Caroline Nokes
Encyclopedia
Caroline Fiona Ellen Nokes (born 26 June 1972) is a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom. She is the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Romsey and Southampton North in Hampshire
.
, former MEP
for the Wight and Hampshire South
constituency.
Nokes was educated at The Romsey School
, La Sagesse Convent in Romsey and then Peter Symonds' College, Winchester, going on to read politics at the University of Sussex
from 1991 to 1994.
Borough Council from 1999, when she was elected as a Councillor for the Romsey Extra Ward; her term is due to end in 2011.
She was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the Southampton Itchen constituency in the 2001 general election
; and Romsey constituency in the 2005 general election
, declaring, in a photoshoot for a women’s glossy magazine on the "hottest candidates" for election, “I’ve been told I’m too pretty to be in politics.”
In the run up to the 2010 general election, Nokes was one of the parliamentary candidates who signed a pledge that they would "respect, uphold and protect the right of Christians to hold and express Christian beliefs and act according to Christian conscience." She has since stated her support for same-sex marriage
. Nokes became an MP having beaten the previous incumbent, Sandra Gidley
by 4,165 votes in the 2010 election.
In June 2010, a Daily Mirror undercover exposé
disclosed that Nokes was having an affair
with a married Conservative councilor from Suffolk, who works in publishing, whom she had first met at the Conservative conference in Bournemouth
in October 2006.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician in the United Kingdom. She is the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Romsey and Southampton North in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
Early life
Caroline Nokes is the daughter of Roy PerryRoy Perry
Roy Perry is a British politician.Perry graduated from the University of Exeter with a degree in Government and Politics and was formerly a senior lecturer in Politics before entering the profession himself as a member of Test Valley Borough Council from 1979 to 1994. He was leader between 1985...
, former MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the Wight and Hampshire South
Wight and Hampshire South (European Parliament constituency)
Prior to its uniform adoption of proportional representation in 1999, the United Kingdom used first-past-the-post for the European elections in England, Scotland and Wales...
constituency.
Nokes was educated at The Romsey School
The Romsey School
The Romsey Academy is a mixed community academy in Romsey, Hampshire, England. The school was a secondary modern, called Romsey County Secondary School, until the 1970s when it became a comprehensive. It is often nicknamed "Priestlands" after its location....
, La Sagesse Convent in Romsey and then Peter Symonds' College, Winchester, going on to read politics at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
from 1991 to 1994.
Career
Nokes worked for her father between 1994 and 2004. She is also a former chief executive of the National Pony Society.Political career
Nokes is a member of Test ValleyTest Valley
Test Valley is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England, named after the valley of the River Test. Its council is based in Andover....
Borough Council from 1999, when she was elected as a Councillor for the Romsey Extra Ward; her term is due to end in 2011.
She was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the Southampton Itchen constituency in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
; and Romsey constituency in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, declaring, in a photoshoot for a women’s glossy magazine on the "hottest candidates" for election, “I’ve been told I’m too pretty to be in politics.”
In the run up to the 2010 general election, Nokes was one of the parliamentary candidates who signed a pledge that they would "respect, uphold and protect the right of Christians to hold and express Christian beliefs and act according to Christian conscience." She has since stated her support for same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. Nokes became an MP having beaten the previous incumbent, Sandra Gidley
Sandra Gidley
Sandra Julia Gidley is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom. She was the Member of Parliament for Romsey in Hampshire from 2000 to 2010, when she lost her seat to Conservative MP Caroline Nokes.-Biography:...
by 4,165 votes in the 2010 election.
Personal life
Nokes married Marc, a businessman, in June 1995. The couple have a daughter, Tabitha. They live in West Wellow.In June 2010, a Daily Mirror undercover exposé
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
disclosed that Nokes was having an affair
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
with a married Conservative councilor from Suffolk, who works in publishing, whom she had first met at the Conservative conference in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
in October 2006.
External links
- Profile at the Conservative Party
- Romsey and Southampton North Conservatives