Greg Clark
Encyclopedia
Rt. Hon. Gregory David (Greg) Clark (born 28 August 1967) is a British
Conservative Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Tunbridge Wells
since 2005. Clark is currently a Minister of State
in the Department for Communities and Local Government
, with responsibility for overseeing decentralisation, a key policy of the Liberal-Conservative coalition
. As of July 2011 he is also minister for cities.
and attended the local South Bank Comprehensive School
, before reading Economics at Magdalene College, Cambridge
. Whilst at Cambridge, he was a member of David Owen
's Social Democratic Party
, and an executive member of its student wing, Social Democrat Youth and Students (SDYS). He then studied at the London School of Economics
, where he was awarded his PhD
.
Clark first worked as a business consultant before becoming special advisor to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Ian Lang
between 1996 and 1997, Subsequently, he was appointed the BBC's Controller, Commercial Policy and was Director of Policy for the Conservative Party from 2001 until his election to parliament in 2005. Between 2002 and 2005 he was also a councillor on Westminster City Council
serving as Cabinet Member for Leisure and Lifelong Learning.
He is described as an "economically liberal Conservative with a social conscience".
for the parliamentary constituency of Tunbridge Wells after Archie Norman
stood down as the MP. He was elected with a majority of 9,988 and made his maiden speech
on 9 June 2005, in which he spoke of the (then) forthcoming 400th anniversary of Dudley, Lord North's
discovery of the Chalybeate
spring and the foundation of Royal Tunbridge Wells
, a town to which the royal prefix was added in 1909 by King Edward VII.
, becoming Shadow Minister for Charities, Voluntary Bodies and Social Enterprise. Shortly after his appointment he made headlines by saying the Conservative party needed to pay less attention to the social thinking of Winston Churchill
, and more to that of columnist on The Guardian
, Polly Toynbee
. In October 2008, Clark was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet, shadowing the new government position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
.
, with responsibility for overseeing decentralisation, a key policy of the Liberal-Conservative coalition.
In this role he has recently called for the Churches and other faith communities to send him their ideas for new social innovations for all and made a major speech on "turning government upside down" jointly to the think tanks Centre Forum and Policy Exchange. He is accused of hypocrisy for having staunchly opposed house-building while in opposition, while threatening to impose it as a government minister.
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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who has been 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 Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency)
Tunbridge Wells is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament , elected under the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
since 2005. Clark is currently a Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
in the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
, with responsibility for overseeing decentralisation, a key policy of the Liberal-Conservative coalition
Cameron Ministry
David Cameron is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government after the resignation as Prime Minister of Gordon Brown on 11 May 2010. Leading a coalition government formed by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, the coalition...
. As of July 2011 he is also minister for cities.
Early life and career
Greg Clark was born in MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and attended the local South Bank Comprehensive School
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, before reading Economics at Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
. Whilst at Cambridge, he was a member of David Owen
David Owen
David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen CH PC FRCP is a British politician.Owen served as British Foreign Secretary from 1977 to 1979, the youngest person in over forty years to hold the post; he co-authored the failed Vance-Owen and Owen-Stoltenberg peace plans offered during the Bosnian War...
's Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
, and an executive member of its student wing, Social Democrat Youth and Students (SDYS). He then studied at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, where he was awarded his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
.
Clark first worked as a business consultant before becoming special advisor to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. Its secondary title is the President of the Board of Trade...
Ian Lang
Ian Lang
Ian Bruce Lang, Baron Lang of Monkton PC is a former British Conservative MP for Galloway from 1979 to 1983 and for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale from 1983 to 1997....
between 1996 and 1997, Subsequently, he was appointed the BBC's Controller, Commercial Policy and was Director of Policy for the Conservative Party from 2001 until his election to parliament in 2005. Between 2002 and 2005 he was also a councillor on Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
serving as Cabinet Member for Leisure and Lifelong Learning.
He is described as an "economically liberal Conservative with a social conscience".
Member of Parliament
He was elected at the 2005 General ElectionUnited 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....
for the parliamentary constituency of Tunbridge Wells after Archie Norman
Archie Norman
Archibald John Norman is a British businessman and politician. He is at present the only FTSE 100 chairman to have sat in the House of Commons. On 18 November 2009, Norman was announced as the new chairman of ITV plc...
stood down as the MP. He was elected with a majority of 9,988 and made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 9 June 2005, in which he spoke of the (then) forthcoming 400th anniversary of Dudley, Lord North's
Dudley North, 3rd Baron North
Dudley North, 3rd Baron North was an English nobleman.He was the son of Sir John North and of Dorothy, daughter and heiress of Sir Valentine Dale. He succeeded his grandfather, Roger North, 2nd Baron North, at the age of nineteen...
discovery of the Chalybeate
Chalybeate
Chalybeate waters, also known as ferruginous waters, are mineral spring waters containing salts of iron.-Name:The word "chalybeate" is derived from the Latin word for steel, "chalybs", which follows from the Greek word "khalups"...
spring and the foundation of Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
, a town to which the royal prefix was added in 1909 by King Edward VII.
Shadow Cabinet
He was appointed to the front bench in a minor reshuffle in November 2006 by David CameronDavid Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, becoming Shadow Minister for Charities, Voluntary Bodies and Social Enterprise. Shortly after his appointment he made headlines by saying the Conservative party needed to pay less attention to the social thinking of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, and more to that of columnist on The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Polly Toynbee
Polly Toynbee
Polly Toynbee is a British journalist and writer, and has been a columnist for The Guardian newspaper since 1998. She is a social democrat and broadly supports the Labour Party, while urging it in many areas to be more left-wing...
. In October 2008, Clark was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet, shadowing the new government position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is a British government cabinet position currently held by Chris Huhne. The government department was created on 3 October 2008 when former Prime Minister Gordon Brown reshuffled his cabinet....
.
Minister of State for decentralisation and cities
Clark is currently a Minister of State in the Department for Communities and Local GovernmentDepartment for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
, with responsibility for overseeing decentralisation, a key policy of the Liberal-Conservative coalition.
In this role he has recently called for the Churches and other faith communities to send him their ideas for new social innovations for all and made a major speech on "turning government upside down" jointly to the think tanks Centre Forum and Policy Exchange. He is accused of hypocrisy for having staunchly opposed house-building while in opposition, while threatening to impose it as a government minister.
External links
- Greg Clark MP official constituency website
- Profile at the Ministry for Communities and Local Government
- Profile at the Conservative Party
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