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Philip Dunne (Ludlow MP)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Harrietaskew (talk | contribs) at 15:08, 15 August 2016 (Change of title from Minister of State for Care and Support to Minister of State for Health). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Philip Dunne
Minister of State for Health
Assumed office
15 July 2016
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byAlistair Burt
Minister for Defence Procurement
In office
4 September 2012 – 15 July 2016
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byPeter Luff
Succeeded byHarriett Baldwin
Member of Parliament
for Ludlow
Assumed office
5 May 2005
Preceded byMatthew Green
Majority18,929 (39.4%)
Personal details
Born (1958-08-14) 14 August 1958 (age 65)
Ludlow, Shropshire, England
Political partyConservative
SpouseDomenica Dunne
Alma materKeble College, Oxford

Philip Martin Dunne (born 14 August 1958) is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ludlow constituency in Shropshire.

He has been a farmer since 1987, at his family's farm just over the county border in Herefordshire, at Leintwardine near Ludlow, and was elected as a councillor on the South Shropshire District Council in 2001, of which he became the Conservative leader 2003–2005. He was also elected as the secretary of the Ludlow Conservative Association for a year in 2001. Since 2005 Dunne has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for Ludlow.

Family

Philip Dunne was born in Ludlow, Shropshire, and has an ancestry of politicians and courtiers. He is the son of Sir Thomas Dunne KG, the former Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, who in turn is the son of Philip Russell Rendel Dunne (who briefly sat in the Commons), who in turn was the son of Edward Marten Dunne (who also sat in the Commons). Philip Dunne was educated at Abberley Hall School, followed by Eton College and Keble College, Oxford, where he was awarded a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Political career

He was elected to the House of Commons at the 2005 general election for Ludlow when he unseated the incumbent Liberal Democrat MP, Matthew Green. Dunne regained the (historically safe) seat for the Conservatives; the seat having been lost at the 2001 general election. He made his maiden speech on 8 June 2005.[1] During his first term in Parliament (2005–2010) he was a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, and in 2006 he was appointed to the Public Accounts Committee.

Philip Dunne held the Ludlow constituency seat in the 2010 general election with a notable swing from the Liberal Democrats, giving Dunne a 52.8 per cent share of the vote and a new, strengthened majority of 9,749. In the 2015 general election Dunne again increased his share of the vote and substantially increased his majority.

Conservative leadership election 2005

Just before the Conservative leadership election of 2005, he balloted his constituents about whom he should vote for in the contest. Following on from this ballot Dunne announced that he would be supporting David Cameron and was also Chairman of Cameron's campaign in Shropshire.

In government

Following the formation of the Liberal Democrat–Conservative coalition government shortly after the general election, Philip Dunne was appointed as an unpaid assistant government whip in the House of Commons.[2] In September 2012, he was appointed Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology with responsibility for Defence procurement and Defence exports.[3] In this role, he was the minister responsible for, and one of the backers of, the bill which became the Defence Reform Act 2014.[4]

Personal life

He is married to Domenica and they have two sons and two daughters. As well as farming, Dunne has also worked in banking and has experience of working in New York and Hong Kong. He also helped start up Ottakar's bookshop. He was born and raised in and around Ludlow and has a keen interest in diabetes research. Dunne's wealth is estimated at £5m.[5]

References

  1. ^ House of Commons Hansard
  2. ^ "Her Majesty's Government". Number10.gov.uk. May 2010. Archived from the original on 5 July 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Minister for Defence Equipment Support and Technology". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  4. ^ http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/defencereform.html
  5. ^ Shackle, Samira; Hegarty, Stephanie; Eaton, George (1 October 2009). "The new ruling class". New Statesman.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Ludlow
2005–present
Incumbent