John Whittingdale

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Rt Hon. John Whittingdale
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
In office 23 July 2002 – 8 December 2003
Leader	Iain Duncan Smith
Preceded by	Tim Yeo
Succeeded by	Julie Kirkbride
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office 18 September 2001 – 23 July 2002
Preceded by	David Heathcoat-Amory
Succeeded by	Tim Yeo
Born	October 16, 1959 (1959-10-16) (age 48) Sturminster Newton
Political party	Conservatives

John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale OBE (16 October 1959) is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Parliamentary career 3 Personal life 4 External links 4.1 News items 4.2 Video clips

[edit] Early life

He was educated at Sandroyd School near Tollard Royal in Wiltshire and Winchester College. He went to University College London where he was President of the UCLU Conservative Society, and gained a BSc in Economics in 1982. From 1982-4, he was Head of the political section of the Conservative research department. Before entering Parliament, Whittingdale was a political researcher to Margaret Thatcher from 1988-92.

[edit] Parliamentary career

He was first elected in 1992. He was shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary until the reshuffle after the general election in 2005 when he was re-elected Member of Parliament for Maldon and Chelmsford East. In July 2005, he became the Chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. Also in 2005 he was appointed to the Executive of Conservative Way Forward a Thatcherite pressure group within the British Conservative Party. John is also a patron of the Westminster Media Forum, and a frequent contibutor to their events.

[edit] Personal life

He married Ancilla Murfitt in 1990. She is a nurse at a general practice in Colchester. They have a son (born January 1996) and daughter (born June 1993).

[edit] External links

• John Whittingdale OBE MP official site
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: John Whittingdale MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - John Whittingdale MP
• Membership of Culture Media and Sport select committee
• Voted 91st in the Guardian Media 100 most powerful people in the British media industry

[edit] News items

• TV licence in March 2005
• Flood defences in October 2004
• UK fishing industry in January 2004
• BBC digital services in August 2003
• BBC's future in May 2003

[edit] Video clips

• Channel 4 in October 2007

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by John Wakeham	Member of Parliament for Colchester South and Maldon 1992–1997	Succeeded by (constituency abolished)
Preceded by (new constituency)	Member of Parliament for Maldon and East Chelmsford 1997 – present	Incumbent