Oliver Colvile
Encyclopedia
Oliver Newton Colvile is the Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport. He won the seat from the Labour
candidate Linda Gilroy
at the May 2010 general election.
, Colvile comes from a Naval family, his father having served as an officer in the Royal Navy
for over thirty years, his grandfather being the First Lieutenant
of Plymouth’s Naval barracks, whilst his uncle was a Royal Marines
officer who served at Stonehouse
. He has lived for the last ten years in the old Royal Naval Hospital
, the Millfields, in Plymouth
.
, enhance people’s freedom and enjoyment of life. He joined the Conservative Party
’s professional staff when he was just 21, working for some well-known Ministers and high-profile backbench MPs. It gave him great experience at the sharp end of political life and was later entrusted with masterminding and devising community campaigns which saw the Conservatives successfully return to Parliament a number of its candidates in the most marginal seat
s.
In the 2010 General Election he won his Plymouth
seat with a majority of 1149 and 34.3% of the votes cast, ousting the sitting Labour MP with a swing of 6.9% calculated after allowing for significant boundary changes.
Since 26 July 2010, Colvile has served on the House of Commons Northern Ireland
Affairs Select Committee
.
projects. He is a member of the Federation of Small Businesses
and the Institute of Directors
, and is also a Director of the Enterprise Forum
.
Colvile is a keen cricket
fan and member of the Addis Army, which supports the England national side. He is also a member of the Lansdowne
club and the MCC.
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...
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 Plymouth Sutton & Devonport. He won the seat from the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate Linda Gilroy
Linda Gilroy
Linda Gilroy is a British Labour Co-operative politician who was the Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton from 1997 until her defeat at the 2010 general election by the Conservative Party candidate, Oliver Colvile.-Early life:...
at the May 2010 general election.
Background
Educated at Stowe SchoolStowe School
Stowe School is an independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It was founded on 11 May 1923 by J. F. Roxburgh, initially with 99 male pupils. It is a member of the Rugby Group and Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school is also a member of the G20 Schools Group...
, Colvile comes from a Naval family, his father having served as an officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
for over thirty years, his grandfather being the First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
of Plymouth’s Naval barracks, whilst his uncle was a Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
officer who served at Stonehouse
Stonehouse, Plymouth
East Stonehouse is one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth. West Stonehouse was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall...
. He has lived for the last ten years in the old Royal Naval Hospital
Royal Naval Hospital
A Royal Naval Hospital was a hospital operated by the British Royal Navy. No Royal Naval Hospitals survive as such, although some have become civilian hospitals and one remains as a tri-service military hospital.Royal Naval Hospitals included:...
, the Millfields, in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
.
Political career
Colvile has stated that his interest in politics took hold at school when he became fascinated by how an idea could become law or a policy to protect civil libertiesCivil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
, enhance people’s freedom and enjoyment of life. He joined the 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...
’s professional staff when he was just 21, working for some well-known Ministers and high-profile backbench MPs. It gave him great experience at the sharp end of political life and was later entrusted with masterminding and devising community campaigns which saw the Conservatives successfully return to Parliament a number of its candidates in the most marginal seat
Marginal seat
A marginal seat, or swing seat, is a constituency held with a particularly small majority in a legislative election, generally conducted under a single-winner voting system. In Canada they may be known as target ridings. The opposite is a safe seat....
s.
In the 2010 General Election he won his Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
seat with a majority of 1149 and 34.3% of the votes cast, ousting the sitting Labour MP with a swing of 6.9% calculated after allowing for significant boundary changes.
Since 26 July 2010, Colvile has served on the House of Commons Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Affairs Select Committee
Select Committee
A select committee is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues originating in the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
.
Controversy
Colvile was criticised when it was revealed in October 2011 that he received hospitality of £694.80 from Japan Tobacco International, owners of the Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut brands, paying for a trip for him to see Test Match cricket at the Oval in the summer. This came shortly after he voted in favour of relaxing the smoking ban.Other interests
Following a spell at an internationally-renowned agency advising on business development, since 1996 Oliver Colvile has run a communications business specialising in handling community consultation for major regenerationRegeneration
-In biology:* Regeneration , the ability to recreate lost or damaged tissues, organs and limbs* Bush regeneration, an ecological technique practiced in Australia-In music:* Regeneration , a 1977 album by Roy Orbison...
projects. He is a member of the Federation of Small Businesses
Federation of Small Businesses
The Federation of Small Businesses was formed in 1974 and is the UK's leading business organisation representing small and medium sized businesses.- About the FSB :...
and the Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
, and is also a Director of the Enterprise Forum
The Enterprise Forum
The Enterprise Forum is an independent, British, not-for-profit organisation that was founded in 1997 to facilitate discussions on policy between the Business Community and the Conservative Party...
.
Colvile is a keen cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
fan and member of the Addis Army, which supports the England national side. He is also a member of the Lansdowne
Lansdowne Club
The Lansdowne Club is a London private club, which was established in 1935. It is located at 9 Fitzmaurice Place, near Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London, England....
club and the MCC.