David Willetts

Last updated

The Right Honourable
The Lord Willetts
PC FRS HonFRSC HonFREng FAcSS
Official portrait of Lord Willetts crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2020
Minister of State for Universities and Science
In office
11 May 2010 –14 July 2014
Succeeded by Alan Duncan

Willetts has pioneered the idea of "civic conservatism" [D. Willetts, "Civic Conservatism", SMF (1994)]. This is the idea of focusing on the institutions between the state and individuals as a policy concern (rather than merely thinking of individuals and the state as the only agencies) and is one of the principles behind the increasing support in the Conservative Party's localist agenda and its emphasis on voluntary organisations. During an interview with The Spectator , he was referred to as 'the real father of Cameronism'. [34]

Fourteen years after the publication of "Civic Conservatism" Willetts gave the inaugural Oakeshott Memorial Lecture to the London School of Economics in which he made an attempt to explain how game theory can be used to help think about how to improve social capital. The lecture [35] was described by the Times as "an audacious attempt by the Conservative Party's leading intellectual to relate a new Tory narrative". [36]

Civic conservatism, like free market economics, proceeds from deep-seated individual self-interest towards a stable cooperation. It sets the Tories the task not of changing humanity but of designing institutions and arrangements that encourage our natural reciprocal altruism. [37]

Personal life and member's interests

Willetts is married to the artist Sarah Butterfield. [38] The couple have one daughter, born 1988, and one son, born 1992. His wealth in 2009 was estimated at £1.9m, [39] and his declarations for the Register of Members' Financial Interests may be viewed here.

Honours

Scholastic

University degrees
LocationDateSchoolDegree
Flag of England.svg England Christ Church, Oxford First-class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) in PPE
Chancellor, visitor, governor, and fellowships
LocationDateSchoolPosition
Flag of England.svg England21 October 2014 – King's College London Visiting Professor [40]
Flag of England.svg EnglandJuly 2018 –March 2023 University of Leicester Chancellor [30]
Flag of England.svg England – Nuffield College, Oxford Honorary Fellow [41]
Honorary degrees
LocationDateSchoolDegree
Flag of England.svg England21 November 2014 University of Bedfordshire Doctor of Arts (D.Arts) [42] [43]
Flag of England.svg England17 July 2016 University of Leicester Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) [44] [45]
Flag of England.svg England4 July 2017 University of Bath Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) [46] [47]
Flag of England.svg England2017 Richmond, The American International University in London Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) [48]
Flag of England.svg England2017 University of Chester Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) [49]

Memberships and fellowships

CountryDateOrganisationPosition
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom2014 – Academy of Social Sciences Fellow (FAcSS) [50] [51]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom2016 – Academy of Medical Sciences Honorary Fellow (FMedSci) [52] [53]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom2017 – Royal Society of Chemistry Honorary Fellow (HonFRSC) [54]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom2018 – Royal Society Honorary Fellow (FRS) [55]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom2023 – Royal Academy of Engineering Honorary Fellow (FREng) [56]

