David Lidington

Last updated

Helen Parry
​
(m. 1989)​
The Right Honourable
Sir David Lidington
KCB CBE
Official portrait of Mr David Lidington crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2017
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office
8 January 2018 –24 July 2019
Preceded by Quentin Davies
Succeeded by Owen Paterson
Children4
Alma mater Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (BA, PhD)
Academic background
Thesis The enforcement of the penal statutes at the Court of Exchequer c. 1558 - c.1576.  (1988)

Sir David Roy Lidington KCB CBE (born 30 June 1956) is a former British politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aylesbury from 1992 until 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2018 to 2019 [1] and was frequently described as being Theresa May's de facto Deputy Prime Minister. [2] [3]

Contents

Between 2010 and 2016, he served as Minister of State for Europe holding the position for the entirety of David Cameron's premiership, a longer period than any of his predecessors. Theresa May appointed him to the cabinet for the first time in June 2016, where he held a number of roles including Leader of the House of Commons, and the joint title of Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. [4] He resigned from the government on 24 July 2019, in anticipation of the appointment of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. He did not seek reelection in the 2019 general election. [5]

Early life and career

Born in Lambeth, [6] Lidington was educated at Merchant Taylors' Prep School and later at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School. He studied Modern History at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. [7] His PhD was entitled The Enforcement of the Penal Statutes at the Court of the Exchequer c. 1558 - c. 1576. [8]

While at Cambridge, he was chairman of Cambridge University Conservative Association and Deputy President of the Cambridge University Students' Union. [9] He was the Captain of the Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge team that won the 1979 series of University Challenge. The team also won the 2002 University Challenge – Reunited "champion of champions" series for the show's 40th anniversary. [10]

Lidington's early employment included posts with BP and the Rio Tinto Group before being appointed in 1987 as special adviser to the then Home Secretary Douglas Hurd. He moved to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1989 when Hurd was appointed Foreign Secretary. [7]

In the 1987 general election, Lidington stood unsuccessfully in the Vauxhall constituency.

Parliamentary career

From 1992 to 2010

Lidington was selected as the Conservative candidate for the safe seat of Aylesbury in December 1990. He became the constituency's member of parliament at the 1992 general election. [11]

At Westminster, Lidington previously participated in the Education Select Committee and Conservative Backbench Home Affairs Committee. In 1994, he successfully promoted a Private Members Bill which became the Chiropractors Act 1994.

Lidington first joined the Conservative front bench team in August 1994, when he became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Home Secretary Michael Howard. In June 1997, with the Conservatives in opposition, he became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Leader of the Opposition William Hague. Two years later, in June 1999, he was promoted to become Shadow Home Affairs Minister (deputy to Ann Widdecombe). In September 2001, Lidington was promoted to become Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury. [12]

Shadow Cabinet

Lidington became a member of the Shadow Cabinet in May 2002, replacing Ann Winterton as Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (later Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) after she resigned. When Michael Howard was elected Conservative Party leader in November 2003, Lidington became Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, but was not included as a member of the Shadow Cabinet. [12]

In May 2005, Howard enlarged the Shadow Cabinet, granting Lidington the right to attend it again. He continued to serve as the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under David Cameron. On 2 July 2007, was appointed as a Shadow Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. [12]

Expenses (2009)

In May 2009, The Daily Telegraph revealed Lidington had claimed nearly £1,300 for his dry cleaning and had also claimed for toothpaste, shower gel, body spray and vitamin supplements on his second home allowance. [13] Lidington repaid the claims. [13]

Lidington was also criticised by local newspaper the Bucks Herald for claiming £115,891 in expenses in one year, almost double his salary. [14]

Since the 2010 general election

Following the 2010 general election, Lidington was appointed Minister for Europe. [12] In August 2016 following the resignation of David Cameron, Lidington was appointed a CBE in the 2016 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours for his services to the government as European minister.

In November 2013, Lidington was criticised in an editorial of the local newspaper the Bucks Herald after he abstained on votes on the HS2 rail project which will run through his constituency. [15]

On 7 December 2016, when he was serving as Leader of the House of Commons, Lidington deputised for Prime Minister Theresa May at PMQs [16] questioned first-hand by the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry who also deputised, as per custom, for Jeremy Corbyn on the day.

