Steven Norris
Encyclopedia
Steven John Norris is a British
Conservative
politician
. He was the official Conservative candidate for Mayor of London
in 2000
and 2004
, losing in both races to Ken Livingstone
.
A former Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, he chaired the transport working group in Conservative Party leader David Cameron
's Quality of Life Commission.
from 1956 to 1963, a prefect and in his last year Head Boy. He took an open Exhibition in Social Studies and graduated from Worcester College
, Oxford
, where he was a member of the Labour club. After graduating he pursued a career in the engineering and motor industries and entered politics when he was elected to Berkshire
County Council
in 1977.
for Oxford East in 1983. After narrowly losing that seat in 1987 to Andrew Smith, he re-entered the House of Commons
at a by-election
for Epping Forest
in 1988. He served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary
for William Waldegrave
at the Department of Environment, Nicholas Ridley as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Kenneth Baker
as Home Secretary before being promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport and Minister for Transport in London by John Major
in 1992, where he was responsible for the Jubilee Line Extension, the largest extension of the London Underground
network to date.
Norris became known in particular for his interest in public transport
. He is, or has been, Chairman of the National Cycling Strategy Board, Director General of the Road Haulage Association and President of the Motor Cycle Industry Association and a patron of the cyclists charity, Sustrans
and of the Campaign for Better Transport (UK) Trust.
. He stood down from Parliament at the 1997 General Election
to pursue business interests.
.
until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays and a "zero tolerance" approach to crime adapted from New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani
, whom he met to discuss strategies to combat crime in April 2004.
The 2004 election
saw him increase his share of the vote, in contrast to the London-wide vote of Conservative candidates for the London Assembly which fell two percentage points compared to 2000.
extended the deadline for nominations in the hope of attracting a heavyweight candidate. Norris did not rule out being the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London in the 2008 Mayoral election
. In an interview on 22 February 2007, Mr. Norris demonstrated his continued interest in, and passion for, the Mayoralty. He concluded by saying: "If I run, I'll win." However, he did not hand in his nomination papers for the new later Conservative Party deadline of 16 July 2007 and Boris Johnson
was later selected.
, the construction and rail engineering company when it was in financial meltdown following the Potter's Bar rail crash in 2002 and the poor performance of its main construction business. Subsequently, however he won praise for leading a long fight to restore the company to health until it finally succumbed to the recession. Norris defended the suggestion that sabotage was a possibile explanation for the Potters Bar disaster although only one of several. This nonetheless drew criticism from some survivors. Jarvis went into administration on 25 March 2010.
Norris is currently Chairman of Soho Estates. He is also Chairman of AMT-Sybex Ltd, Obsidian Regeneration Ltd and Virtus Data Centres Ltd. He is a non-executive director of a number of other private companies.
. During the 1990s, it was widely reported that he had had a series of extramarital affairs. He survived as a minister because of his relative popularity with journalists and because he made it clear he was not apologising for his personal life.
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
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the official Conservative candidate for Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
in 2000
London mayoral election, 2000
The first election to the office of Mayor of London took place on 4 May 2000.-Results:¹Under the Supplementary Vote system, if no candidate receives 50% of 1st choice votes, 2nd choice votes are added to the result for the top two 1st choice candidates...
and 2004
London mayoral election, 2004
The 2004 election to the post of Mayor of London took place on 10 June 2004. It was being held on the same day as other local elections and the UK part of the 2004 European Parliament elections, so Londoners had a total of five votes on three ballot papers. Polling opened at 07:00 local time, and...
, losing in both races to Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
.
A former Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, he chaired the transport working group in Conservative 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 ....
's Quality of Life Commission.
Early life and career
Steven Norris attended the grammar school, Liverpool Institute for BoysLiverpool Institute for Boys
The Liverpool Institute High School for Boys was an all-boys grammar school in the English port city of Liverpool.The school had its origins in 1825 but occupied different premises while the money was found to build a dedicated building on Mount Street. The Institute was first known as the...
from 1956 to 1963, a prefect and in his last year Head Boy. He took an open Exhibition in Social Studies and graduated from Worcester College
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, where he was a member of the Labour club. After graduating he pursued a career in the engineering and motor industries and entered politics when he was elected to Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
in 1977.
