| Richard Harrington | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Watford |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | Claire Ward |
| Majority | 1,425 (2.6%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 November 1957 Leeds, Yorkshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Jessie |
| Children | 2 sons |
| Alma mater | Keble College, Oxford |
| Website | http://www.richardharrington.org.uk/ |
Richard I. Harrington (4 November 1957)[1] is a British Conservative Party politician, businessman, and former property developer and hotelier.[2] Since the 2010 general election he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford. He is also a non-executive director of Harvington properties and was a treasurer of the Conservative Party.
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Harrington was born on 4 November 1957 in Leeds to a British Jewish family,[3] and educated at Leeds Grammar School and Keble College, Oxford, where he studied Jurisprudence. While at Oxford, he sat on the Executive Board of the Federation of Conservative Students and was a member of the National Union Executive of the Party.[4] He began his career in business with a graduate scheme at the John Lewis Partnership, where he eventually became the assistant to the managing director of Waitrose after a long stint at Trewins in Watford.[4]
In 1983 he founded Harvington Properties, a property development company, with Stephen Massey and Paul Fitter. The company expanded through the decade and took on a number of projects, including the redevelopment of a National Power-owned site in Wales, which was demolished to make way for 750 homes. He remains a shareholder and non-executive director of Harvington.[4]
In 1990, Harrington became a shareholder and managing director of a company active in the development, sales and management of holiday resorts in both the UK and Europe. The company was sold to a listed American company at the end of the decade. Harrington stayed on as chairman until 2000. When he left, the company employed more than 2,000 people.[4]
Other business activities included the restoration of one of Glasgow’s most famous hotels, One Devonshire Gardens.[2][5] He is also a significant shareholder and non-executive director of Eden Financial, a wealth management business in the City of London.[4]
Harrington has been a trustee of the Variety Club Children’s Society.[6] He is a governor of University College School in Hampstead,[4] and is a trustee of several children’s charities.[4]
Harrington is a long-time member of the Conservative Party, in which he has played an active part since 1983, and supporter of Kenneth Clarke.[7] Until March 2010 he was chairman of the Executive Board of the Conservative Friends of Israel,[8] which, during his tenure, had quadrupled in size financially.[4] He was appointed a treasurer of the Conservative Party in 2008, the role in which he launched the Number 10 Club with Sir John Major.[9]
Harrington won the Watford constituency from Claire Ward at the 2010 general election. He was the first of the 2010 intake to make his maiden speech.[10][11]
In June 2010 Richard was elected as General Secretary of the All Party Kashmir Group, Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Film Group, and a member of the International Development Select Committee.
In June 2010 he supported and signed an early day motion in support of the continuation of National Health Service funding for homeopathy, the motion was sponsored by Conservative MP David Tredinnick.[12]
He lives primarily in St Johns Wood, with his wife of 26 years, Jessie, and their two sons James and Daniel.[4]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Claire Ward |
Member of Parliament for Watford 2010 - present |
Incumbent |