Claire Perry
Encyclopedia
Claire Louise Perry is a British Conservative Party
politician who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Devizes
since the 2010 general election.
Claire attended Nailsea School
, a comprehensive school
in North Somerset. She later studied at Brasenose College, Oxford
, where she read Geography, graduating in 1985. As the first person in her family to go to university, and indeed the first to stay in education past the age of 16, Claire believes passionately that every child should receive the best possible education. While at Oxford, Claire was awarded two rowing Blues. In 1990, she graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Banking Career
Claire’s career in banking and finance saw her working for Bank of America
, McKinsey & Company
, and Credit Suisse
before setting up her own small company offering financial advice for women. Claire is a strong supporter of female entrepreneurism and also works to strengthen women’s voices in politics.
Political Career
After joining the Conservative party in 2006, she started work for George Osborne
, now the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as an Economic Adviser.
Claire was selected by the Devizes
Conservative Association in November 2009 to replace the outgoing Member for Devizes, Michael Ancram
. She was elected in 2010 as Member of Parliament for the Devizes Constituency with a majority of 13005.
In Parliament, Claire is a member of the Justice Select Committee and she also represents the UK at the Council of Europe
. She is the Vice-Chairman of the APPG for Penal Affairs, Chairman of the APPG on Connecting Communities and members of several others including the Women, Save the Pub, Armed Forces, ANZAC, Child Protection, Churches and Historic Places of Worship and Rural Affairs. Claire is also a Governor of St. Johns school in Marlborough and the Wellington Academy
in Ludgershall.
Claire was appointed PPS
to Defence Secretary Philip Hammond
in October 2011.
In November 2010 Claire called for a new approach to pornography on the internet. Rather than blocking or censoring porn, Claire proposed that Internet Service Providers should work together to provide as a default a “clean” internet service, and then simply ask users to opt in, using age-verification technology, to access pornography on the internet . She has lead a cross-party Parliamentary Inquiry into online child protection which heard evidence from parents, child protection experts, internet experts and Chief Executives of many of Britain’s largest Internet Service Providers.
NHS Wiltshire closed the minor injury units at Devizes and Savernake in September 2007. Claire is campaigning to re-establish a Minor Injuries Unit in the Devizes constituency.
In July 2011, Claire presented a Private Members' Bill to Parliament calling for Remembrance Sunday
to be made a bank holiday
. The Bill passed its first reading and it is expected to have its Second Reading in January 2012.
The "Yes! Yes! Yes! To British Pork" campaign which Claire supports backs British pig farmers. Devizes used to be famous for pig feeding and processing and this campaign focuses on giving farmers fair prices.
Claire has questioned the ECHR ruling which considered the UK ban on prisoner voting unlawful. She believes this is a matter for our British Parliament to decide. The majority of the House of Commons backed the ban by 234 votes to 22.
Over ten thousand service personnel live in and around the Army bases of Tidworth
, Netheravon
, Bulford
, Larkhill
and Upavon
in Claire’s constituency of Devizes
, accompanied by thousands of dependent spouses and children. Claire has argued that living in decent accommodation both on and off the base should be automatic, but successive governments have tolerated substandard housing conditions for service families; Claire supports the Governments announcement that £50 million will be spent on Services Families Accommodation.
The Beatbullying campaign is calling on the Government to do more to protect children from bullying, violence and harassment to prevent the devastating impact it can have on young lives.
Claire recognises pubs are more than just a social meeting spot. Claire supports British Pubs and the valuable work they do in the community. There are six breweries and 116 pubs in her constituency and 1590 people depend on beer and pubs for work and the trade adding £38.7 million to the local economy, every year.
Claire supports the Royal British Legion and their ‘time to do your bit’ campaign. Claire has pledged to do her bit for the British Armed Forces and their families.
The national debt in the United Kingdom has risen over £2 trillion in January 2011. Claire believes that Labour
increased Government spending by too great a degree without accompanying it with corresponding increases in taxation, contributing to interest repayments to the public purse of £43 billion a year..