Parliamentary and ministerial career
He became the 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 Oxford East in 1983. After narrowly losing that seat in 1987 to Andrew Smith, he re-entered the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
at a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for Epping Forest
Epping Forest (UK Parliament constituency)
Epping Forest is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
in 1988. He served as a 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...
for William Waldegrave
William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill
William Arthur Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill, PC , is an English Conservative politician who served in the Cabinet from 1990 until 1997 and is a Life Member of the Tory Reform Group. He is now a life peer. Lord Waldegrave is also the Chairman of the Rhodes Trust and the Chairman of...
at the Department of Environment, Nicholas Ridley as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Kenneth Baker
Kenneth Baker
Kenneth Wilfred Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking, CH, PC , is a British politician, a former Conservative MP and a Life Member of the Tory Reform Group.-Early life:...
as Home Secretary before being promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport and Minister for Transport in London by John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
in 1992, where he was responsible for the Jubilee Line Extension, the largest extension of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
network to date.
Norris became known in particular for his interest in public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
. He is, or has been, Chairman of the National Cycling Strategy Board, Director General of the Road Haulage Association and President of the Motor Cycle Industry Association and a patron of the cyclists charity, Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
and of the Campaign for Better Transport (UK) Trust.
London Mayoral bids
In 1996 he published his autobiography 'Changing Trains' in which he first expressed an interest in running to be Mayor of LondonMayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
. He stood down from Parliament 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...
to pursue business interests.
2000
In 1999, Norris was pitted against writer Jeffrey Archer in the race to become Conservative candidate for mayor of London. The battle was bitterly fought with Norris at one point remarking to a Conservative colleague that he would never support Archer "alive or dead". Archer was selected, but withdrew in 1999 after it was revealed that he had committed perjury in a libel case. Archer was subsequently convicted and imprisoned. Norris was selected as the Conservative party candidate in a ballot of Conservative Party members in London at the end of that year. In the Mayoral election itself, he came in second with 42% in the final round, losing to temporarily independent but former- and future-Labour member Ken LivingstoneKen Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
.
2004
In February 2003 he was again selected as Conservative mayoral candidate for the next elections in 2004. His platform included promises to open the TubeLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays and a "zero tolerance" approach to crime adapted from New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
, whom he met to discuss strategies to combat crime in April 2004.
The 2004 election
London mayoral election, 2004
The 2004 election to the post of Mayor of London took place on 10 June 2004. It was being held on the same day as other local elections and the UK part of the 2004 European Parliament elections, so Londoners had a total of five votes on three ballot papers. Polling opened at 07:00 local time, and...
saw him increase his share of the vote, in contrast to the London-wide vote of Conservative candidates for the London Assembly which fell two percentage points compared to 2000.
Possible future candidacy
After speculation he would run again in 2008, Norris declined to put his name forward in time for the deadline for nominations to be submitted, initially scheduled for 4 August 2006. The day following Norris's announcement the Conservative leader David CameronDavid 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 ....
extended the deadline for nominations in the hope of attracting a heavyweight candidate. Norris did not rule out being the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London in the 2008 Mayoral election
London mayoral election, 2008
The London mayoral election, 2008 for the office of Mayor of London was held on 1 May 2008 and was won by Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson....
. In an interview on 22 February 2007, Mr. Norris demonstrated his continued interest in, and passion for, the Mayoralty. He concluded by saying: "If I run, I'll win." However, he did not hand in his nomination papers for the new later Conservative Party deadline of 16 July 2007 and 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...
was later selected.
Business career
Norris is unusual in that he has combined a career in politics with a successful career in business. He was much criticised when he took on the chairmanship of Jarvis plcJarvis PLC
Jarvis plc is a British company that provides support services to the British railway industry. It also runs rail freight operations. The most significant feature of the modern firm is its leading share of the UK’s railway maintenance and infrastructure services.-19th and 20th centuries:The...
, the construction and rail engineering company when it was in financial meltdown following the Potter's Bar rail crash in 2002 and the poor performance of its main construction business. Subsequently, however he won praise for leading a long fight to restore the company to health until it finally succumbed to the recession. Norris defended the suggestion that sabotage was a possibile explanation for the Potters Bar disaster although only one of several. This nonetheless drew criticism from some survivors. Jarvis went into administration on 25 March 2010.
Norris is currently Chairman of Soho Estates. He is also Chairman of AMT-Sybex Ltd, Obsidian Regeneration Ltd and Virtus Data Centres Ltd. He is a non-executive director of a number of other private companies.
Personal life
Norris married his first wife, Vicky, in 1969, and has two sons from that marriage. He has another son with his second wife, Emma, whom he married in April 2000. He is a supporter of home town side Everton F.C.Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. During the 1990s, it was widely reported that he had had a series of extramarital affairs. He survived as a minister because of his relative popularity with journalists and because he made it clear he was not apologising for his personal life.