Mark MacGregor

Last updated

Mark MacGregor (born 25 February 1961) is a British Conservative Party politician and entrepreneur. He fought several parliamentary elections for the party, became chief executive of Conservative Central Office from 2002 to 2003 and then ran Steve Norris' campaign to become Mayor of London in 2004. He has run various businesses, including a communications company, Marketforce Communications Ltd, an events firm and a cloud technology company, Connect Support Services Ltd. He was appointed deputy director of Policy Exchange in early 2013 a year after his eldest child was born.

Contents

Biography

MacGregor was born in 1961. [1] He was educated at Emanuel School in London and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, where he graduated with a degree in economics and modern history. In 1985, he was the national chairman of the Federation of Conservative Students (FCS), where he was associated with the libertarian faction.

In October 2002, MacGregor accepted undisclosed libel damages and a public apology at the High Court over allegations in Punch magazine. Mr Justice Eady was told that MacGregor had never been chairman or a member of the Young Monday Club as had been falsely claimed by the magazine. Mr MacGregor also successfully sued the Daily Mail for libel over similar allegations related to his period as Chairman of the FCS. [2]

Non-political career

Worked for Michael Forsyth Ltd, and then became the founder Director of Marketforce Communications, his own PR agency and conference company. [1] [3] From 2007, he has been chief executive of cloud and IT service company Connect Support Services.[ citation needed ]

Parliamentary contests

In 1997, MacGregor contested the ultra-safe Labour seat of West Ham for the Conservatives. Labour's Tony Banks got 24,531 votes (72.9%), MacGregor 5,037 (15.0). [4]

MacGregor contested the South Thanet constituency for the first time in 2001. On that occasion Stephen Ladyman polled 18,002 votes for Labour (45.7%) while MacGregor got 16,210 for the Conservatives (41.1%). [5] He stood once again in the 2005 general election, when he failed by 664 votes to defeat Ladyman, [6] and BBC suggests the 2,079 votes gained by the UK Independence Party candidate, Nigel Farage, is likely to have cost MacGregor the seat. [7]

Internal party posts

MacGregor was elected Chairman of the Conservative Students in 1985-86 and Chairman of the National Association of Conservative Graduates, 1989–90.

Conservative Central Office

In 2002, MacGregor was named the new chief executive of the Conservative Central Office [8] appointed by Iain Duncan Smith on becoming Party leader. In his psychometric evaluation, he was judged to have "a brilliant mind".[ citation needed ] One of his first actions as chief executive was to push through a £1 million budget cut to stabilise the party's poor finances. [3]

In his role, MacGregor was credited with drafting the speech for the then Chairman of the Conservative Party, Theresa May MP, which described the Tories as "the nasty party". Former front-bencher, John Bercow said MacGregor was "talented" and "extraordinarily imaginative" and had organised a successful 2002 Party conference. [9]

In a dispute over the leadership of Duncan-Smith, Tebbit called for MacGregor's dismissal as the party's chief executive in 2002. Tebbit branded MacGregor as "one of the spotty youths" [10] who were trying to make the Tories more socially inclusive. Tebbit said: "I don't think he was a good chief executive... I think that he was not a good influence in Central Office." MacGregor was replaced by the former MP, Barry Legg. [11]

Central Office was quoted as saying that MacGregor's departure was "long-planned and by mutual consent". He wanted to become a parliamentary candidate and could not do so while chief executive, but he had reportedly clashed with Smith both over policy and organisational issues as well as the vexed issue of Duncan-Smith's wife working for her husband. (See #Betsygate )

Central Office claims were undermined the following day when Michael Portillo MP (a leadership rival to Duncan-Smith), raised fresh doubts about Iain Duncan Smith's leadership of the Conservatives saying he was deeply disappointed by the replacement of Mark MacGregor. Portillo said : "Mark MacGregor and Rick Nye are two of the most talented people that the party has ever employed and their achievements will be badly missed." [12] John Bercow praised MacGregor's loyalty, but also lamented the loss of his talent and creativity, adding "the modernising agenda has been at best, sidelined and at worst, lost". [9]