The Anthony Nolan Trust saves the lives of people with leukaemia.
Claire has also launched PinPoint Perry on her website, a public forum for her constituents to share opinions and start discussions on issues that matter to them. Issues are pinned onto the map by constituents and Claire and other constituents can view and comment on the issues.
Claire publishes a link on her website to her Parliamentary expenses as part of her vow to make politics and the democratic process more accountable and transparent.
.
Claire is married and has three children and now lives near Salisbury
in Wiltshire
.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, walking and cycling with her family.
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 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 Devizes
Devizes (UK Parliament constituency)
Devizes is a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire, England, which is now represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 in the House of Commons of England....
since the 2010 general election.
Biography
EducationClaire attended Nailsea School
Nailsea School
Nailsea School, located in Nailsea, North Somerset, England, is a mixed, comprehensive secondary school and sixth form. It has Technology and Media Arts College specialist school status....
, a 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...
in North Somerset. She later studied at Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
, where she read Geography, graduating in 1985. As the first person in her family to go to university, and indeed the first to stay in education past the age of 16, Claire believes passionately that every child should receive the best possible education. While at Oxford, Claire was awarded two rowing Blues. In 1990, she graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Banking Career
Claire’s career in banking and finance saw her working for Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
, and Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse
The Credit Suisse Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services company headquartered in Zurich, with more than 250 branches in Switzerland and operations in more than 50 countries.-History:...
before setting up her own small company offering financial advice for women. Claire is a strong supporter of female entrepreneurism and also works to strengthen women’s voices in politics.
Political Career
After joining the Conservative party in 2006, she started work for George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
, now the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as an Economic Adviser.
Claire was selected by the Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
Conservative Association in November 2009 to replace the outgoing Member for Devizes, Michael Ancram
Michael Ancram
Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, PC, QC , known as Michael Ancram, is a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician. He is a member of the House of Lords, former Member of Parliament, and a former member of the Shadow Cabinet...
. She was elected in 2010 as Member of Parliament for the Devizes Constituency with a majority of 13005.
In Parliament, Claire is a member of the Justice Select Committee and she also represents the UK at the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
. She is the Vice-Chairman of the APPG for Penal Affairs, Chairman of the APPG on Connecting Communities and members of several others including the Women, Save the Pub, Armed Forces, ANZAC, Child Protection, Churches and Historic Places of Worship and Rural Affairs. Claire is also a Governor of St. Johns school in Marlborough and the Wellington Academy
Wellington Academy
Wellington Academy was a secondary school in Greenock, Scotland serving the Eastern and Central areas of the town.It was opened in August 1990, as a result of a controversial merger with Cowdeknowes High School . The school campus fell into a state of disrepair...
in Ludgershall.
Claire was appointed PPS
PPS
PPS may refer to:In commerce and industry* Participating preferred stock or participating preferred share* Purchasing Power Standard* Pay Per Sale, a payment method used in affiliate marketing....
to Defence Secretary Philip Hammond
Philip Hammond
Philip Hammond MP is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the current Defence Secretary in the Coalition government led by David Cameron, having succeeded Liam Fox on 14 October 2011...
in October 2011.
Campaigns
Claire is involved in many local and national campaigns, including:- “Opt-in” Model for Internet Porn
In November 2010 Claire called for a new approach to pornography on the internet. Rather than blocking or censoring porn, Claire proposed that Internet Service Providers should work together to provide as a default a “clean” internet service, and then simply ask users to opt in, using age-verification technology, to access pornography on the internet . She has lead a cross-party Parliamentary Inquiry into online child protection which heard evidence from parents, child protection experts, internet experts and Chief Executives of many of Britain’s largest Internet Service Providers.
- Campaign for a Minor Injuries Unit
NHS Wiltshire closed the minor injury units at Devizes and Savernake in September 2007. Claire is campaigning to re-establish a Minor Injuries Unit in the Devizes constituency.
