Paul Beresford
Encyclopedia
Sir Alexander Paul Beresford (born 6 April 1946) is a British
Conservative Party
politician
, practising dentist
and the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Mole Valley
.
, New Zealand
, and was educated in Richmond
Primary School, Waimea College in Richmond; and the University of Otago
in Dunedin
, and is a practising dentist
.
He was the elected as a Councillor to Wandsworth Borough Council
in 1978 and was its Leader between 1983 and 1992, through much of the Thatcher
Government, and pioneered the practice of hiring contractors to do jobs that council workers had previously done. In 1990 he was knighted
for services to inner city rehabilitation.
following the retirement of former Cabinet
minister John Moore
. Sir Paul Beresford was elected at the 1992 General Election
and made his maiden speech
on 30 June 1992.
He entered the Major
Government in 1994 as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for the Environment
and remained until the Government was defeated in 1997. When the number of seats in Croydon was reduced from four to three before the 1997 General Election, he failed to be selected for the newly-drawn Croydon Central and instead fought Mole Valley in Surrey, where he was elected in 1997. Croydon Central fell to Labour.
Prior to the United Kingdom General Election, 2010 Sir Paul was a member of the Communities & Local Government Select Committee.
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...
, practising dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
and 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 Mole Valley
Mole Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Mole Valley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
.
Early life
Paul Beresford was born in 1946 in LevinLevin, New Zealand
Levin is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand, and is the largest town in the Horowhenua district. It is 90 kilometres north of Wellington, 50 kilometres south of Palmerston North, and two kilometres to the east of Lake Horowhenua....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and was educated in Richmond
Richmond, New Zealand
Richmond, the seat of the Tasman District Council, lies 13 km south of Nelson in the South Island of New Zealand, close to the southern extremity of Tasman Bay...
Primary School, Waimea College in Richmond; and the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, and is a practising dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
.
He was the elected as a Councillor to Wandsworth Borough Council
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
in 1978 and was its Leader between 1983 and 1992, through much of the Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
Government, and pioneered the practice of hiring contractors to do jobs that council workers had previously done. In 1990 he was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
for services to inner city rehabilitation.
Parliamentary career
He was selected to fight the safe Conservative seat of Croydon CentralCroydon Central (UK Parliament constituency)
The comparison is with the notional 2005 result for the new boundaries which made Croydon Central a Labour defence.-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :...
following the retirement of former Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
minister John Moore
John Moore, Baron Moore of Lower Marsh
John Edward Michael Moore, Baron Moore of Lower Marsh PC is a British politician who was Member of Parliament for Croydon Central from February 1974 until 1992. During the Premiership of Margaret Thatcher he enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks of government which culminated in him serving as...
. Sir Paul Beresford was elected at the 1992 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
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 30 June 1992.
He entered the Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
Government in 1994 as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for the Environment
Secretary of State for the Environment
The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Department of the Environment . This was created by Edward Heath as a combination of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Building and Works on 15...
and remained until the Government was defeated in 1997. When the number of seats in Croydon was reduced from four to three before the 1997 General Election, he failed to be selected for the newly-drawn Croydon Central and instead fought Mole Valley in Surrey, where he was elected in 1997. Croydon Central fell to Labour.
Prior to the United Kingdom General Election, 2010 Sir Paul was a member of the Communities & Local Government Select Committee.
Personal life
He is married to the former Julie Haynes and they have three sons and one daughter.External links
- Conservative Party Profile
- Paul Beresford: Electoral history and profile | Politics | guardian.co.uk
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Paul Beresford MP
- Mole Valley Conservative Association
- BBC | Democracy Live | Your representatives | Paul Beresford