Damian Collins
Encyclopedia
Damian Noel Thomas Collins (born 4 February 1974, Northampton
) is a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Folkestone and Hythe in the 2010 general election.
, a voluntary aided Roman Catholic comprehensive school in Herefordshire
, and Belmont Abbey
School, a co-educational independent school
in the same county, followed by St Benet's Hall, at the University of Oxford
, from 1993 to 1996, from which he graduated in modern history. He was president of the Oxford University Conservative Association
in Hilary Term 1995.
advertising agency. In 2005, whilst still at M&C Saatchi, he set up Influence Communications within the group which specialised in issues based marketing campaigns. Before joining M&C Saatchi he worked in the Conservative Research Department
. In 2008 he joined Lexington Communications, where he was Senior Counsel, before leaving to fight the 2010 general election.
and a contributor to its 2006 publication Conservative Revival (Politico's Publishing, 2006). In the September 2007 edition of Esquire
magazine, he was featured along with six other Conservative parliamentary candidates, as one of the new faces of the party.
In the 2005 general election
he came second when standing in Northampton North
. In May 2006 Collins was included on the "A-list" of Conservative parliamentary candidates, created following the election of David Cameron
as leader of the party.
On 13 July 2006 he was selected as prospective parliamentary candidate for Folkestone and Hythe constituency. He was the successor as Conservative candidate for this seat to Michael Howard
, a former Home Secretary and latterly leader of Conservative party, who stepped down in 2010.
In November 2007 he was included on The Observer
's Future 500 list as one of the 50 people to watch in British public life. He was also listed in Insight Public Affairs profiles of the 'Next Generation' of MPs to watch and was interviewed by Sky News
for its meet the new MPs series.
In July 2010 he was elected as a member of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
.
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
) is a 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 in the United Kingdom
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...
. He was elected as 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 Folkestone and Hythe in the 2010 general election.
Education
Collins was educated at St Mary's Roman Catholic High SchoolSt Mary's Roman Catholic High School (Herefordshire)
St. Mary¹s Roman Catholic School is a specialist Science and Maths college in Herefordshire, England which takes children of ages 11 to 16, and prepares them for future education and the world of work. St. Mary's is ranked by Ofsted as Herefordshire's best state school based on GCSE results from...
, a voluntary aided Roman Catholic comprehensive school in Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, and Belmont Abbey
Belmont Abbey, Herefordshire
Belmont Abbey, in Herefordshire, England is a Catholic Benedictine monastery that forms part of the English Benedictine Congregation. It stands on a small hill overlooking the city of Hereford to the east, with views across to the Black Mountains, Wales to the west...
School, a co-educational independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in the same county, followed by St Benet's Hall, at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, from 1993 to 1996, from which he graduated in modern history. He was president of the Oxford University Conservative Association
Oxford University Conservative Association
The Oxford University Conservative Association, or OUCA is a student political organisation founded in 1924 whose members are drawn from the University of Oxford...
in Hilary Term 1995.
Early career
Between 1999 and 2008, Collins worked for the M&C SaatchiM&C Saatchi
M&C Saatchi is an international advertising agency network formed in January 1995 by the brothers Maurice Saatchi and Charles Saatchi after they were ousted from the advertising agency group Saatchi & Saatchi which they had founded in 1970...
advertising agency. In 2005, whilst still at M&C Saatchi, he set up Influence Communications within the group which specialised in issues based marketing campaigns. Before joining M&C Saatchi he worked in the Conservative Research Department
Conservative Research Department
The Conservative Research Department is part of the central organisation of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom. It operates alongside other departments of Conservative Campaign Headquarters at 30 Millbank, London SW1....
. In 2008 he joined Lexington Communications, where he was Senior Counsel, before leaving to fight the 2010 general election.
Political career
In 2002 he was the political officer of the centre-right think tank, the Bow GroupBow Group
The Bow Group is one of the oldest think tanks in the United Kingdom. Taking its name from the Bow area of London where it first met, it was founded in 1951...
and a contributor to its 2006 publication Conservative Revival (Politico's Publishing, 2006). In the September 2007 edition of Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
magazine, he was featured along with six other Conservative parliamentary candidates, as one of the new faces of the party.
In the 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....
he came second when standing in Northampton North
Northampton North (UK Parliament constituency)
Northampton North is a borough 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. It was created before the election of February 1974 when the old constituency of Northampton...
. In May 2006 Collins was included on the "A-list" of Conservative parliamentary candidates, created following the election of David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
as leader of the party.
On 13 July 2006 he was selected as prospective parliamentary candidate for Folkestone and Hythe constituency. He was the successor as Conservative candidate for this seat to Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
, a former Home Secretary and latterly leader of Conservative party, who stepped down in 2010.
In November 2007 he was included on The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
's Future 500 list as one of the 50 people to watch in British public life. He was also listed in Insight Public Affairs profiles of the 'Next Generation' of MPs to watch and was interviewed by Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
for its meet the new MPs series.
In Parliament
Damian Collins made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 27 May 2010 in the debate on energy and the environment in the Queens's Speech debate. He spoke about his support for a new nuclear power station at Dungeness in his constituency.In July 2010 he was elected as a member of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the British House of Commons, established in 1997. It oversees the operations of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport which replaced the Department for National Heritage....
.
Expenses
It was revealed Collins claimed £4,440.90 over three months in rent for a house in London, despite declaring that he already owned a home in the capital. In his defence he claimed the property belonged to his wife and was "too small to provide accommodation for my young family, and even if that was not the case, as a new member of parliament I wouldn't be able to claim any accommodation allowance against the mortgage on the property."Personal life
Damian and his wife Sarah have two children, a daughter Claudia (born 2007) and a son Hugo (born 2009).External links
- Damian Collins MP official constituency website
- Folkestone & Hythe Conservatives
- Profile at the Conservative Party