Rob Wilson
Encyclopedia
Robert Owen Biggs Wilson (born 4 January 1965) is a United Kingdom
politician and entrepreneur. He was elected Conservative
Member of Parliament
for the Reading East parliamentary constituency in the 2005 general election
.
and moved to Reading
in 1984. Between 1984 and 1988 he attended Reading University
, the final year of which he spent as the President of the Reading University Students' Union. Wilson was a member of the Social Democratic Party.
Ward, and in June 2004 was again elected for Thames. Following his election as Member of Parliament for Reading East, he stood down from Reading Borough Council in May 2006.
. He was selected as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Reading East using a pioneering primary system, which opened the selection to non-party members for the first time.
At the May 2005 General Election
he faced the Labour candidate and councillor, Tony Page. Page had replaced sitting MP, Labour's Jane Griffiths
, who had been de-selected by her party.
Wilson won 15,557 votes (35.4%) of the vote against Page's 15,082 votes (34.3%). The Conservative share of the vote increased by 3.4%.
In July 2007 Wilson was promoted to the Conservative frontbench as Shadow Higher Education Minister replacing Boris Johnson
.
Wilson is running a campaign against the carrying of knives in conjunction with the local daily paper and victims families and he has been very active in campaigning on local Transport issues, including the upgrading of Reading railway station
and the extension of the Crossrail
project to Reading.
After the resulting Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition
of the 2010 General Election, Wilson was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to the Secretary of State for Culture Jeremy Hunt MP; although being of the most junior parliamentary rank other than MP, he is not considered a government minister but is on the government payroll
.
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 and entrepreneur. He was elected 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,...
for the Reading East parliamentary constituency in the 2005 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....
.
Early life
Wilson was born and brought up in south OxfordshireOxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and moved to Reading
Reading, 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....
in 1984. Between 1984 and 1988 he attended Reading University
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
, the final year of which he spent as the President of the Reading University Students' Union. Wilson was a member of the Social Democratic Party.
Local government
Wilson joined the Conservatives, and was elected for Thames Ward of Reading Borough Council in 1992, serving until 1996. In 2003 he was elected to serve in CavershamCaversham, Berkshire
Caversham is a suburb and former village in the unitary authority of Reading, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, within the royal county of Berkshire, on the opposite bank from the rest of Reading...
Ward, and in June 2004 was again elected for Thames. Following his election as Member of Parliament for Reading East, he stood down from Reading Borough Council in May 2006.
2005 Election
Wilson had previously unsuccessfully contested Bolton North East (UK Parliament constituency) at the 1997 general electionUnited 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...
. He was selected as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Reading East using a pioneering primary system, which opened the selection to non-party members for the first time.
At the May 2005 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 faced the Labour candidate and councillor, Tony Page. Page had replaced sitting MP, Labour's Jane Griffiths
Jane Griffiths (politician)
Jane Patricia Griffiths is a British linguist and politician. She held positions as a Labour councillor on Reading Borough Council, and as Labour Member of Parliament for the Reading East parliamentary constituency...
, who had been de-selected by her party.
Wilson won 15,557 votes (35.4%) of the vote against Page's 15,082 votes (34.3%). The Conservative share of the vote increased by 3.4%.
As an MP
Since his election Wilson has been appointed to the Education and Skills Select Committee and played a role in the Education and Inspections Bill and issues such as Special Educational Needs.In July 2007 Wilson was promoted to the Conservative frontbench as Shadow Higher Education Minister replacing Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
.
Wilson is running a campaign against the carrying of knives in conjunction with the local daily paper and victims families and he has been very active in campaigning on local Transport issues, including the upgrading of Reading railway station
Reading railway station
Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
and the extension of the Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
project to Reading.
After the resulting Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition
United Kingdom coalition government (2010–present)
The ConservativeLiberal Democrat coalition is the present Government of the United Kingdom, formed after the 2010 general election. The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats entered into discussions which culminated in the 2010 coalition agreement, setting out a programme for government...
of the 2010 General Election, Wilson was appointed as 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...
(PPS) to the Secretary of State for Culture Jeremy Hunt MP; although being of the most junior parliamentary rank other than MP, he is not considered a government minister but is on the government payroll
Payroll vote
Payroll vote is a term in the British Parliamentary System for Members of Parliament who concurrently hold Government positions. It includes ministers, junior ministers and Parliamentary Private Secretaries: even though the last are unpaid, they are "widely regarded as being on the first rung of...
.