Theo Clarke

Last updated

Henry Coram-James
​
(m. 2021)​
Theo Clarke
MP
Official portrait of Theo Clarke MP crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2019
Member of Parliament
for Stafford
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Children1
Parent
Relatives
Education Downe House School
Alma mater Newcastle University
Courtauld Institute of Art

Theodora Roosevelt Clarke [1] (born 4 August 1985) [2] is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stafford since the 2019 general election. Prior to her political career, she worked in the arts industry and founded the campaign group Coalition for Global Prosperity.

Contents

Early life and career

Clarke grew up in the village of Bibury in Gloucestershire. [3] [4] She is the daughter of Sir Charles Mansfield Tobias Clarke, 6th Baronet and his second wife Teresa de Chair, a daughter of Somerset de Chair. Her younger brother is former athlete Sir Lawrence Clarke, 7th Baronet. [4] [5] Clarke also has a younger sister, Augusta. [4] She is the niece of the wife of the former Business Secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg. [6] [7] Clarke is a distant relative of US Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt. [5] [8]

She was privately educated at Downe House School in Newbury, Berkshire. [9] She studied art history at Newcastle University [8] and the Courtauld Institute of Art, specialising in Russian Art. Clarke worked for the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the British auction house Christie's before founding Russian Art and Culture, an online arts magazine in 2011. [10] [11] She was also a co-founder of the Association of Women in the Arts, [12] and later founded the Coalition for Global Prosperity. [13] [14] As part of her work at the campaign group she volunteered in Sierra Leone in the aftermath of the Ebola outbreak. [15]

In February 2023, Channel 4's Dispatches reported Clarke went on an all expenses paid trip to Russia in 2012 as part of the Conservatives Friends of Russia group, organised by the Russian government of Vladimir Putin. [16]

Parliamentary career

Clarke contested the Bristol East seat at the 2015 and 2017 general elections as the Conservative Party candidate but was unsuccessful. [17] The party selected her as the candidate for Stafford on 26 September 2019. [18] The incumbent Conservative MP Jeremy Lefroy had previously announced that he would be standing down at the next election. [19] She was elected as Stafford's MP in the 2019 general election with a majority of 14,377 (28.1%), [20] the largest in the constituency's history. [15]

Clarke has been a member of the International Development Committee since March 2020 and the Women and Equalities Committee since September 2020. [21]

On 5 October 2020, Clarke was appointed as the Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to Kenya. She helped implement the UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement which continued the duty-free access to the UK market for Kenyan businesses after Brexit. The agreement carried forward arrangements agreed by the European Union and the East African Community. [22] [23] Clarke resigned this role in July 2022 in protest at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership. [24]

Clarke endorsed Penny Mordaunt during the July 2022 Conservative Party leadership election. [25]

Clarke took maternity leave following the birth of her first child in August 2022. [26] [27]

In February 2023, Clarke stated she was unable to be re-selected as Conservative candidate for Stafford, further stating she intended to appeal to local members in an attempt to stay on as candidate. [28]

In March 2023, Clarke was re-adopted as the Conservative candidate for Stafford having won the wider membership vote. [29]

Personal life

Clarke married Henry Coram-James, son of John Coram James and The Countess of Harrowby (formerly Caroline Coram James) and stepson of the Earl of Harrowby, [30] on 14 August 2021 at the Church of St Mary, Bibury. [31] In March 2022, she announced that the couple were expecting their first child. [32] Their daughter was born in August 2022. [33]

In a speech to the House of Commons in October 2023, Clarke revealed she had been rushed into emergency surgery following the birth of her daughter, calling on the government to do more to help women who had been through "birth trauma". [34]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Lefroy</span> British Conservative politician

Jeremy John Elton Lefroy is a British Conservative Party politician. He was first elected as the Member of Parliament for the Stafford constituency in the 2010 general election and was re-elected in 2015 and 2017 before standing down ahead of the 2019 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Dornan</span> Scottish National Party politician

