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Paul Beresford

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Sir
Paul Beresford
MP
Member of Parliament
for Mole Valley
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 May 1997
Preceded byKenneth Baker
Majority12,041 (21.1%)
Member of Parliament
for Croydon Central
In office
9 April 1992 – 8 April 1997
Preceded byJohn Moore
Succeeded byGeraint Davies
Leader of Wandsworth Council
In office
1983–1992
Preceded byChristopher Chope
Succeeded byEdward Lister
Personal details
Born
Alexander Paul Beresford

(1946-04-06) 6 April 1946 (age 78)
Levin, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand
NationalityBritish
New Zealander
Political partyConservative
SpouseJulie
EducationWaimea College
Alma materUniversity of Otago

Sir Alexander Paul Beresford (born 6 April 1946) is a British-New Zealand dentist and politician who has served as the British Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Mole Valley in Surrey since the 1997 general election.[1] He was first elected as the MP for Croydon Central in the 1992 general election.[2]

Early life

Beresford was born in 1946 in Levin in the Horowhenua District of Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand. He moved to Nelson at a young age, where he lived in Richmond; he attended primary school and Waimea College in Richmond before attending the University of Otago in Dunedin. He is a practising dentist. Beresford holds dual British and New Zealand citizenship.[3]

Career in local government

Beresford was elected as a Councillor to Wandsworth Borough Council in 1978, and was its Leader between 1983 and 1992, through much of the Thatcher Government. He was knighted in the 1990 New Year Honours for political and public service.[4]

Parliamentary career

Beresford was selected to fight the safe Conservative seat of Croydon Central following the retirement of former Cabinet minister John Moore. Beresford was elected at the 1992 general election and made his maiden speech on 30 June 1992.[5] He entered the Major Government in 1994 as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for the Environment and remained until the Government was defeated in 1997.

When the number of seats in Croydon was reduced from four to three before the 1997 general election, he failed to be selected for the newly drawn Croydon Central, and instead fought the safe Conservative Mole Valley seat in Surrey, where Kenneth Baker was retiring, and he was elected at the 1997 election. Croydon Central fell to Labour. Prior to the 2010 general election Beresford was a member of the Communities & Local Government Select committee. In 2012, Beresford was named by the Conservative Home website as one of a minority of loyal Conservative backbench MPs not to have voted against the government in any significant rebellions.[6][needs update]

Beresford, who is a Eurosceptic, campaigned for a Remain vote during the 2016 referendum on EU membership because he believed it was the better option for future generations.[7]

Since 1997 Beresford, while serving as a backbencher, has been successful in utilising Private Members Bills and carefully chosen amendments to government legislation to achieve over ten legal changes which the BBC's Mark D'Arcy described as collectively having '...a significant impact'.[8] These primarily but not exclusively focussed on child protection, an issue Beresford has campaigned on for decades.

In 2021 Beresford introduced a further Private Members Bill – the Local Government (Disqualification) Bill – intended to prevent individuals who have been given non custodial sentences for sexual offences from sitting as local councillors or mayors. This Bill received the backing of the government and completed successful passage through the Commons in January 2022. It subsequently passed through the House of Lords and received Royal Assent in April 2022.[9]

Expenses

During the media coverage of the United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal, it was revealed that Beresford, who is a practising dentist, designated his west London property (which includes his dental surgery) as his second home, allowing him to claim allowances of three-quarters of the running costs of the property from the taxpayer.[1][10]

Personal life

Beresford has a son from his previous marriage who lives in New Zealand. Beresford is currently married to Julie and they have two sons and one daughter.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b Prince, Rosa; Simpson, Aislinn (21 May 2009). "MPs' expenses: Sir Paul Beresford doubled as dentist and used waiting area as 'sitting room'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  2. ^ Beresford. "Beresford, Sir (Alexander) Paul". Who's Who. A & C Black. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U7305. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Unknown parameter |othernames= ignored (help) (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ^ Beresford, Paul (24 March 2016). "I'm proud that Kiwis still fly a flag for the old country". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  4. ^ "No. 51981". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1989. p. 1.
  5. ^ HC Deb, 30 June 1992 cc787–788
  6. ^ Barrett, Matthew. "The 24 Conservative MPs who are still on the backbenches and have never rebelled". Conservative Home. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  7. ^ http://www.dorkingandleatherheadadvertiser.co.uk/sir-paul-beresford-on-brexit-boris-johnson-theresa-may-the-eu-immigration-and-350-million/story-29455941-detail/story.html#L5PkQOAH5c3wcBFk.99 [permanent dead link‍]
  8. ^ "Making a difference". BBC News. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Local Government, Disqualification Act 2022". Legislation.gov.uk.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Younger, Rebecca (26 May 2009). "Mole Valley MP 'pilloried' over surgery costs deal". Surrey Advertiser. Guildford. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.

News items

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Croydon Central
1992–1997 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Mole Valley
1997–present 		Incumbent
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