Robert Gurth Hughes
Encyclopedia
Robert Gurth Hughes was a British
Conservative Party
politician from 1980-97.
In 1980 Hughes was elected to the Greater London Council
representing Croydon Central
, serving until 1986.
Hughes was the Conservative candidate in the 1983 Bermondsey by-election
and contested that constituency's successor seat of Southwark and Bermondsey at the 1983 General Election
, being in third place both times.
In 1987
he was elected as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Harrow West. He successfully defended this seat at the 1992 election
, but at the 1997 election
he lost it by 1,240 votes to Labour's Gareth Thomas
. His Parliamentary Aide in the Commons until May 1997 was fellow Harrow politician, Councillor Mark Versallion
.
Having served as a Government Whip in 1993 when the Maastricht bill went through the House, his ministerial saw him promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Office of Public Service and Science in the Cabinet Office
from 1994-1995 with responsibility for the Science Research Councils and the Medical Research Council.
He opposed the Conservative party line in 1996 by supporting a total ban on handguns in the wake of the Dunblane Massacre
.
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...
Conservative Party
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 from 1980-97.
In 1980 Hughes was elected to the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
representing Croydon Central
Croydon Central (UK Parliament constituency)
The comparison is with the notional 2005 result for the new boundaries which made Croydon Central a Labour defence.-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :...
, serving until 1986.
Hughes was the Conservative candidate in the 1983 Bermondsey by-election
Bermondsey by-election, 1983
A by-election was held in the Bermondsey constituency in South London, on 24 February 1983, following the resignation of Labour MP Robert Mellish, who had represented the constituency and its predecessors in the House of Commons since 1946...
and contested that constituency's successor seat of Southwark and Bermondsey at the 1983 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, being in third place both times.
In 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...
he was elected as 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 Harrow West. He successfully defended this seat at the 1992 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...
, but at the 1997 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...
he lost it by 1,240 votes to Labour's Gareth Thomas
Gareth Thomas (English politician)
Gareth Richard Thomas is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Harrow West since 1997...
. His Parliamentary Aide in the Commons until May 1997 was fellow Harrow politician, Councillor Mark Versallion
Mark Versallion
Cllr Mark Anthony Gaius Versallion is a British politician, businessman, and officer in the Royal Naval Reserve. He was Prospective Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston from 2007-09 and from 2009-11 was Chairman of the of the Conservative Party....
.
Having served as a Government Whip in 1993 when the Maastricht bill went through the House, his ministerial saw him promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Office of Public Service and Science in the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
from 1994-1995 with responsibility for the Science Research Councils and the Medical Research Council.
He opposed the Conservative party line in 1996 by supporting a total ban on handguns in the wake of the Dunblane Massacre
Dunblane massacre
The Dunblane massacre was a multiple murder-suicide which occurred at Dunblane Primary School in the Scottish town of Dunblane on 13 March 1996. Sixteen children and one adult were killed by Thomas Hamilton before he committed suicide.-Timeline of events:...
.