Peter Viggers
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter John Viggers is a lawyer and former Conservative Party
member of parliament for the seat of Gosport in the United Kingdom
. He stepped down in 2010 as a result of the investigation of MPs' expenses.
, Hampshire
, he is the son of John Sidney Viggers. He was educated at Alverstoke School, Portsmouth Grammar School and Trinity Hall
at the University of Cambridge
, receiving an MA in History and Law in 1961. He qualified from the College of Law
in Guildford
in 1967. He became a solicitor in 1967. From 1970 to 1979 Viggers was chairman and director of banking, oil, hotels, textiles, pharmaceuticals
, and venture capital
companies.
for Gosport, and lives just a few miles from where he was born. He was first elected in February 1974 and served as industry minister for Northern Ireland under Margaret Thatcher
from 1986 to 1989. He left the ministry in 1989 and returned to the back-benches.
In 2002, he made headlines by suggesting that the European Union
adopt a "single European language" to cut down in translation costs.
Viggers was knighted
in the 2008 Birthday Honours
for services to Parliament.
-based Tracer Petroleum Corporation from 1996 to 1998, and of Lloyd's Pension Fund from 1996. He was a director of Jakarta
-based Emerald Energy plc from April 1998 to 2003.
reported on Viggers' claims as part of its investigation of MPs' expenses, which it said showed Viggers was paid more than £30,000 for gardening expenses over three years. The paper noted in particular that Viggers had attempted to claim for a "pond feature" worth £1,645 which was identified as a "floating duck island", although it was unclear whether he had actually been repaid as an official had written "not allowable" next to it. On hearing the details of the story the Telegraph intended to run, Viggers announced late the previous night "at the direct request" of party leader David Cameron
his intention to stand down at the next election. He also stood down from his role as spokesman for the Speaker's Committee answering Parliamentary Questions for the Electoral Commission
. On his website, however, he said about expenses: "Personally, I have of course always scrupulously observed the rules". The floating duck island, symbol of the expenses scandal, was later sold and the proceeds handed over to the Macmillan Cancer
charity.
. He is also an honorary treasury of the America All Party Parliamentary Group
. For four years he was chairman of governors at St Vincent College
. He married (medical) Dr Jennifer Mary McMillan in 1968, and they have two sons and one 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...
member of parliament for the seat of Gosport 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 stepped down in 2010 as a result of the investigation of MPs' expenses.
Early life
Born in GosportGosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, he is the son of John Sidney Viggers. He was educated at Alverstoke School, Portsmouth Grammar School and Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
at 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...
, receiving an MA in History and Law in 1961. He qualified from 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:...
in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
in 1967. He became a solicitor in 1967. From 1970 to 1979 Viggers was chairman and director of banking, oil, hotels, textiles, pharmaceuticals
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
, and venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
companies.
Political career
Viggers was member of parliamentMember 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,...
for Gosport, and lives just a few miles from where he was born. He was first elected in February 1974 and served as industry minister for Northern Ireland under Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
from 1986 to 1989. He left the ministry in 1989 and returned to the back-benches.
In 2002, he made headlines by suggesting that the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
adopt a "single European language" to cut down in translation costs.
Viggers was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the 2008 Birthday Honours
Birthday Honours 2008
The Birthday Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced in June 2008, to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2008.The recipients of honours are displayed or referred to here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged firstly by the country whose ministers advised the Queen...
for services to Parliament.
Business interests
Viggers was the chairman of CalgaryCalgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
-based Tracer Petroleum Corporation from 1996 to 1998, and of Lloyd's Pension Fund from 1996. He was a director of Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
-based Emerald Energy plc from April 1998 to 2003.
The Duck Island Incident
On 21 May 2009, The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
reported on Viggers' claims as part of its investigation of MPs' expenses, which it said showed Viggers was paid more than £30,000 for gardening expenses over three years. The paper noted in particular that Viggers had attempted to claim for a "pond feature" worth £1,645 which was identified as a "floating duck island", although it was unclear whether he had actually been repaid as an official had written "not allowable" next to it. On hearing the details of the story the Telegraph intended to run, Viggers announced late the previous night "at the direct request" of party leader David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
his intention to stand down at the next election. He also stood down from his role as spokesman for the Speaker's Committee answering Parliamentary Questions for the Electoral Commission
Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
. On his website, however, he said about expenses: "Personally, I have of course always scrupulously observed the rules". The floating duck island, symbol of the expenses scandal, was later sold and the proceeds handed over to the Macmillan Cancer
Macmillan Cancer Trust
Macmillan Caring Locally is a British registered charity , which was formed in 1974 to support a palliative care unit at Christchurch Hospital in Christchurch, Dorset, southern England...
charity.
Personal life
Viggers is a vice-patron of the Royal National Lifeboat InstitutionRoyal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
. He is also an honorary treasury of the America All Party Parliamentary Group
America All Party Parliamentary Group
The America All Party Parliamentary Group is a cross-party group consisting of members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, whose purpose is 'to prompt friendly relations and mutual understanding between members of the United States Congress and Members of Parliament; to arrange for the...
. For four years he was chairman of governors at St Vincent College
St Vincent College
St Vincent College is a small co-educational sixth form college located in Gosport, Hampshire, England. The majority of students come from the surrounding towns including Gosport, Fareham, Stubbington and Winchester. The nearby Gosport Ferry link with Portsmouth also allows students from that city...
. He married (medical) Dr Jennifer Mary McMillan in 1968, and they have two sons and one daughter.
External links
- Official site
- Peter Viggers They Work for You
- Gosport Conservatives
- Peter Viggers: Electoral history and profile The Guardian biography
- BBC Politics page
- The MiP files: Checking out Big Brother! CBBC Newsround