Richard Benyon
Encyclopedia
Richard Henry Ronald Benyon MRICS (born 21 October 1960) is a British Conservative Party
politician. He has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Newbury
since 2005
and a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since May 2010.
, the son of Sir William Benyon
, (and great-great grandson of former Conservative Prime Minister Lord Salisbury), and was educated at nearby Bradfield College
and the Royal Agricultural College
. He served in the Royal Green Jackets
for five years from 1980 to 1985.
District Council, he became the Conservative group leader in 1994. He lost his council seat in 1995. He contested Newbury at the 1997 General Election
but lost heavily to the 1993 by-election
incumbent Liberal Democrat David Rendel
. Benyon and Rendel contested Newbury again at the 2001 General Election
, and Rendel came out again as the victor with a reduced majority. It proved third time lucky for Benyon, when he and Rendel again contested Newbury at the 2005 UK general election
and Benyon was elected with a majority of 3,460, replacing Rendel.
Benyon made his maiden speech
on 20 May 2005 and served on the Home Affairs
Select Committee from 2005 to 2007, when he became an Opposition Whip. He was the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2009 until the 2010 general election when he entered government.
In May 2009, he was listed by The Telegraph as one of the "Saints" in the expenses scandal
He was made Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the first Cameron Ministry
.
Benyon is a director of the family controlled Englefield Charitable Trust. He is one of nine Vice-Presidents of Berkshire County Scout Council.
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. He has been 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 Newbury
Newbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Newbury is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament , elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
since 2005
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....
and a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since May 2010.
Early life
Benyon was born in ReadingReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, the son of Sir William Benyon
William Benyon
Sir William Richard Benyon is a retired British Conservative Party politician, Berkshire landowner and former High Sheriff...
, (and great-great grandson of former Conservative Prime Minister Lord Salisbury), and was educated at nearby Bradfield College
Bradfield College
Bradfield College is a coeducational independent school located in the small village of Bradfield in the English county of Berkshire.The college was founded in 1850 by Thomas Stevens, Rector and Lord of the Manor of Bradfield...
and the Royal Agricultural College
Royal Agricultural College
The Royal Agricultural College is a higher education institution located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK. Established in 1845, it was the first agricultural college in the English speaking world...
. He served in the Royal Green Jackets
Royal Green Jackets
The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division .-History:...
for five years from 1980 to 1985.
Political career
He was elected in 1991 to the NewburyNewbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
District Council, he became the Conservative group leader in 1994. He lost his council seat in 1995. He contested Newbury at 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...
but lost heavily to the 1993 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
incumbent Liberal Democrat David Rendel
David Rendel
David Digby Rendel is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Newbury from 1993 to 2005. He won the seat at by-election in May 1993 caused by the death of Judith Chaplin, and held it his defeat at the 2005 general election to Conservative candidate Richard...
. Benyon and Rendel contested Newbury again at the 2001 General 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...
, and Rendel came out again as the victor with a reduced majority. It proved third time lucky for Benyon, when he and Rendel again contested Newbury at the 2005 UK 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....
and Benyon was elected with a majority of 3,460, replacing Rendel.
Benyon made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 20 May 2005 and served on 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 from 2005 to 2007, when he became an Opposition Whip. He was the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2009 until the 2010 general election when he entered government.
In May 2009, he was listed by The Telegraph as one of the "Saints" in the expenses scandal
He was made Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the first Cameron Ministry
Cameron Ministry
David Cameron is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government after the resignation as Prime Minister of Gordon Brown on 11 May 2010. Leading a coalition government formed by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, the coalition...
.
Personal life
Divorced from his first wife, the couple had three sons. He presently lives in the family estate of Englefield House, with his second wife Zoe and their two sons.Benyon is a director of the family controlled Englefield Charitable Trust. He is one of nine Vice-Presidents of Berkshire County Scout Council.
External links
- Richard Benyon MP official constituency website
- Richard Benyon MP Conservative Party profile