Greg Clark

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For other people named Gregory Clark, see Gregory Clark (disambiguation).
The Right Honourable
 Dr. Greg Clark
PhD MP
Clark speaking at the CBI Climate Change Summit 2008.
Minister of State for Decentralisation and Planning Policy
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 May 2010
Leader David Cameron
Preceded by New Position
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
In office
6 October 2008 – 11 May 2010
Leader David Cameron
Preceded by New position
Succeeded by Ed Miliband
Shadow Minister for Charities, Social Enterprises and Volunteering
In office
November 2006 – 6 October 2008
Leader David Cameron
Succeeded by Nick Hurd
Member of Parliament
for Tunbridge Wells
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 May 2005
Preceded by Archie Norman
Majority 15,576 (30.9%)
Personal details
Born 28 August 1967 (1967-08-28) (age 44)
Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Helen Clark
Alma mater Magdalene College, Cambridge
London School of Economics
Website www.gregclark.org

Rt. Hon. Gregory David (Greg) Clark[1] (born 28 August 1967) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tunbridge Wells since 2005. Clark is currently a Minister of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government, with responsibility for overseeing decentralisation, a key policy of the Liberal-Conservative coalition. As of July 2011 he is also minister for cities.[2]

Contents

[edit] Early life and career

Greg Clark was born in Middlesbrough and attended the local South Bank Comprehensive School, before reading Economics at Magdalene College, Cambridge. Whilst at Cambridge, he was a member of David Owen's Social Democratic Party, and an executive member of its student wing, Social Democrat Youth and Students (SDYS). He then studied at the London School of Economics, where he was awarded his PhD.

Clark first worked as a business consultant before becoming special advisor to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Ian Lang between 1996 and 1997, Subsequently, he was appointed the BBC's Controller, Commercial Policy and was Director of Policy for the Conservative Party from 2001 until his election to parliament in 2005. Between 2002 and 2005 he was also a councillor on Westminster City Council serving as Cabinet Member for Leisure and Lifelong Learning.

He is described as an "economically liberal Conservative with a social conscience".[3]

[edit] Member of Parliament

He was elected at the 2005 general election for the parliamentary constituency of Tunbridge Wells after Archie Norman stood down as the MP. He was elected with a majority of 9,988 and made his maiden speech on 9 June 2005,[4] in which he spoke of the (then) forthcoming 400th anniversary of Dudley, Lord North's discovery of the Chalybeate spring and the foundation of Royal Tunbridge Wells, a town to which the royal prefix was added in 1909 by King Edward VII.

[edit] Shadow Cabinet

He was appointed to the front bench in a minor reshuffle in November 2006 by David Cameron, becoming Shadow Minister for Charities, Voluntary Bodies and Social Enterprise. Shortly after his appointment he made headlines by saying the Conservative party needed to pay less attention to the social thinking of Winston Churchill, and more to that of columnist on The Guardian, Polly Toynbee.[5] In October 2008, Clark was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet, shadowing the new government position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

[edit] Minister of State for decentralisation and cities

Clark is currently a Minister of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government, with responsibility for overseeing decentralisation, a key policy of the Liberal-Conservative coalition. In this role he has recently called for the Churches and other faith communities to send him their ideas for new social innovations for all [6] and made a major speech on "turning government upside down" jointly to the think tanks Centre Forum and Policy Exchange. He is accused of hypocrisy[7] for having staunchly opposed house-building while in opposition, while threatening to impose it as a government minister.

[edit] Personal life

He and his wife Helen have three children. They live in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/59418/notices/1118281/from=2010-05-06;to=2010-05-19;all=returned+westminster/
  2. ^ Kate McCann, Greg Clark appointed minister for cities, The Guardian, 20 July 2011
  3. ^ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/19dff8ce-2089-11df-bf2d-00144feab49a.html
  4. ^ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050609/debtext/50609-21.htm#50609-21_spnew2
  5. ^ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/19dff8ce-2089-11df-bf2d-00144feab49a.html
  6. ^ http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2010/07/30/it%e2%80%99s-time-for-government-to-stop-getting-in-your-way/
  7. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/8720274/Rural-Britain-prepares-for-the-bulldozers.html

[edit] External links

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Archie Norman		 Member of Parliament for Tunbridge Wells
2005–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
New Department		 Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
2008–2010		 Succeeded by
Ed Miliband
Preceded by
New Position		 Minister for Decentralisation
2010–present		 Incumbent
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