John Greenway
Encyclopedia
John Robert Greenway is a former British
politician who sat as the Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Ryedale
from 1987
until the constituency's abolition in 2010.
, Cheshire
and was educated locally at the Sir John Deane's Grammar School
and The College of Law
, London
. He joined Midland Bank
in 1964 before joining the Metropolitan Police Service
in 1965, after his Hendon Police College
training he worked in the West End of London
, leaving the force in 1969 to sell life insurance
for Equitable Life. He joined National Provident in 1970, before setting up his own insurance and finance company in 1971. He was a financial journalist at Post Magazine
(Post Weekly), and still writes for financial publications.
County Council in 1985 for two years. He was the vice chairman of the North Yorkshire Police
1986-7. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1987 general election
, when he regained the seat for the Conservatives from the Liberal
MP Elizabeth Shields
who won the seat at the 1986 Ryedale by-election. Greenway won the seat with a majority of 9,740 and remained the MP until the seat's abolition for the 2010 general election.
He served in parliament
as a member of the home affairs
select committee 1987-97, and was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Minister of State
at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Jean Trumpington
for a year from 1991. He was promoted to the frontbench by William Hague
in 1997 as a spokesman on home affairs, before being moved in 2000 as a spokesman for culture, media and sport
where he remained throughout the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith
until he was sacked by Michael Howard
in 2003. He was briefly a member of the education and skills select committee in 2005 before the general election
. He is the chairman of the all party opera
group. In 2003 he introduced the Ragwort
Control Act.http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/20030040.htm
He has maintained a strong interest in the financial services sector and has chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group
on Insurance & Financial Services since 1992.
In boundary changes agreed in 2006, Greenway's constituency was enlarged and renamed Thirsk and Malton
, taking in a large part of the divided Vale of York
constituency. Unexpectedly on 18 November 2006, the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association selected Anne McIntosh
(sitting MP for Vale of York) over Greenway as their candidate for the next general election.
He has been criticised in some quarters for his poor attendance record in the House of Commons. According to the theyworkforyou website, he has attended only half of Parliamentary votes, and has contributed to very few debates. In the ongoing scandal concerning MP's expenses it is alleged Mr. Greenway claimed £500 for petunia
s and fuchsia
for his London flat. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8069292.stm
with divorcee Hanneke Dannhorn (born 1953), mother of Emily and Mark Dannhorn, and managing director of the Brook Green UK travel group, since 2004.
A horse racing
enthusiast, he won an animal welfare
award in 2003, and is the president of York City F.C.
As a former police officer
he calls for the death penalty for police murders, specifically mentioning Winston Silcott
, after narrowly avoiding being shot.
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...
politician who sat as the Conservative
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...
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 Ryedale
Ryedale (UK Parliament constituency)
Ryedale was a constituency in North Yorkshire 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 1987
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
until the constituency's abolition in 2010.
Early life
John Greenway was born in NorthwichNorthwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
, 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...
and was educated locally at the Sir John Deane's Grammar School
Sir John Deane's College
Sir John Deane's College is a sixth form college in Northwich, Cheshire, UK. It was formerly Sir John Deane's Grammar School, which was founded in 1557.-History:...
and The College of Law
The College of Law
The College of Law of England and Wales is a private educational institution in England and a registered charity which provides legal education for students and professionals.-20th century:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He joined Midland Bank
Midland Bank
Midland Bank Plc was one of the Big Four banking groups in the United Kingdom for most of the 20th century. It is now part of HSBC. The bank was founded as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in Union Street, Birmingham, England in August 1836...
in 1964 before joining the Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
in 1965, after his Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police Service. Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college is today officially called the Peel Centre, although its original name is still used frequently...
training he worked in the West End of London
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
, leaving the force in 1969 to sell life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
for Equitable Life. He joined National Provident in 1970, before setting up his own insurance and finance company in 1971. He was a financial journalist at Post Magazine
Post Magazine
Post Magazine first appeared on Saturday 25 July 1840, just seven months after the introduction of the Penny Post and was the first publication anywhere in the world to be sent by post — hence its name...
(Post Weekly), and still writes for financial publications.