Personal political allegiances

MacGregor was an active member of the Thatcherite 'Conservative Way Forward' group in the 1990s though he is no longer involved in the organisation. Robbie Gibb one-time Chief of Staff for Francis Maude and brother of Nick Gibb, MP was best man at MacGregor 's first wedding. The two were near neighbours in Pimlico in the 1990s and have been friends since MacGregor was chairman of the Conservative Students and Gibb a leader of the Conservative Students in the mid-Eighties. [13]

In the 1983 and 1987 General Elections, MacGregor worked for Michael Forsyth who was elected in the marginal seat of Stirling in Scotland. He was Francis Maude's campaign manager in the 1992 General Election. [1] Maude would lose his marginal North Warwickshire seat, despite winning more votes than at the election before.

Staunch supporter of Michael Portillo, [9] MacGregor was thought to be behind the decision to install extra phone lines in a house in Lord North Street in 1995, as a possible campaign HQ for Portillo when it appeared Major was on the point of being ousted by the right. [13]

He also ran the Conservative Mayoral campaign in 2004 to elect Steve Norris as Mayor of London [12] – Norris lost to Ken Livingstone.

In 2006, he supported David Handley in his bid for the leadership of the National Farmers Union.

Betsygate

Allegations which surfaced concerning the payment, out of the Parliamentary purse, of wages to Betsy Duncan Smith led to an investigation into the conduct of IDS by the House of Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges. [14]

In January 2006, the Conservatives launched an inquiry into the "Betsygate affair" [15] and MacGregor's alleged role in it. The Sunday Telegraph revealed that the party had been re-investigating the saga surrounding payments made by the former leader, Iain Duncan Smith, to his wife, Betsy, for secretarial work in 2003. In the private report, MacGregor was cleared of any wrongdoing. MacGregor and Gearson were reinserted on the parliamentary candidates list, despite protests from the traditionalist Cornerstone Group of backbenchers, [16] although he was not later reselected by the Thanet South Conservative Association, losing to Laura Sandys who later became the MP.

Later career

In 2007, MacGregor resumed his business career becoming chief executive of cloud and IT services business, Connect Support Services. In 2011, Connect purchased the assets of Hosted Revolution Ltd and in 2012 acquired Thinhost Ltd, both cloud service providers.

In 2013, he was appointed deputy director of Policy Exchange.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Tebbit</span> English politician

Norman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 1981 to 1987 as Secretary of State for Employment (1981–1983), Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1983–1985), and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Chairman of the Conservative Party (1985–1987). He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1970 to 1992, representing the constituencies of Epping (1970–1974) and Chingford (1974–1992).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Hamilton (politician)</span> British politician from Wales, UKIP leader

Mostyn Neil Hamilton is a British former barrister and politician who has been leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) since 2020. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Tatton from 1983 to 1997 and a UKIP Member of the Senedd (MS) for Mid and West Wales from 2016 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iain Duncan Smith</span> British politician, former Leader of the Conservative Party

Sir George Iain Duncan Smith, often referred to by his initials IDS, is a British politician who served as 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 Portillo</span> British journalist, broadcaster, and former politician (born 1953)

Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo is a British journalist, broadcaster, and former Conservative politician. His broadcast series include railway documentaries such as Great British Railway Journeys and Great Continental Railway Journeys. A former member of the Conservative Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Enfield Southgate from 1984 to 1997 and Kensington and Chelsea from 1999 to 2005.

The Conservative Democratic Alliance (CDA) was a political pressure group from the United Kingdom. The CDA referred to itself as the "authentic voice of conservatism". It closed in December 2008.

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

Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reigate since 1997. 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">Conservative Way Forward</span>

Conservative Way Forward (CWF) is a British pressure and campaigning group, which is Thatcherite in its outlook and agenda. Margaret Thatcher was its founding President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Maude</span> British Conservative politician

Francis Anthony Aylmer Maude, Baron Maude of Horsham, is a British Conservative Party politician who served as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General from 2010 to 2015. He also served in several posts while the Conservatives were in opposition, notably as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Shadow Foreign Secretary and Chairman of the Conservative Party. Maude was Member of Parliament (MP) for North Warwickshire from 1983 to 1992 and then for Horsham from 1997 to 2015.

