Ben Wallace (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (born 15 May 1970), known as Ben Wallace, is a British Conservative Party
politician. He has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Wyre and Preston North
since the 2010 general election, having been the MP for Lancaster and Wyre from 2005
to 2010.
at Farnborough and educated at Millfield School.
He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
and served in the Scots Guards
from 1991-8, serving in Northern Ireland and Central America.
After leaving the army, he became in 1999 a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament
as a list MSP for North East Scotland, before standing down in 2003. From 2003 to 2005 he was a director of QinetiQ
, the UK's part-privatised national defence laboratory.
movement. Lancaster CF campaigned with Wallace in his 2005 General Election
campaign for the Lancaster and Wyre constituency; one that saw a 481 vote (0.92%) Labour
majority
swing to a 4171 vote (8.00%) Conservative
majority
. The overall swing
was 4.50% from Labour
to Conservative
. This constituency was number nine on the 2005 Conservative
'target list'.
He was the Shadow Minister of State for Scotland and Chair of the British–Iran Parliamentary Group.
On 13 November 2008, Wallace was elected Campaigner of the Year in the Spectator/Threadneedle Parliamentarian awards, for his work promoting transparency of MPs expenses.
Following his re-election to Parliament, Wallace was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor
, Ken Clarke.
. He also used to want to be a ski instructor (an ambition he later fulfilled in Austria). He has said that he became interested in politics at the age of 16, but this interest was neglected until later in life.
News articles
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. He 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 Wyre and Preston North
Wyre and Preston North (UK Parliament constituency)
Wyre and Preston North is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in the most recent fifth periodic review of constituencies by the Boundary Commission for England, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
since the 2010 general election, having been the MP for Lancaster and Wyre from 2005
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....
to 2010.
Early life
Wallace was born in the London Borough of BromleyLondon Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
at Farnborough and educated at Millfield School.
He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and served in the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
from 1991-8, serving in Northern Ireland and Central America.
After leaving the army, he became in 1999 a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
as a list MSP for North East Scotland, before standing down in 2003. From 2003 to 2005 he was a director of QinetiQ
QinetiQ
Qinetiq is a British global defence technology company, formed from the greater part of the former UK government agency, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency , when it was split up in June 2001...
, the UK's part-privatised national defence laboratory.
Parliamentary career
Wallace has a close relationship with the Preston branch of the Conservative FutureConservative Future
Conservative Future, abbreviated to CF, is the youth movement of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom for members aged up to 30 years old.Founded in 1998, Conservative Future is the largest political organisation on British campuses...
movement. Lancaster CF campaigned with Wallace in his 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....
campaign for the Lancaster and Wyre constituency; one that saw a 481 vote (0.92%) 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...
majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
swing to a 4171 vote (8.00%) Conservative
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...
majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
. The overall swing
Swing (politics)
An electoral swing analysis shows the extent of change in voter support from one election to another. It is an indicator of voter support for individual candidates or political parties, or voter preference between two or more candidates or parties...
was 4.50% from 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...
to Conservative
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...
. This constituency was number nine on the 2005 Conservative
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...
'target list'.
He was the Shadow Minister of State for Scotland and Chair of the British–Iran Parliamentary Group.
On 13 November 2008, Wallace was elected Campaigner of the Year in the Spectator/Threadneedle Parliamentarian awards, for his work promoting transparency of MPs expenses.
Following his re-election to Parliament, Wallace was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, Ken Clarke.
Personal life
He is married to Liza and has three children. He currently resides in Hornby, on the River LuneRiver Lune
The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck...
. He also used to want to be a ski instructor (an ambition he later fulfilled in Austria). He has said that he became interested in politics at the age of 16, but this interest was neglected until later in life.
External links
- Ben Wallace MP official constituency website
- Ben Wallace MP Conservative Party profile
News articles