Under Prime Minister Theresa May, Lidington was appointed Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council. This was a position he held till 11 June 2017, when he was promoted to Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor. [7] His appointment was criticised due to his record on LGBT rights, having opposed scrapping the ban on 'promotion of homosexuality' in schools, as well as civil partnerships. [17] During the debate on the legalisation of same-sex marriage he argued that "marriage was for the procreation of children" and that the "definition of marriage should not be changed without an extremely compelling case for doing so". He later said that he regretted voting against civil partnerships. [18]

On 8 January 2018, during a cabinet reshuffle, Lidington became the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office. [19] Several media outlets subsequently referred to Lidington as Theresa May's de facto Deputy Prime Minister and a candidate for her succession. [2] [3] [20] Despite this, Lidington said that he had 'no wish' to become Prime minister, stating that Theresa May was 'doing a fantastic job'. [21] [ better source needed ] On 24 July 2019, Lidington resigned as Cabinet Office Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and on 10 September, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in Theresa May's resignation honours "for political and public service". [22]

During the 2019 Conservative leadership election, Lidington backed Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart. [23] At the final stage of the leadership election, he supported Jeremy Hunt over Boris Johnson. [24]

Writing in his local newspaper, the Bucks Herald , on 30 October 2019, Lidington said he was not planning to seek re-election at the next general election. [5] Lidington officially stepped down as the MP for Aylesbury on 6 November 2019.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Lidington and his wife Helen [25] [26] have four sons. [7] He was raised as a Congregationalist but is now an Anglican. [17]

Related Research Articles

<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">Cheryl Gillan</span> British politician (1952–2021)

Dame Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Chesham and Amersham from 1992 until her death in 2021. A member of the Conservative Party, she served as Secretary of State for Wales from 2010 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Heald</span> British Conservative politician

Sir Oliver Heald is a British barrister and Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Hertfordshire, formerly North Hertfordshire, from 1992 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick McLoughlin</span> British politician (born 1957)

Patrick Allen McLoughlin, Baron McLoughlin, is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he first became the Member of Parliament (MP) for West Derbyshire following the 1986 by-election. The constituency became the Derbyshire Dales for the 2010 general election; McLoughlin remained the seat's MP until 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theresa Villiers</span> British Conservative politician

Theresa Anne Villiers is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chipping Barnet from 2005 to 2024, having previously served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2005. A member of the Conservative Party, Villiers was Minister of State for Rail and Aviation from 2010 to 2012, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2012 to 2016 and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2019 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Hands</span> British politician (born 1965)

Gregory William Hands is a British politician who served as Minister for London and Minister of State for Trade Policy from November 2023 to July 2024. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chelsea and Fulham, previously Hammersmith and Fulham, from 2005 to 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as its Chairman from February to November 2023. Hands has served as Minister of State for Trade Policy under four prime ministers, holding the office on four occasions, and also served as Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth from 2021 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aylesbury (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1801 onwards

Aylesbury is a constituency in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, currently represented by Laura Kyrke-Smith, a member of the Labour Party.

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

Grant Shapps is a former 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 failed to be re-elected as his constituency's MP in the 2024 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shailesh Vara</span> British Conservative politician

Shailesh Lakhman Vara is a Ugandan-British Conservative former politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for North West Cambridgeshire from 2005 until 2024. He also served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from July to September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Gauke</span> British politician and solicitor (born 1971)

David Michael Gauke is a British political commentator, solicitor and former politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South West Hertfordshire from 2005 to 2019. He served in the Cabinet under Theresa May, most notably as Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor from 2018 to 2019. First elected as a Conservative, Gauke had the Conservative whip removed on 3 September 2019 and until the dissolution sat as an independent politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories</span> United Kingdom government ministerial position in the Foreign Office

The Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, is a ministerial position within the Government of the United Kingdom, in charge of affairs with Europe. The Minister can also be responsible for government policy towards European security; defence and international security; the Falkland Islands; polar regions; migration; protocol; human resources; OSCE and Council of Europe; relations with Parliament; British Overseas Territories of Gibraltar and Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus; and FCO finance, knowledge and technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow Cabinet of Iain Duncan Smith</span> Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2003

The UK Shadow Cabinet was appointed by Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith. Following his initial appointments in September 2001 Smith managed three reshuffles before his resignation as leader in November 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damian Hinds</span> British politician (born 1969)

Damian Patrick George Hinds is a British Conservative Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for East Hampshire since 2010. He has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Education since July 2024. He previously served as Secretary of State for Education under Theresa May from 2018 to 2019; he has also held junior ministerial positions under four Prime Ministers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Barclay</span> British politician (born 1972)

Stephen Paul Barclay is a British politician who served in various cabinet positions under prime ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak between 2018 and 2024, lastly as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2023 to 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Cambridgeshire since 2010 and Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since July 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Clark</span> British Conservative politician

Gregory David Clark is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 2016 to 2019. He also was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2015 to 2016 and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities from July to September 2022. Later, he was the Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tunbridge Wells from 2005 until 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Whately</span> British politician (born 1976)

Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately is a British Conservative Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Faversham and Mid Kent since 2015 and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport since July 2024. She served as Minister of State for Social Care from October 2022 to July 2024, and previously from 2020 to 2021. She also served as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from 2021 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Foster (politician)</span> British Conservative politician

