Michael Mates

The Right Honourable Michael Mates
Member of Parliament for East Hampshire Petersfield (1974-1983)
In office 10 October 1974 – 6 May 2010
Preceded by	Joan Quennell
Succeeded by	Damian Hinds
Personal details
Born	9 June 1934 (1934-06-09) Brentford, Middlesex, England
Nationality	English
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	(1) Mary Rosamund Paton (married 1959, divorced 1980) (2) Rosellen Bett (married 1982, divorced 1995) (3) Christine Robinson-Moltke (married 1998)
Military service
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1954-1974
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards

Michael John Mates (born 9 June 1934) is a Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of East Hampshire from 1974 to 2010.

He has been a member of the Privy Council since February 2004.

Education

Michael Mates was educated at Salisbury Cathedral School, Blundell's School and King's College, Cambridge, where he was a choral scholar.

Army service

Prior to his election to the House of Commons, he served for twenty years in the British Army leaving in 1974 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards.

Parliamentary career

Michael Mates was first elected to Parliament in October 1974 general election for Petersfield in Hampshire, following the retirement of Joan Quennell.

Between 1983 and 2010 he represented East Hampshire.

From 1992 to 1993, Mates was Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office. He resigned after a scandal involving his links to fugitive businessman Asil Nadir.

He also served as the Chairman of the Defence (1987–1992) and Northern Ireland (2001–2005) select committees and chaired the All-Party Anglo-Irish Parliamentary Group.

Personal life

He married Mary Rosamund Paton in 1959, whom he divorced in 1980. They had two sons (James and Rory) and two daughters (Caroline and Emily). In 1982, he married Rosellen Bett in Lambeth, whom he divorced in 1995. They had one daughter (Arabella, born July 1986). He then married Christine Robinson-Moltke (widow of Petersfield's Lt Cdr Glen Robinson-Moltke who was killed in the Falklands) in October 1998 in Chichester, having two step children (Michael and Helene). He has 10 grandchildren (Ben, Joe, Maddie, Leo, Jet, Flora, Phoebe, Charlie, Kobi, and James) and a great-grandson (Aidan).

Retirement

Mates announced on 24 November 2006 that he would stand down effective at the 2010 general election. His replacement as Conservative Party candidate was Damian Hinds.

His son, James Mates, is a senior reporter and presenter for ITN.

See also

• Father Patrick Ryan

Bibliography

• Mates, Michael The Secret Service: Is There A Case For Greater Openness? Alliance Publishers, 1989. ISBN 0-907967-07-8
• Hurd, Douglas & Mates, Michael et al. What's Wrong With British Foreign Policy? Tory Reform Group, 2007 ISBN 0-9555426-0-X

External links

• Official Website
• Rt Hon Michael Mates Epolitix site
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Michael Mates MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Michael Mates MP
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Michael Mates
• Veteran MP announces retirement BBC article
• BBC Politics Profile

Audio clips

• Discussing Iraq in 2004

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Joan Quennell	Member of Parliament for Petersfield Oct 1974–1983	Constituency abolished See East Hampshire
New constituency before: Petersfield	Member of Parliament for East Hampshire 1983 - 2010	Succeeded by Damian Hinds