James Dornan is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who is Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow Cathcart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendy Morton</span> British politician

Wendy Morton is a British politician who served as Chief Whip of the House of Commons and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury from September to October 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aldridge-Brownhills in the West Midlands since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrea Jenkyns</span> English politician

Dame Andrea Marie Jenkyns is a British politician serving as Deputy Chairwoman of the European Research Group (ERG) since 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suella Braverman</span> Home Secretary of the United Kingdom since 2022

Sue-Ellen CassianaBraverman is a British politician and barrister who became Home Secretary of the United Kingdom on 25 October 2022. She had previously held the position from 6 September to 19 October 2022 under Prime Minister Liz Truss. A member of the Conservative Party, she was chair of the European Research Group from 2017 to 2018 and Attorney General for England and Wales from 2020 to March 2021 and September 2021 to 2022. She became Member of Parliament (MP) for Fareham in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kemi Badenoch</span> UK Business and Trade Secretary since 2023

Olukemi Olufunto "Kemi" Badenoch is a British politician serving as Secretary of State for Business and Trade since 2023 and President of the Board of Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities since 2022. She previously held a series of junior ministerial positions under Boris Johnson from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, in 2017 she was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Saffron Walden in Essex, having previously served as a Member of the London Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Clarke (politician)</span> British politician

Sir Simon Richard Clarke is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities from September to October 2022 and Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland since 2017.

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

Edmund Francis Hughes is a British Conservative Party politician who served in the Second Johnson ministry as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Rough Sleeping from 2021 to 2022. He has also been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Walsall North since 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Conservative Party leadership election</span> British Conservative Party leadership election

The 2019 Conservative Party leadership election was triggered when Theresa May announced on 24 May 2019 that she would resign as leader of the Conservative Party on 7 June and as prime minister of the United Kingdom once a successor had been elected. Nominations opened on 10 June; 10 candidates were nominated. The first ballot of members of Parliament (MPs) took place on 13 June, with exhaustive ballots of MPs also taking place on 18, 19 and 20 June, reducing the candidates to two. The general membership of the party elected the leader by postal ballot; the result was announced on 23 July, with Boris Johnson being elected with almost twice as many votes as his opponent Jeremy Hunt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joy Morrissey</span> British politician

Joyce Rebekah "Joy" Morrissey is an American-born British politician who has served as the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire since 2019. Morrissey achieved ministerial rank as an Assistant Government Whip and has served in that role since July 2022 under three Prime Ministers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Edwards</span> British politician

Ruth Rosamond Edwards is a British politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rushcliffe in the 2019 general election. A member of the Conservative Party, she worked in cybersecurity policy prior to her political career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alicia Kearns</span> British politician (born 1987)

Alicia Alexandra Martha Kearns is a British politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rutland and Melton since the 2019 general election. She is a member of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Anderson (British politician)</span> British Conservative Party politician

Lee Anderson is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashfield since 2019. He is a member of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dehenna Davison</span> British Conservative politician

Dehenna Sheridan Davison is a British Conservative Party politician and former broadcaster. She has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bishop Auckland since the 2019 general election. She served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up between September 2022 and September 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siobhan Baillie</span> British Conservative politician (born 1981)

Siobhan Kathleen Baillie is a British Conservative Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Stroud since the 2019 general election. Prior to her parliamentary career, she was a family law solicitor, a councillor, and worked for a charity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brendan Clarke-Smith</span> British Conservative politician, MP for Bassetlaw

Brendan Clarke-Smith is a British Conservative Party politician and former teacher who served under Liz Truss as Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office from September and October 2022 and under Boris Johnson as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families from July to September 2022. He was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bassetlaw in the 2019 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Stafford</span> British politician

Alexander Paul Thomas Stafford is a British politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rother Valley since the 2019 general election. He is the first Conservative to be elected for the seat. He has been the Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party for Policy since September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miriam Cates</span> British Conservative politician