- Remembrance Day Bank Holiday
In July 2011, Claire presented a Private Members' Bill to Parliament calling for Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday
In the United Kingdom, 'Remembrance Sunday' is held on the second Sunday in November, which is the Sunday nearest to 11 November Armistice Day. It is the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War at 11 a.m...
to be made a bank holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
. The Bill passed its first reading and it is expected to have its Second Reading in January 2012.
- Backing British Pork
The "Yes! Yes! Yes! To British Pork" campaign which Claire supports backs British pig farmers. Devizes used to be famous for pig feeding and processing and this campaign focuses on giving farmers fair prices.
- Prisoner Voting
Claire has questioned the ECHR ruling which considered the UK ban on prisoner voting unlawful. She believes this is a matter for our British Parliament to decide. The majority of the House of Commons backed the ban by 234 votes to 22.
- Military Housing
Over ten thousand service personnel live in and around the Army bases of Tidworth
Tidworth
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
, Netheravon
Netheravon
Netheravon is a village and civil parish on the River Avon, about north of the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire.-Notable people:The writer Frank Sawyer , although born in Bulford, spent most of his life in Netheravon as river keeper River Avon and died on the banks of the river near the parish church...
, Bulford
Bulford
Bulford is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, close to Salisbury Plain. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,698.The name is derived from the Old English bulut ieg ford meaning 'ragged robin island ford'....
, Larkhill
Larkhill
Larkhill is a garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire, England. It is a short distance west of Durrington village proper and north of the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge. It is about north of Salisbury....
and Upavon
Upavon
Upavon is a rural village in the English County of Wiltshire, England. As its name suggests, it is on the upper portions of the River Avon which runs from the north to the south through the village. It is situated about south of Pewsey, about southeast of the market town of Devizes, and about ...
in Claire’s constituency of Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, accompanied by thousands of dependent spouses and children. Claire has argued that living in decent accommodation both on and off the base should be automatic, but successive governments have tolerated substandard housing conditions for service families; Claire supports the Governments announcement that £50 million will be spent on Services Families Accommodation.
- Beat Bullying
The Beatbullying campaign is calling on the Government to do more to protect children from bullying, violence and harassment to prevent the devastating impact it can have on young lives.
- Supporting British Pubs
Claire recognises pubs are more than just a social meeting spot. Claire supports British Pubs and the valuable work they do in the community. There are six breweries and 116 pubs in her constituency and 1590 people depend on beer and pubs for work and the trade adding £38.7 million to the local economy, every year.
- Do Your Bit For The Armed Forces
Claire supports the Royal British Legion and their ‘time to do your bit’ campaign. Claire has pledged to do her bit for the British Armed Forces and their families.
- Labour’s Hypocrisy
The national debt in the United Kingdom has risen over £2 trillion in January 2011. Claire believes that Labour
Labour
Labor might refer to:*Labor, an obsolete unit of area*Josef Labor, a composer, pianist, organist, and teacher*Labor, SloveniaLabour or labor might refer to:* Employment of any kind* Manual labour, physical work done by people...
increased Government spending by too great a degree without accompanying it with corresponding increases in taxation, contributing to interest repayments to the public purse of £43 billion a year..
- Support the Anthony Nolan Trust
The Anthony Nolan Trust saves the lives of people with leukaemia.
Social Media
Claire makes use of social media to stay in touch with her constituents; her Twitter account is @claire4devizes. She also producers bi-monthly e-newsletters which can be subscribed to on her website.Claire has also launched PinPoint Perry on her website, a public forum for her constituents to share opinions and start discussions on issues that matter to them. Issues are pinned onto the map by constituents and Claire and other constituents can view and comment on the issues.
Claire publishes a link on her website to her Parliamentary expenses as part of her vow to make politics and the democratic process more accountable and transparent.
Personal Life
Claire was born 3 April 1964, she is the youngest of three children and grew up in North SomersetNorth Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
.
Claire is married and has three children and now lives near Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, walking and cycling with her family.
External links
- Claire Perry MP official constituency website
- Claire Perry MP Conservative Party profile
- Devizes Conservatives
- Claire Perry selected to fight Devizes, ConservativeHome, November 2009