Tim Yeo
Encyclopedia
Timothy Stephen Kenneth Yeo (born 20 March 1945) is an English
Conservative
politician, Member of Parliament
for South Suffolk
and the current Chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee
.
and Emmanuel College, Cambridge
, where he gained an MA in History in 1968.
From 1970-3, he was assistant treasurer of Bankers Trust
Company, then from 1975–86, he was Director of Worcester Engineering Company. From 1980-3, he was Chief Executive of the Spastics Society (now called Scope
).
before being elected as MP for South Suffolk
in 1983.
Yeo became PPS
to Douglas Hurd
in 1988. In 1992, he was appointed Minister for the Environment and Countryside in John Major
's government, but was forced to resign after a scandal involving his so-called 'love child' with a Tory councillor, Julia Stent, who was born on 8 July 1993. Three years earlier, Yeo said to the branch of Relate
in his constituency, "It is in everyone's interests to reduce broken families and the number of single parents. I have seen from my own constituency the consequences of marital breakdown."
The story broke on Boxing Day
during a quiet news period and intense coverage was given to the scandal. Yeo resigned on 5 January 1994.
, new leader William Hague
appointed him spokesman on Environment, Transport and the Regions. Yeo was a member of the shadow cabinet under Iain Duncan Smith
as shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
, and in 2003 was made Shadow Education and Health Secretaryby new leader Michael Howard
, holding two positions with responsibility for both schools and hospitals. In 2004 he moved to Environment and Transport. During this period, his Chief of Staff was Nick Hurd
, son of Douglas Hurd
and since the 2005 general election
the MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
.
He resigned from the shadow cabinet shortly after the 2005 election, saying he wished to be free to play a role in rethinking the Conservative party's
future. On 27 August, Yeo ruled himself out of the ensuing Conservative leadership election following Howard's resignation as party leader, announcing his backing for former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Kenneth Clarke
. This contest was won by the then Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills
, David Cameron
.
He writes articles for Golf Weekly and Country Life
magazines and, occasionally, the Financial Times
.
He occupies a seat on the board of Eurotunnel
.http://www.eurotunnel.com/NR/rdonlyres/6AE6459D-359E-4044-AC69-997ED3124731/0/GetSABoard.pdf
. They have a son, the portrait painter Jonathan Yeo
, and a daughter.
Yeo has two further daughters. He fathered the first daughter in 1967 when he was still a student at Cambridge University, and put her up for adoption The second daughter was born in 1993 through his extra-marital affair with Julia Stent.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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, 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 South Suffolk
South Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)
South Suffolk is a county 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.-Boundary review:...
and the current Chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee
Energy and Climate Change Select Committee
The Energy and Climate Change Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom that came into existence on 1 January 2009.-Formation:...
.
Early life
He was educated at Charterhouse SchoolCharterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
, where he gained an MA in History in 1968.
From 1970-3, he was assistant treasurer of Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
Company, then from 1975–86, he was Director of Worcester Engineering Company. From 1980-3, he was Chief Executive of the Spastics Society (now called Scope
Scope (British charity)
Scope is a London-based charity, which operates in England and Wales, focusing on people with cerebral palsy particularly, and disabled people in general. Its aim is that disabled people achieve equality....
).
Parliamentary career
Yeo contested Bedwelty in the February 1974 General ElectionUnited Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
before being elected as MP for South Suffolk
South Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)
South Suffolk is a county 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.-Boundary review:...
in 1983.
Yeo became PPS
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...
to Douglas Hurd
Douglas Hurd
Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC , is a British Conservative politician and novelist, who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major between 1979 and his retirement in 1995....
in 1988. In 1992, he was appointed Minister for the Environment and Countryside in 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...
's government, but was forced to resign after a scandal involving his so-called 'love child' with a Tory councillor, Julia Stent, who was born on 8 July 1993. Three years earlier, Yeo said to the branch of Relate
Relate
Relate is a charity providing relationship support throughout the United Kingdom. Services include counselling for couples, families, young people and individuals, sex therapy, mediation and training courses....
in his constituency, "It is in everyone's interests to reduce broken families and the number of single parents. I have seen from my own constituency the consequences of marital breakdown."
The story broke on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
during a quiet news period and intense coverage was given to the scandal. Yeo resigned on 5 January 1994.
In Opposition
After the Conservative landslide defeat in 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...
, new leader William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
appointed him spokesman on Environment, Transport and the Regions. Yeo was a member of the shadow cabinet under Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
as shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. Its secondary title is the President of the Board of Trade...
, and in 2003 was made Shadow Education and Health Secretaryby new leader Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
, holding two positions with responsibility for both schools and hospitals. In 2004 he moved to Environment and Transport. During this period, his Chief of Staff was Nick Hurd
Nick Hurd
Nicholas Richard Hurd , known as Nick Hurd, is a United Kingdom Conservative Member of Parliament.He was elected Member for Ruislip-Northwood at the May 2005 general election with 47.7% of the votes...
, son of Douglas Hurd
Douglas Hurd
Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC , is a British Conservative politician and novelist, who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major between 1979 and his retirement in 1995....
and since 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....
the MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (UK Parliament constituency)
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner is a 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...
.
He resigned from the shadow cabinet shortly after the 2005 election, saying he wished to be free to play a role in rethinking the Conservative party's
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...
future. On 27 August, Yeo ruled himself out of the ensuing Conservative leadership election following Howard's resignation as party leader, announcing his backing for former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
Kenneth Clarke
Kenneth Clarke
Kenneth Harry "Ken" Clarke, QC, MP is a British Conservative politician, currently Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. He was first elected to Parliament in 1970; and appointed a minister in Edward Heath's government, in 1972, and is one of...
. This contest was won by the then Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
, 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 ....
.
Business Interests
Yeo is chairman of Univent plc, Chairman of TMO Renewables and non-executive chairman of Eco City Vehicles plc and AFC Energy plc.He writes articles for Golf Weekly and Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
magazines and, occasionally, the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
.
He occupies a seat on the board of Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel
Groupe Eurotunnel S.A. manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France. The Company operates the car shuttle services and earns revenue on other trains passing through the tunnel...
.http://www.eurotunnel.com/NR/rdonlyres/6AE6459D-359E-4044-AC69-997ED3124731/0/GetSABoard.pdf
Personal life
He married Diane Helen Pickard on March 30, 1970 in GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
. They have a son, the portrait painter Jonathan Yeo
Jonathan Yeo
Jonathan Yeo is a British artist who rose to prominence in the 2000s as a contemporary portraitist, responsible for iconic paintings of Nicole Kidman, Dennis Hopper, Prince Philip, Erin O'Connor, Tony Blair, and David Cameron among his sitters...
, and a daughter.
Yeo has two further daughters. He fathered the first daughter in 1967 when he was still a student at Cambridge University, and put her up for adoption The second daughter was born in 1993 through his extra-marital affair with Julia Stent.
External links
- Tim Yeo MP official constituency website
- Profile at the Conservative Party
- Suffolk Conservatives