Miriam Joy Cates is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Penistone and Stocksbridge at the 2019 general election. Before her parliamentary career, she was the finance director of a technology consultancy, a teacher, and a parish councillor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Webb</span> British politician (born 1966)

Suzanne Webb is a British Conservative Party politician. She has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stourbridge since the 2019 general election. She was the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Prime Minister Liz Truss from September to October 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaun Bailey (West Bromwich MP)</span> British politician

Shaun Stephen Bailey is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for West Bromwich West at the 2019 general election. Prior to his political career, he was a trainee solicitor.

References

  1. ↑ "Members Sworn". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  2. ↑ Brunskill, Ian (19 March 2020). The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019 : the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election. p. 338. ISBN   978-0-00-839258-1. OCLC   1129682574. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  3. ↑ "Theo Clarke". Stafford Conservatives. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Lawrence Clarke's Christening". Tatler. 14 December 1990. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Team GB captain Lawrence Clarke's near-death experience inspires him on the track". The Daily Telegraph. 5 March 2015. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  6. ↑ Perraudin, Frances (14 November 2019). "Unexpected candidates: from Count Binface to Rees-Mogg's niece". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  7. ↑ "Minister of State (Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency) - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  8. 1 2 Daly, Patrick (25 May 2017). "Tory candidate Theo Clarke claims to live 'near Stockwood' - she actually lives on 'Uncle' Jacob Rees Moggs' estate in North East Somerset". Bristol Post. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  9. ↑ "Our Year". Downe House School Magazine. p. 153. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  10. ↑ "Theodora Clarke". Russian Art and Culture. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "About us". Russian Art and Culture. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  12. ↑ "Founding Members". Association of Women in the Arts. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  13. ↑ Clarke, Theo (11 July 2018). "Theo Clarke: Our army and our aid workers are both essential to the UK's security". ConservativeHome. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  14. ↑ "Our Team". Coalition for Global Prosperity. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  15. 1 2 Madeley, Peter (6 March 2020). "New Stafford MP Theo Clarke: Time for actions, not words". Express & Star. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  16. ↑ "Strippers, Spies & Russian Money: Dispatches | All 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  17. ↑ "Bristol East". BBC News. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  18. ↑ "Tories select election candidate to replace Jeremy Lefroy in Stafford". Express & Star. 26 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  19. ↑ "Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy to step down at next general election". BBC News. 14 June 2019. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  20. ↑ "Stafford". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  21. ↑ "Parliamentary career for Theo Clarke". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "Trade envoys". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 9 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  23. ↑ "UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement enters into force". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  24. ↑ @theodoraclarke (5 July 2022). "I am very sad to be resigning as the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Kenya with immediate effect" (Tweet). Retrieved 5 July 2022– via Twitter.
  25. ↑ Madeley, Peter (12 July 2022). "Tory leadership race: Early favourite among region's MPs as nominations deadline looms". Express & Star. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  26. ↑ Madeley, Peter. "Senior politicians back Stafford MP over 'get back to work' abuse after she gave birth". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  27. ↑ "Tory MP dismayed by abuse received for taking maternity leave". BBC News. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  28. ↑ "https://twitter.com/theodoraclarke/status/1629215798072844291". Twitter. Retrieved 24 February 2023.{{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  29. ↑ "MP readopted as Tory candidate at second attempt". BBC News. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  30. ↑ "Announcements". The Times. 26 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.(subscription required)
  31. ↑ "Village Life July/August 2021" (PDF). Bibury Parish Council. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  32. ↑ "Stafford MP Theo Clarke announces she is expecting her first child". Express & Star. 18 March 2022. Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  33. ↑ "Tory MP dismayed by abuse received for taking maternity leave". BBC News. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  34. ↑ "MP breaks down as she recalls 'terrifying' traumatic birth". BBC News . 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Stafford
2019–present		Incumbent
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.