David Prior (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
David Gifford Leathes Prior (born 3 December 1954) is a former Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He served as Member of Parliament
(MP) for North Norfolk
from 1997
until the 2001 general election
, when he lost his seat to Norman Lamb
of the Liberal Democrats by 483 votes.
and the University of Cambridge
, where he gained an MA in Law.
During his time at Cambridge, he helped to launch the Cambridge University Industrial Society, a student group, which subsequently spread to many other UK Universities.
From 1977-80, he worked for the investment banks Lehman Brothers
and Lazard Freres
. From 1980-7, he worked for British Steel
, becoming Commercial Director.
, resigning in November 2006.
On 14 November 2006, he was arrested http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED15%20Nov%202006%2015%3A51%3A07%3A153, among others, by Norfolk Constabulary
investigating allegations of financial irregularities at Cawston Park Hospital previously known as Cawston College
, a private psychiatric hospital in Cawston
, Norfolk
. He was cleared of involvement in the alleged fraud on 15 February 2007.
. He married Caroline Holmes on February 14, 1987. They have a son and a daughter.
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 served 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 North Norfolk
North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
North Norfolk is a parliamentary 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....
from 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
until the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, when he lost his seat to Norman Lamb
Norman Lamb
Norman Peter Lamb is a British Liberal Democrat politician, and Chief Parliamentary and Political Adviser and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.He is the Member of Parliament for North Norfolk....
of the Liberal Democrats by 483 votes.
Early life
He went to the independent Charterhouse SchoolCharterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he gained an MA in Law.
During his time at Cambridge, he helped to launch the Cambridge University Industrial Society, a student group, which subsequently spread to many other UK Universities.
From 1977-80, he worked for the investment banks Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
and Lazard Freres
Lazard
Lazard Ltd is the parent company of Lazard Group LLC, a global, independent investment bank with approximately 2,300 employees in 42 cities across 27 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, Central and South America...
. From 1980-7, he worked for British Steel
British Steel
British Steel was a major British steel producer. It originated as a nationalised industry, the British Steel Corporation , formed in 1967. This was converted to a public limited company, British Steel PLC, and privatised in 1988. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
, becoming Commercial Director.
Parliamentary career
After losing his seat to Norman Lamb, he became Chief Executive of the national Conservative Party and its vice-chairman. In 2002 he was appointed chairman of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS TrustNorfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an academic teaching NHS Foundation Trust which operates hospitals in Norfolk, England...
, resigning in November 2006.
On 14 November 2006, he was arrested http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED15%20Nov%202006%2015%3A51%3A07%3A153, among others, by Norfolk Constabulary
Norfolk Constabulary
Norfolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for the county of Norfolk in England. As of March 2009 the force had a strength of 1,668 police officers, 243 Special Constables, 277 PCSOs and just over 1,300 police staff.-History:...
investigating allegations of financial irregularities at Cawston Park Hospital previously known as Cawston College
Cawston College
Cawston College was a public school in the English county of Norfolk in Great Britain.-History:Cawston College, one of the Woodard Schools, opened in 1964 at the former manor house of Cawston, Norfolk, with Mr. John Asquith as Headmaster...
, a private psychiatric hospital in Cawston
Cawston, Norfolk
Cawston is a small village located approximately North of Norwich, off the B1149 main road to Holt. Nearby villages are Reepham and Aylsham.-Church of St Agnes:...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. He was cleared of involvement in the alleged fraud on 15 February 2007.
Personal life
He is the son of former Conservative cabinet minister James PriorJames Prior, Baron Prior
James Michael Leathes Prior, Baron Prior, PC, known as "Jim Prior" , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he was a Member of Parliament from 1959 to 1987, representing the constituency of Lowestoft from 1959 to 1983 and the renamed constituency of Waveney from 1983 to 1987...
. He married Caroline Holmes on February 14, 1987. They have a son and a daughter.