Craig Whittaker
Encyclopedia
Craig Whittaker
is a British
Conservative Party
politician. He has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Calder Valley
since he won the seat at the general election on 6 May 2010.
Born in Radcliffe
, Lancashire
and educated at Belmont
High School in New South Wales
, Australia
. He began his career in Australia with Pizza Hut
as a restaurant manager from 1980-4, before transferring to the UK for a year with the same company. In 1985 he became a licencee with Liberty Taverns and with JW Lees
in 1986. In 1988 he became Food Retail Director of Kezdem Ltd. In 1992 he joined Wilkinson Home and Garden Stores as a branch manager. In 1998 he became a retail general manager with PC World
until 2009.
Whittaker was elected in 2003 to serve on Calderdale
Borough Council for the Rastrick
ward. He served as the cabinet member for children and young people from 2007-10. He stood down from the council in 2011. He was formerly (1998–2003) a member of Heptonstall
Parish Council.
He served as the chairman of the Calder Valley Conservative Association, 2005-06.
He has three children, Lee Whittaker, Sophie Whittaker and Bethannie Whittaker and lives in Rastrick with his wife businesswoman Elaine Wilkinson, who he married in The Chapel of St Mary Undercroft
at the House of Commons in August 2011.
is a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
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. 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 Calder Valley
Calder Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
- Elections in the 2000s :- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1980s :-Sources:*...
since he won the seat at the general election on 6 May 2010.
Born in Radcliffe
Radcliffe, Greater Manchester
Radcliffe is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the course of the River Irwell, south-west of Bury and north-northwest of Manchester. Radcliffe is contiguous with the town of Whitefield to the...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and educated at Belmont
Belmont, New South Wales
Belmont is a suburb in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, located 20 kilometres from Newcastle's central business district on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie and is part of the City of Lake Macquarie....
High School in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He began his career in Australia with Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
as a restaurant manager from 1980-4, before transferring to the UK for a year with the same company. In 1985 he became a licencee with Liberty Taverns and with JW Lees
JW Lees
J.W. Lees is a British brewery based in Middleton, Greater Manchester that has produced real ale since 1828. Its permanent brands are J.W. Lees Bitter, first brewed in 1828, John Willie's Premium Ale, Coronation Street Premium Ale , Brewer's Dark, Moonraker, Dark Smooth, Extra Smooth, Greengate...
in 1986. In 1988 he became Food Retail Director of Kezdem Ltd. In 1992 he joined Wilkinson Home and Garden Stores as a branch manager. In 1998 he became a retail general manager with PC World
PC World (retailer)
PC World is OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT one of the WHER MA MEMORY STICK ?!?!??! United Kingdom's largest chains of mass-market computer superstores. It is part of Dixons Retail plc. PC World operates under the brand name PC City in Spain, Italy and Sweden....
until 2009.
Whittaker was elected in 2003 to serve on Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
Borough Council for the Rastrick
Rastrick
Rastrick is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, near Halifax. It is perhaps best known for its association, along with its neighbour Brighouse, with the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band...
ward. He served as the cabinet member for children and young people from 2007-10. He stood down from the council in 2011. He was formerly (1998–2003) a member of Heptonstall
Heptonstall
Heptonstall is a small village and civil parish within the Calderdale borough of West Yorkshire, England. The population of Heptonstall, including the hamlets of Colden and Slack, is 1,448. The town of Hebden Bridge lies directly to the southeast...
Parish Council.
He served as the chairman of the Calder Valley Conservative Association, 2005-06.
He has three children, Lee Whittaker, Sophie Whittaker and Bethannie Whittaker and lives in Rastrick with his wife businesswoman Elaine Wilkinson, who he married in The Chapel of St Mary Undercroft
St Stephen's Chapel
St Stephen's Chapel was a chapel in the old Palace of Westminster. It was largely lost in the fire of 1834, but the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the crypt survived...
at the House of Commons in August 2011.
External links
- Official site
- Craig Whittaker at TheyWorkForYouTheyWorkForYouTheyWorkForYou is a website run by mySociety, a project of registered charity UK Citizens Online Democracy, and is a tool for political campaigners and those interested in the Parliamentary activities of UK MPs, Lords, and Northern Ireland MLAs....
- Craig Whittaker at Hansard
- Electoral history and profile at The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Profile at BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
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