James Morris (British politician)
Encyclopedia
James George Morris is a Conservative Party
politician in England
. He is the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, having won the Labour-held seat at the 2010 general election with a majority of 2,023 over the Labour Party
candidate. As part of his campaign, he had set up a jobs group.
He was also voted onto the Communities and Local Government Select Committee by his fellow MPs shortly after the election.
Morris frequently speaks in Parliamentary debates on key issues such as foreign affairs and boosting the West Midlands economy. He is a member of a number of APPGs, including Youth Affairs, United Nations and Civil Society.
In March 2011, the Sunday Mercury confirmed that Morris had the best attendance record of all 57 West Midlands MPs – attending 96% of votes.
Morris has been a voice for Halesowen and Rowley Regis through the successful campaign to Save Rowley Hospital which secured and maintained in-patient facilities at the hospital. He has also been pressing to preserve local heritage around the area, for example by seeking to ensure a stable future for Halesowen Abbey. He has been an active campaigner for jobs and growth in the local economy, by promoting key industries such as manufacturing, pushing for a boost in tourism numbers in and around Halesowen and Rowley Regis and for his role in securing an enterprise zone in the Black Country.
Morris has his roots in the Black Country
- his grandfather worked in the Halesowen
Steel works in the 1930s and 1940s, his parents are from the Black Country and his uncle lives in Rowley Regis
.
Born in Nottingham, Morris was educated at the University of Birmingham
where he obtained a degree in English Literature. He then undertook Postgraduate research
at Oxford University
where he also represented the University at cricket (ending up with a first class batting average of 12!). He also has an MBA from Cranfield School of Management
.
Before becoming involved in politics in Halesowen and Rowley Regis, he had a successful career as a small businessman specialising in computer software. In 2003 he founded Mind the Gap, an independent campaign to promote civic action and to encourage more grass roots involvement in politics. In 2004 he wrote a pamphlet entitled - Change Starts Small - which explored how to get more local grass roots involvement in politics and argued that the British political system needed fundamental change.
Prior to the 2010 Election, Morris was the Chief Executive of Localis, a local government and localist think tank, where the mission was to 'stimulate and challenge the current orthodoxy of the governance of the UK.' During his time at the think tank, Localis released a number of reports, including The Million Vote Mandate, Can Localism Deliver?, and For Good Measure, all of which he edited.
Morris is married to Anna and they have two young children.
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 England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He is 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 Halesowen and Rowley Regis, having won the Labour-held seat at the 2010 general election with a majority of 2,023 over the Labour Party
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...
candidate. As part of his campaign, he had set up a jobs group.
He was also voted onto the Communities and Local Government Select Committee by his fellow MPs shortly after the election.
Morris frequently speaks in Parliamentary debates on key issues such as foreign affairs and boosting the West Midlands economy. He is a member of a number of APPGs, including Youth Affairs, United Nations and Civil Society.
In March 2011, the Sunday Mercury confirmed that Morris had the best attendance record of all 57 West Midlands MPs – attending 96% of votes.
Morris has been a voice for Halesowen and Rowley Regis through the successful campaign to Save Rowley Hospital which secured and maintained in-patient facilities at the hospital. He has also been pressing to preserve local heritage around the area, for example by seeking to ensure a stable future for Halesowen Abbey. He has been an active campaigner for jobs and growth in the local economy, by promoting key industries such as manufacturing, pushing for a boost in tourism numbers in and around Halesowen and Rowley Regis and for his role in securing an enterprise zone in the Black Country.
Morris has his roots in the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
- his grandfather worked in the Halesowen
Halesowen
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
Steel works in the 1930s and 1940s, his parents are from the Black Country and his uncle lives in Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis is a town in the Sandwell metropolitan borough of the West Midlands county and a part of the Black Country in the United Kingdom. Being part of the Black Country, locals speak with the traditional dialect, though in a form regarded by many as the quickest and the hardest to...
.
Born in Nottingham, Morris was educated at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
where he obtained a degree in English Literature. He then undertook Postgraduate research
Postgraduate research
Postgraduate research represents a formal area of study that is recognized by a university or institute of higher learning...
at Oxford University
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...
where he also represented the University at cricket (ending up with a first class batting average of 12!). He also has an MBA from Cranfield School of Management
Cranfield School of Management
Cranfield School of Management is part of Cranfield University and a leading business school in the world. Cranfield University has provided management training since the late 1940s...
.
Before becoming involved in politics in Halesowen and Rowley Regis, he had a successful career as a small businessman specialising in computer software. In 2003 he founded Mind the Gap, an independent campaign to promote civic action and to encourage more grass roots involvement in politics. In 2004 he wrote a pamphlet entitled - Change Starts Small - which explored how to get more local grass roots involvement in politics and argued that the British political system needed fundamental change.
Prior to the 2010 Election, Morris was the Chief Executive of Localis, a local government and localist think tank, where the mission was to 'stimulate and challenge the current orthodoxy of the governance of the UK.' During his time at the think tank, Localis released a number of reports, including The Million Vote Mandate, Can Localism Deliver?, and For Good Measure, all of which he edited.
Morris is married to Anna and they have two young children.