Published works

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References

  1. 1 2 "Lord David Willetts appointed as Chair of UK Space Agency Board". GOV.UK. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "Rt Hon David Willetts MP (1974)". The King Edward's School Birmingham Trust website. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  3. ↑ Heidi Blake (10 November 2010). "Grants, loans and tuition fees: a timeline of how university funding has evolved". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  4. ↑ Aitkenhead, Decca (20 November 2011). "David Willetts: 'Many more will go to university than in my generation – we must not reverse that'". The Guardian . Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Alice Thomson (13 March 2004). "Willetts takes 'two pensions' Blair to task". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  6. ↑ Foot, Paul (19 March 2004). "P. F. Eye: An idiot's guide to the Private Finance Initiative" (PDF). Private Eye . No. 1102. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  7. 1 2 Michael White (22 May 2007). "It's over". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  8. ↑ Finkelstein, Daniel (2 November 2005). "A David Davis guide to fiscal strategy: two and two make... um, er..." . The Times. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  9. ↑ Anatole Kaletsky (24 May 2007). "Lesson one: get the yobs out of the classroom". The Times. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  10. ↑ Daniel Finkelstein (21 May 2007). "Fisking Janet Daley". The Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  11. ↑ Daniel Finkelstein (22 May 2007). "Do Cameron's critics really want grammar schools?". The Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  12. ↑ Janet Daley (21 May 2007). "When did wanting the best for your children become a crime?". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  13. ↑ "Cameron steps up grammars attack". BBC News. 22 May 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  14. ↑ Prince, Rosa (1 April 2011). "David Willets: feminism has held back working men". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  15. ↑ David Willetts (6 December 2010). "Tuition fees will be 'fair and affordable'". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  16. ↑ "Tuition fees vote: Plans approved despite rebellion". BBC News. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  17. ↑ Read, Simon (26 November 2013). "Government sells £900 million in student loans to debt collection company". The Independent . Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  18. ↑ O'Leary, Miles (14 July 2014). "Havant MP to stand down at next General Election after more than two decades". The News . Portsmouth. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  19. ↑ Morgan, John (21 October 2014). "Willetts appointed to teach and research at King's College London". Times Higher Education (THE). Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  20. ↑ "No. 61388". The London Gazette . 22 October 2015. p. 19846.
  21. ↑ "About us: David Willetts". Resolution Foundation. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  22. ↑ "Distinguished scientists elected as Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society" (Press release). The Royal Society. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "SYNBIOVEN LIMITED people – GOV.UK". Find and update company information. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  24. ↑ Helm, Toby (16 December 2018). "Party activists pile pressure on Corbyn to back second vote". The Observer . Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  25. ↑ Lee, Phillip (19 March 2019). "Letter to the Prime Minister from Dr Phillip Lee MP" (PDF). Letter to Theresa May . Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  26. ↑ "Voting Record – David Willetts MP, Havant". Public Whip. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  27. ↑ "David Willetts MP, voting record". TheyWorkForYou.com. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  28. ↑ "A New Generational Contract: The final report of the Intergenerational Commission • Resolution Foundation". 8 May 2018.
  29. ↑ "Intergenerational Centre • Living standards through a generational lens".
  30. 1 2 "Lord Willetts former Universities and Science Minister announced as Universitys new Chancellor". www2.le.ac.uk. University of Leicester. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  31. ↑ "Signatories to the Statement of Principles". The Henry Jackson Society. 27 July 2010. Archived from the original on 8 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  32. ↑ "Statement of Principles". The Henry Jackson Society. 27 July 2010. Archived from the original on 8 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  33. ↑ Conservative Friends of Poland website Archived 31 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  34. ↑ Fraser Nelson (24 June 2006). "The real father of Cameronism". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  35. ↑ "Renewing civic conservatism. The Oakeshott Lecture. LSE, 20th February 2008" (PDF). London School of Economics. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  36. ↑ Daniel Finkelstein (20 February 2008). "Blood, bats and bonding: a new way". The Times. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  37. ↑ Daniel Finkelstein (20 February 2008). "Civic conservatism replies to compassionate conservatism". The Times. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  38. ↑ Steven Morris (13 June 2002). "Paintings row ends in division of oils". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  39. ↑ Samira Shackle; Stephanie Hegarty; George Eaton (1 October 2009). "The new ruling class". New Statesman. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  40. ↑ "King's College London – David Willetts appointed Visiting Professor". kcl.ac.uk. 22 June 2023.
  41. ↑ "Honorary and Emeritus fellows".
  42. ↑ "MP David Willetts presented with honorary degree – beds.ac.uk | University of Bedfordshire".
  43. ↑ "Al Murray and David Willetts MP to be among honorands – beds.ac.uk | University of Bedfordshire".
  44. ↑ "Honorary Graduates – University of Leicester".
  45. ↑ "Rt Hon Lord David Willetts – Honorary Degree – University of Leicester", 17 July 2016.
  46. ↑ "The Rt Hon. The Lord Willetts: Oration".
  47. ↑ "Lord Willetts receives honorary degree".
  48. ↑ "Honorary Degree Recipients". Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  49. ↑ "Honorary graduates 2017". 21 November 2017.
  50. ↑ "Academy of Social Sciences Names 2014 Fellows". Social Science Space. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  51. ↑ "Academy of Social Sciences Fellows". The Academy of Social Sciences. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  52. ↑ "Lord David Willetts | The Academy of Medical Sciences".
  53. ↑ Mark Walport, "Citation for Lord David Willetts on his admission as an Honorary Fellow", The Academy of Medical Sciences.
  54. ↑ "Honorary Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry".
  55. ↑ "David Willetts' Royal Society Fellowship Biography". The Royal Society. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  56. ↑ "Royal Academy of Engineering welcomes 73 new Fellows" . Retrieved 4 October 2023.

For Willetts' roles in the 1980s–1990s as a welfare specialist:

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Havant
1992–2015 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Paymaster General
1996		Succeeded by
Preceded by Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
1998–1999		Succeeded by
Preceded by Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
1999–2001		Succeeded by
Himself
as Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Preceded by
Himself
as Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security		 Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
2001–2005		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Shadow Secretary of State for Trade Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
2005		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Shadow Secretary of State for Industry
Preceded by Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills
2005–2007		Succeeded byas Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
New office Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
2007–2009		Position abolished
Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills
2009–2010
Preceded byas Minister of State for Science and Innovation Minister of State for Universities and Science
2010–2014		Succeeded byas Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities
Preceded byas Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Leicester
2018–present		Incumbent
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Gentlemen
Baron Willetts		Followed by
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