Edward Timpson
Encyclopedia
Anthony Edward Timpson is a British
Conservative Party
politician
. He became a Member of Parliament
(MP) in 2008 after winning a by-election
in the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich
.
, Cheshire
, in 1973. His father, John, is the head of the Timpson
chain of shoe repair and key-cutting shops, which has been in the family for five generations and has over 550 stores in the UK and Ireland. Timpson grew up with a brother, sister and a number of foster children.
He was educated at Uppingham School
before going on to Durham University
(Hatfield College
), where he studied politics before converting to law. He became a barrister
in 1998. From 1999, he has practised in Chester
as a family law
barrister. In June 2002, he married Julia Still in south Cheshire. Since then he has lived in Cheshire
, 13 miles from Crewe
, with his wife and three children (including a son born February 2004 and a daughter born November 2005).
Timpson has completed six marathons, including the New York marathon
in 2007 and the London Marathon
in 2008, raising over £4,500. Outside of politics Timpson is a fan of football, both watching and playing.
candidate for the Crewe and Nantwich
constituency, an area which had been represented by veteran Labour
MP Gwyneth Dunwoody
since 1974. Following Dunwoody's death in April 2008, a by-election
was called for May 2008. In the run up to the election, Timpson was the target of a "toff" campaign by Labour, trying to paint him as "a rich man" who wouldn't "understand the problems that people face day-to-day" in contrast to their candidate, Gwyneth Dunwoody's daughter Tamsin Dunwoody. The Conservative campaign focussed on local issues, such as crime and antisocial behaviour, closure of post offices and problems at Leighton Hospital
, where two women in labour were turned away, as well as national issues - referring to Dunwoody as "Gordon Brown's candidate" and capitalising on dissatisfaction with the Labour Government, in particular the removal of the 10p tax rate
.
On 22 May 2008 Timpson was elected MP, gaining 20,539 votes (49% of the vote), a swing from Labour of 17.6%. This was the first Conservative gain in a by-election since 1982. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons
on 16 June 2008.
He serves on the Joint Committee on Human Rights
and the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee. He is a Vice-President of Conservative Friends of Poland.
Edward Timpson was re-elected on the 7th May 2010 for the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich.
Following his re-election, Timpson was appointed as a member of the coalition government becoming the Parliamentary Private Secretary
of Theresa May
, the Home Secretary
. Although this is an unpaid position and not a ministerial one, he is deemed to be on the 'government payroll'
and bound by the Ministerial Code
.
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...
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He became a 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) in 2008 after winning a by-election
Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008
The Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008 was a parliamentary by-election held on 22 May 2008, for the British House of Commons constituency of Crewe and Nantwich, in Cheshire, England...
in the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich
Crewe and Nantwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Crewe and Nantwich is a county 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. For 25 years since its creation in 1983, the constituency had elected the Labour MP Gwyneth...
.
Biography
Timpson was born in KnutsfordKnutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, in 1973. His father, John, is the head of the Timpson
Timpson (retailer)
Timpson is primarily a shoe repair business with over 750 outlets in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Timpson also offers key cutting, engraving, jewellery and watch repair, house sign creation and assorted other services, as well as retailing shoe care products.-History:Timpson's...
chain of shoe repair and key-cutting shops, which has been in the family for five generations and has over 550 stores in the UK and Ireland. Timpson grew up with a brother, sister and a number of foster children.
He was educated at Uppingham School
Uppingham School
Uppingham School is a co-educational independent school of the English public school tradition, situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England...
before going on to Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
(Hatfield College
Hatfield College
Hatfield College is a college of the University of Durham in England. Founded in 1846 by the Rev. David Melville, it is the second oldest of Durham's colleges, and was originally called Bishop Hatfield's Hall...
), where he studied politics before converting to law. He became a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in 1998. From 1999, he has practised in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
as a family law
Family law
Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including:*the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;...
barrister. In June 2002, he married Julia Still in south Cheshire. Since then he has lived in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, 13 miles from Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, with his wife and three children (including a son born February 2004 and a daughter born November 2005).
Timpson has completed six marathons, including the New York marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
in 2007 and the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
in 2008, raising over £4,500. Outside of politics Timpson is a fan of football, both watching and playing.
Member of Parliament
In July 2007, Timpson was selected as the ConservativeConservative 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...
candidate for the Crewe and Nantwich
Crewe and Nantwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Crewe and Nantwich is a county 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. For 25 years since its creation in 1983, the constituency had elected the Labour MP Gwyneth...
constituency, an area which had been represented by veteran 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...
MP Gwyneth Dunwoody
Gwyneth Dunwoody
Gwyneth Patricia Dunwoody was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Exeter from 1966 to 1970, and then for Crewe from 1974 to her death in 2008...
since 1974. Following Dunwoody's death in April 2008, a by-election
Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008
The Crewe and Nantwich by-election, 2008 was a parliamentary by-election held on 22 May 2008, for the British House of Commons constituency of Crewe and Nantwich, in Cheshire, England...
was called for May 2008. In the run up to the election, Timpson was the target of a "toff" campaign by Labour, trying to paint him as "a rich man" who wouldn't "understand the problems that people face day-to-day" in contrast to their candidate, Gwyneth Dunwoody's daughter Tamsin Dunwoody. The Conservative campaign focussed on local issues, such as crime and antisocial behaviour, closure of post offices and problems at Leighton Hospital
Leighton Hospital
Leighton Hospital is a hospital located in the town of Crewe in the county of Cheshire, England. Together with Victoria Infirmary, Northwich, it forms part of the Mid Cheshire Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust.-Level of care:...
, where two women in labour were turned away, as well as national issues - referring to Dunwoody as "Gordon Brown's candidate" and capitalising on dissatisfaction with the Labour Government, in particular the removal of the 10p tax rate
Starting rate of UK income tax
The starting rate of income tax, often known as the 10p rate, was the lowest rate of personal income taxation in the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2008...
.
On 22 May 2008 Timpson was elected MP, gaining 20,539 votes (49% of the vote), a swing from Labour of 17.6%. This was the first Conservative gain in a by-election since 1982. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
on 16 June 2008.
He serves on the Joint Committee on Human Rights
Joint Committee on Human Rights
The Joint Committee on Human Rights is a select committee of both the House of Commons and House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
and the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee. He is a Vice-President of Conservative Friends of Poland.
Edward Timpson was re-elected on the 7th May 2010 for the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich.
Following his re-election, Timpson was appointed as a member of the coalition government becoming the 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...
of Theresa May
Theresa May
Theresa Mary May is a British Conservative politician who is Home Secretary in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition government. She was elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, and served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party, 2003–04...
, the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
. Although this is an unpaid position and not a ministerial one, he is deemed to be on the 'government payroll'
Payroll vote
Payroll vote is a term in the British Parliamentary System for Members of Parliament who concurrently hold Government positions. It includes ministers, junior ministers and Parliamentary Private Secretaries: even though the last are unpaid, they are "widely regarded as being on the first rung of...
and bound by the Ministerial Code
Ministerial Code (United Kingdom)
The Ministerial Code is a document setting out "rules" and standards for government ministers in the United Kingdom. Separate codes exist for ministers of the Scottish Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government.-History and status:Codes of conduct for ministers...
.
External links
- Edward Timpson MP official website
- Edward Timpson profile on Conservative Party website
- They Work For You
- BBC Politics page