Robert Gurth Hughes
Robert Gurth Hughes (born 14 July 1951) was a British Conservative Party politician from 1980-97.
In 1980 Hughes was elected to the Greater London Council representing Croydon Central, serving until 1986.
Hughes was the Conservative candidate in the 1983 Bermondsey by-election and contested that constituency's successor seat of Southwark and Bermondsey at the 1983 General Election, being in third place both times.
In 1987 he was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Harrow West. He successfully defended this seat at the 1992 election, but at the 1997 election he lost it by 1,240 votes to Labour's Gareth Thomas.[1] His Parliamentary Aide in the Commons until May 1997 was fellow Harrow politician, Councillor Mark Versallion.[2]
Having served as a Government Whip in 1993 when the Maastricht bill went through the House, his ministerial saw him promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Office of Public Service and Science in the Cabinet Office from 1994-1995 with responsibility for the Science Research Councils and the Medical Research Council.
He opposed the Conservative party line in 1996 by supporting a total ban on handguns in the wake of the Dunblane Massacre.[3][4][5]
[edit] Post-Political Career
Since leaving the Commons he has been General Secretary and then Executive Director of the optical trade body, the Federation of Ophthalmic & Dispensing Opticians. He has been Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists from 2004 to date.
[edit] References
- ^ BBC News Vote 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/303.stm
- ^ Conservatives.com. http://www.conservatives.com/People/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates/Versallion_Mark.aspx
- ^ Gun Control Network (Nov1996) Hughes defies Tory whip over total gun ban. http://www.gun-control-network.org/EP02.htm
- ^ The Independent (02Nov1996) Tory MP campaigns for prohibition of hand guns. [1]
- ^ The Independent (16Oct1996) Handgun ban in sight
[edit] External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Robert Hughes
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Page |
Member of Parliament for Harrow West 1987–1997 |
Succeeded by Gareth Thomas |
 |
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