Parliamentary career
He was the treasurer of the Ryedale Conservative Association for two years from 1984 and was elected to the North YorkshireNorth Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
County Council in 1985 for two years. He was the vice chairman of the North Yorkshire Police
North Yorkshire Police
North Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force covering the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire and the unitary authority of York in northern England. The force covers England's largest county and comprises three area command units...
1986-7. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
, when he regained the seat for the Conservatives from the Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP Elizabeth Shields
Elizabeth Shields
Elizabeth Lois Shields is a British politician.Shields studied at the University of York and became a teacher and lecturer. She served as a councillor on Ryedale District Council from 1980 for Norton....
who won the seat at the 1986 Ryedale by-election. Greenway won the seat with a majority of 9,740 and remained the MP until the seat's abolition for the 2010 general election.
He served in parliament
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
as a member of the home affairs
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
select committee 1987-97, and was appointed as 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...
to the Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom government department created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889 and at that time called the Board of Agriculture, and then from 1903 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and from 1919 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries...
Jean Trumpington
Jean Barker, Baroness Trumpington
Jean Alys Barker, Baroness Trumpington, DCVO, PC is a Conservative member of the House of Lords.Born Jean Alys Campbell-Harris to Major Arthur Campbell-Harris and Doris Robson, she was educated privately. During World War II, she worked in Naval intelligence at Bletchley Park...
for a year from 1991. He was promoted to the frontbench by William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
in 1997 as a spokesman on home affairs, before being moved in 2000 as a spokesman for culture, media and sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
where he remained throughout the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
until he was sacked by 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...
in 2003. He was briefly a member of the education and skills select committee in 2005 before the 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 is the chairman of the all party opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
group. In 2003 he introduced the Ragwort
Senecio
Senecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters...
Control Act.http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/20030040.htm
He has maintained a strong interest in the financial services sector and has chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group
All-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
on Insurance & Financial Services since 1992.
In boundary changes agreed in 2006, Greenway's constituency was enlarged and renamed Thirsk and Malton
Thirsk and Malton (UK Parliament constituency)
Thirsk and Malton is a 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....
, taking in a large part of the divided Vale of York
Vale of York (UK Parliament constituency)
Vale of York was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
constituency. Unexpectedly on 18 November 2006, the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association selected Anne McIntosh
Anne McIntosh
Anne Caroline Ballingall McIntosh is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. She is the Member of Parliament for the Thirsk and Malton constituency, having previously been MP for Vale of York from 1997 to 2010, and a Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1999.-Early...
(sitting MP for Vale of York) over Greenway as their candidate for the next general election.
He has been criticised in some quarters for his poor attendance record in the House of Commons. According to the theyworkforyou website, he has attended only half of Parliamentary votes, and has contributed to very few debates. In the ongoing scandal concerning MP's expenses it is alleged Mr. Greenway claimed £500 for petunia
Petunia
Petunia is a widely cultivated genus of flowering plants of South American origin, closely related with tobacco, cape gooseberries, tomatoes, deadly nightshades, potatoes and chili peppers; in the family Solanaceae. The popular flower derived its name from French, which took the word petun, meaning...
s and fuchsia
Fuchsia
Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees. The first, Fuchsia triphylla, was discovered on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1703 by the French Minim monk and botanist, Charles Plumier...
for his London flat. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8069292.stm
Personal life
He was married to Sylvia Ann Gant in 1974. They have two sons and a daughter. He now lives in ChiswickChiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
with divorcee Hanneke Dannhorn (born 1953), mother of Emily and Mark Dannhorn, and managing director of the Brook Green UK travel group, since 2004.
A horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
enthusiast, he won an animal welfare
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
award in 2003, and is the president of York City F.C.
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
As a former police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
he calls for the death penalty for police murders, specifically mentioning Winston Silcott
Winston Silcott
Winston Silcott is a British man of Afro-Caribbean descent, who, as one of the "Tottenham Three", was convicted in March 1987 for the murder of PC Keith Blakelock on the night of 6 October 1985 during the Broadwater Farm riot in north London...
, after narrowly avoiding being shot.
External links
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: John Greenway MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - John Greenway MP
- The Public Whip - John Greenway MP voting record
- BBC News - John Greenway profile 10 February 2005
- John Greenway MP – Conservative Party Profile
- BBC Politics page