "Alan Duncan says migration 'tantrum' led to Brexit". BBC News. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  66. ↑ Blackhurst, Chris (29 June 1997). "Aitken dropped by the Right's secret club". The Independent.
  67. 1 2 Watt, Nicholas (30 October 2004). "Tory oil tycoon who won't be backing Bush". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  68. ↑ Payton, Matt (12 April 2016). "Panama papers: Sir Alan Duncan MP says critics of David Cameron are low-achievers who hate the rich" . The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  69. ↑ Deacon, Michael (12 April 2016). "If you thought David Cameron made a fool of himself over tax... these MPs are even worse". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  70. ↑ Prinsley, Jane. "Tories investigate party veteran who called for pro-Israel politicians to be 'flushed out' of government". The JC . Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  71. ↑ "Ex-Foreign Minister fully cleared of wrongdoing following Conservative Party antisemitism investigation". 16 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  72. ↑ "Openly Tory". The Telegraph. 30 July 2002. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  73. 1 2 Pierce, Andrew (4 March 2008). "Tory MP Alan Duncan to enter civil partnership". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
  74. 1 2 Grew, Tony (3 March 2008). "Civil partnership for senior Tory". Pink News. Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
  75. ↑ Cockcroft, Lucy (26 July 2008). "Alan Duncan becomes first Tory MP to seal civil partnership". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  76. ↑ "Alan Duncan". Guardian Unlimited. 6 April 2005. Archived from the original on 8 May 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  77. ↑ "Alan Duncan MP, Rutland and Melton". TheyWorkForYou.
  78. ↑ "Adoption and Children Bill (Programme) – Consideration and Third Reading: Recent Votes". TheyWorkForYou.
  79. ↑ Rawnsley, Andrew (18 April 2021). "In the Thick of It by Alan Duncan review – too much bile, not enough style". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  80. ↑ "Chris Langham, Ross Noble, Alan Duncan". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 November 2007.[ dead link ]
  81. ↑ "Alistair McGowan, Fern Britton, Alan Duncan". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 November 2007.[ dead link ]
  82. ↑ "Brian Blessed, Marcus Brigstocke, Alan Duncan MP". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 14 May 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  83. ↑ "Frank Skinner, Alan Duncan, Katy Brand". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 28 May 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  84. ↑ Bell, Matthew (26 April 2009). "The IoS Diary" . The Independent on Sunda1. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009.
  85. ↑ "The Westminster Hour – How To Beat ..." BBC News. 26 June 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Rutland and Melton
1992–2019 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of State for International Development
2010–2014		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Minister of State for Europe Minister of State for Europe and the Americas
2016–2019		Vacant
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.