Nick St Aubyn
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Francis St Aubyn, known as Nick St Aubyn (born 19 November 1955) is a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
.
by his marriage to Mary Bailey-Southwell, and a grandson of Baron St Levan
. He went to Eton College
, and Trinity College, Oxford
, where he was a member of the Oxford University Liberal Club, and where he was awarded a BA
in PPE
in 1977, later graduating MA. Before Oxford, he lived and worked in Soweto, South Africa, through a placement with the Project Trust.
He worked as a Loan Officer for Morgan Guaranty Trust from 1977-81. He was the head of the London office of Morgan Futures from 1981-4, then the head of the Sterling
and Arbitrage
Swaps Desk
from 1984 to 1986. He was Vice President of Kleinwort Benson
Cross Finance from 1986 to 1987. He worked for American International Group
's Financial Products Division from 1987-89. From 1989-93, he was Chairman of Gemini Ltd. From 1993-97, he was Chairman of Fitzroy Joinery Ltd in Plymouth
.
, representing a ward in Paddington
. He then fought the Truro by-election
in March 1987 following the death of David Penhaligon
, when Matthew Taylor comfortably held the seat for the Liberals
. He stood again in Truro at the 1987 general election
, more than halving the Liberal majority, but slipped back at the 1992 general election
.
Following the retirement of long-serving Conservative MP and former minister David Howell
, St Aubyn was selected as Conservative candidate for Guildford
in preparation for the 1997 general election
. Withstanding the national landslide against his party, he held the seat with a reduced majority over the Liberal Democrats, but at the 2001 election
he narrowly lost the seat to the Liberal Democrat Sue Doughty
. While in parliament, he served on the Education Select Committee and was Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Michael Portillo
. He did not contest the 2005 election
, when Anne Milton
narrowly retook the seat for the Conservatives.
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...
.
Early life
St Aubyn is the younger son of the Hon. Piers St Aubyn MCMilitary Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
by his marriage to Mary Bailey-Southwell, and a grandson of Baron St Levan
Baron St Levan
Baron St Levan, of St Michael's Mount in the County of Cornwall, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 4 July 1887 for the former Member of Parliament Sir John St Aubyn, 2nd Baronet. He had previously represented Cornwall West in House of Commons as a Liberal and St...
. He went to Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, where he was a member of the Oxford University Liberal Club, and where he was awarded a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in PPE
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, politics, and economics is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines...
in 1977, later graduating MA. Before Oxford, he lived and worked in Soweto, South Africa, through a placement with the Project Trust.
He worked as a Loan Officer for Morgan Guaranty Trust from 1977-81. He was the head of the London office of Morgan Futures from 1981-4, then the head of the Sterling
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
and Arbitrage
Arbitrage
In economics and finance, arbitrage is the practice of taking advantage of a price difference between two or more markets: striking a combination of matching deals that capitalize upon the imbalance, the profit being the difference between the market prices...
Swaps Desk
Swaption
A swaption is an option granting its owner the right but not the obligation to enter into an underlying swap. Although options can be traded on a variety of swaps, the term "swaption" typically refers to options on interest rate swaps....
from 1984 to 1986. He was Vice President of Kleinwort Benson
Kleinwort Benson
Kleinwort Benson is a leading Private Bank that offers a wide range of financial services to private and corporate clients from offices throughout the United Kingdom and Channel Islands. The bank has its headquarters on St George Street in Mayfair, and is supported by seven UK regional and two...
Cross Finance from 1986 to 1987. He worked for American International Group
American International Group
American International Group, Inc. or AIG is an American multinational insurance corporation. Its corporate headquarters is located in the American International Building in New York City. The British headquarters office is on Fenchurch Street in London, continental Europe operations are based in...
's Financial Products Division from 1987-89. From 1989-93, he was Chairman of Gemini Ltd. From 1993-97, he was Chairman of Fitzroy Joinery Ltd in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
.
Political career
From 1982 to 1986, St Aubyn was a Conservative councillor in Westminster City CouncilWestminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
, representing a ward in Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
. He then fought the Truro by-election
Truro by-election, 1987
The Truro by-election, 1987, was caused by the death of David Penhaligon, the Liberal Member of Parliament for Truro on 22 December 1986 in a car crash near the city. The election was held on 12 March 1987...
in March 1987 following the death of David Penhaligon
David Penhaligon
David Charles Penhaligon was a British politician from Cornwall who was a Liberal Member of Parliament from October 1974 until his death...
, when Matthew Taylor comfortably held the seat for the Liberals
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...
. He stood again in Truro 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...
, more than halving the Liberal majority, but slipped back at the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
.
Following the retirement of long-serving Conservative MP and former minister David Howell
David Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford
David Arthur Russell Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford, PC , is a British Conservative politician, journalist, and economic consultant. Having been successively Secretary of State for Energy and then for Transport under Margaret Thatcher, Howell is now a Minister of State in the Foreign Office...
, St Aubyn was selected as Conservative candidate for Guildford
Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
in preparation for the 1997 general election
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...
. Withstanding the national landslide against his party, he held the seat with a reduced majority over the Liberal Democrats, but at the 2001 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...
he narrowly lost the seat to the Liberal Democrat Sue Doughty
Sue Doughty
Susan Kathleen Doughty, known as Sue Doughty, is a politician in the United Kingdom. She was Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Guildford .-Early life:...
. While in parliament, he served on the Education Select Committee and was 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 Michael Portillo
Michael Portillo
Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo is a British journalist, broadcaster, and former Conservative Party politician and Cabinet Minister...
. He did not contest the 2005 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....
, when Anne Milton
Anne Milton
Anne Frances Milton is a British Conservative Party politician and former nurse who has been the Member of Parliament for Guildford since 2005. After service on the Health Select Committee, in November 2006 she was appointed Shadow Minister for Tourism. In July 2007 she was appointed Shadow...
narrowly retook the seat for the Conservatives.