<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.

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.

Jonathan Sayeed is an Anglo-Indian British politician who was a Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom from 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Conservative Party leadership election</span> British Conservative Party leadership election

The 2001 Conservative Party leadership election was held after the party failed to make inroads into the Labour government's lead in the 2001 general election. Party leader William Hague resigned, and a leadership contest was called under new rules Hague had introduced. Five candidates came forward: Michael Ancram, David Davis, Kenneth Clarke, Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Portillo.

The Federation of Conservative Students (FCS) was the student organisation of the British Conservative Party from the late 1940s to 1986. It was created to act as a bridge between the student movement and the Conservative Party. It produced several magazines, and had regular Assembly meetings in which motions would be voted on. It had supported some controversial actions, such as the legalisation of various drugs, and the privatisation of the Trident nuclear missiles. There was continual tension between central party, which funded the organisation, and the Federation – which often used the funds on exploring unconventional policies.

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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Conservative Party leadership election</span> British Conservative Party leadership election

The 2003 Conservative Party leadership election was held due to the enforced resignation of incumbent leader Iain Duncan Smith, who lost a confidence vote among his parliamentary party. The causes of Duncan Smith's fall are often cited as his lack of charisma and impact with the public, the uninspired direction of the party under his leadership, and his previous failure to achieve more than a third of support among members of parliament in the 2001 leadership contest. In the event, the Conservative Party coalesced around Michael Howard as replacement leader and there was not a contest to replace Duncan Smith.

Barry Charles Legg is a British politician. A former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Milton Keynes South West from 1992 until the 1997 general election, he was defeated by Labour's Phyllis Starkey. Legg is the chairman of the Eurosceptic Bruges Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centre for Social Justice</span>

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is an independent centre-right think tank based in the United Kingdom, co-founded in 2004 by Iain Duncan Smith, Tim Montgomerie, Mark Florman and Philippa Stroud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Morrison</span> British politician

Sir Peter Hugh Morrison was a British Conservative politician, MP for Chester from 1974 to 1992, and Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Turning Back (political group)</span>

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.

Betsygate was a political scandal in the United Kingdom concerning the level of pay received by Elisabeth ("Betsy") Duncan Smith, the wife and diary secretary of the then Leader of the Conservative Party, Iain Duncan Smith.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mark MacGregor, BBC Election 97
  2. ↑ News section Archived 17 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine , Page 4, Get Carter Ruck, June/July 2003
  3. 1 2 The backroom boys (and girls), Daily Telegraph, 21 March 2002
  4. ↑ Mark MacGregor, General Election 1997, The Guardian
  5. ↑ Election 2001 results & constituencies, BBC News, 2001.
  6. ↑ Election 2005 results & reaction, BBC News, 6 May 2005.
  7. ↑ UKIP leader 'offered Tory seat', Brian Wheeler, BBC News, 5 December 2006.
  8. ↑ IDS: rising from the ashes?, Edward Vaizey, New Statesman, 4 March 2002
  9. 1 2 3 Tories warned over modernisation, BBC News, 21 February 2003
  10. ↑ Duncan-Smith must sack the squabbling children, Norman Tebbit, Daily Telegraph, 18 August 2002
  11. ↑ New anger at Tory leader, Jason Beattie, The Scotsman , 20 February 2003
  12. 1 2 Duncan Smith appoints Right-winger party chief [ dead link ], Andrew Sparrow and David Millward, Daily Telegraph 15 February 2003
  13. 1 2 Tory fury at 'tapas plot' over Hague, Andy McSmith, The Guardian, 23 January 2000
  14. ↑ Report, House of Commons Committee of Standards and Privileges, 2003
  15. ↑ Aide's email warning of risk to IDS triggered investigation, Andrew Sparrow and Benedict Brogan, Daily Telegraph 13 October 2003
  16. ↑ Cameron faces backlash over 'Betsygate' officials [ dead link ], Brendan Carlin, Daily Telegraph 26 May 2006


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.