Kevin John Foster is a British Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Torbay from 2015 to 2024. He served as Minister of State for Transport from September 2022 until October 2022. Foster served under Home Secretary Priti Patel as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safe and Legal Migration from 2019 until September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First May ministry</span> Government of the United Kingdom (2016-2017)

Theresa May formed the first May ministry in the United Kingdom on 13 July 2016, after having been invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a government. Then the Home Secretary, May's appointment followed the resignation of then Prime Minister David Cameron. The ministry, a Conservative majority government, succeeded the second Cameron ministry which had been formed following the 2015 general election. Cameron's government was dissolved as a result of his resignation in the immediate aftermath of the June 2016 referendum on British withdrawal from the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Burghart</span> British Conservative politician

Michael Alex Burghart is a British Conservative Party politician, academic and former teacher who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Brentwood and Ongar since 2017. He was formerly a special adviser to Theresa May and has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since July 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second May ministry</span> Government of the United Kingdom (2017-2019)

The second May ministry was formed on 11 June 2017 after Theresa May returned to office following the June 2017 snap general election. The election resulted in a hung parliament with the Conservative Party losing its governing majority in the House of Commons. On 9 June 2017, May announced her intention to form a Conservative minority government, reliant on the confidence and supply of the Democratic Unionist Party; a finalised agreement between the two parties was signed and published on 26 June 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "May appoints David Lidington as cabinet office minister – May's office". Reuters. 8 January 2018. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 "David Lidington urges Sturgeon to back Brexit deal for good of Scotland". Express.co.uk. 17 November 2018. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  3. 1 2 Johnson, Simon (29 November 2018). "David Lidington pledges Britain would follow Northern Ireland single market rules for backstop duration". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  4. ↑ "Her Majesty's Government". 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  5. 1 2 Bamford, Thomas (30 October 2019). "Aylesbury MP Sir David Lidington to step down at next general election". Bucks Herald. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  6. ↑ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "The Rt Hon David Lidington MP – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  8. ↑ Lidington, David Roy (1988). The Enforcement of the Penal Statutes at the Court of the Exchequer c. 1558 - c.1576. University of Cambridge.
  9. ↑ "A new home for Cambridge University Students' Union". University of Cambridge. 1 October 2007. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "BBC – Press Office – University Challenge Reunited final". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  11. ↑ "Rt Hon David Lidington MP". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Rt Hon David Lidington". Aylesbury Constituency Conservative Association. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  13. 1 2 Gammell, Caroline (22 May 2009). "MPs' expenses: David Lidington is Mr Clean (but you pay for his soap)". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  14. ↑ "MPs Expenses: The price of democracy in Aylesbury Vale". The Bucks Herald . Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  15. ↑ "Editor's comment: Time fast approaching for Mr Lidington to stand up and be counted over HS2". The Bucks Herald. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  16. ↑ Walker, Peter (25 November 2016). "Commons leader David Lidington to take on PMQs for the first time". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  17. 1 2 "Theresa May appoints Justice Secretary opposed to LGBT rights who said 'marriage is for procreation of children'". The Independent. 12 June 2017. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "Aylesbury MP David Lidington explains why he voted against gay marriage". Bucks Herald. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  19. ↑ "Ministerial Appointments October - January 2018". Gov.UK. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  20. ↑ Theresa May facing cabinet plot replace her Archived 24 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine , PoliticsHome, 24 March 2019.
  21. ↑ "David Lidington: 'I don't think that I've any wish to take over from the PM'". YouTube . 24 March 2019. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  22. ↑ "Aylesbury MP David Lidington given knighthood in Theresa May's resignation honours list". Bucks Free Press. Archived from the original on 27 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  23. ↑ "Matt Hancock has no Brexit 'baggage'". BBC News. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  24. ↑ Healey, Derek (24 June 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: Deputy PM David Lidington backs Jeremy Hunt for leader and says no-deal Brexit would put pressure on union". The Courier. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  25. ↑ "Browser Unsupported". speen-cofe.bucks.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  26. ↑ "David Lidington's 20 years as Aylesbury MP". Aylesbury. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Aylesbury
1992–2019 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2002–2003		Succeeded byas Shadow Secretary of State for Environment
Preceded by Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2003–2007		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State for Europe
2010–2016		Succeeded byas Minister of State for Europe and the Americas
Preceded by Leader of the House of Commons
2016–2017		Succeeded by
Lord President of the Council
2016–2017
Preceded by Secretary of State for Justice
2017–2018		Succeeded by
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
2017–2018
Preceded by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
2018–2019		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for the Cabinet Office
2018–2019		Succeeded by
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.