| The Baron Cormack FSA |
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| Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire South West Staffordshire (1974–1983) |
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| In office 28 February 1974 – 6 May 2010 |
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| Preceded by | new constituency |
| Succeeded by | Gavin Williamson |
| Member of Parliament for Cannock |
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| In office 18 June 1970 – 28 February 1974 |
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| Preceded by | Jennie Lee |
| Succeeded by | Gwilym Roberts |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 May 1939 Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Kathleen Mary MacDonald |
| Alma mater | University of Hull |
Patrick Cormack, Baron Cormack, FSA DL (born 18 May 1939, Grimsby, England) is a British politician, historian, journalist and author. He was a Conservative Party Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010.
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Cormack was born in Grimsby just before the outbreak of World War II. He was educated locally at the St James's Choir School and the Havelock School, before attending the University of Hull where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961. He was a teacher at his former school, St James's Choir School, in 1961, before becoming a training and education officer with Ross Ltd in 1966. In 1967 he was appointed an assistant house master at the Wrekin College in Wellington for two years, after which he became the head of history at the Brewood Grammar School in 1969.
Cormack contested the safe Labour parliamentary seat of Bolsover at the 1964 general election, where he lost to the sitting MP Harold Neal, who won with a majority of 23,103 votes. At the 1966 general election, Cormack contested his hometown seat of Grimsby, but again was defeated, this time by the Secretary of State for Education and Science, Anthony Crosland, who had a majority of 8,126.
At the 1970 general election, Cormack stood for the seat of Cannock, and this time was elected, narrowly defeating the incumbent Labour MP Jennie Lee (the wife of the founder of the National Health Service, Aneurin Bevan). Cormack won with a majority of 1,529.
Prior to 1970, Cormack was a member of the Bow Group and the Conservative Monday Club, resigning from both at the end of 1971.[1]
From 1970-3, Cormack served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department of Health and Social Security. He moved constituencies at the February 1974 general election, leaving marginal seat of Cannock and instead contesting the newly drawn seat of South West Staffordshire, which he won comfortably with a majority of 9,758. Cormack was a member of the Education Select Committee for the duration of the 1979 Parliament.
On 7 October 1981, with national unemployment approaching 3,000,000 (compared to 1,500,000 two years previously), Cormack urged prime minister Margaret Thatcher to change her economic policies, namely monetarism to tackle inflation, if Britain was to avoid economic disaster.[2]
In 1983, his constituency changed to its present incarnation, Staffordshire South, and after the 1983 general election, he became a member of the Chairman's Panel. Cormack was knighted in 1995 for his service to parliament, and in 1997, after 27 years as an MP on the backbenches, he was finally promoted by the then Leader of the Opposition, William Hague, to become the opposition's Deputy Leader of the House of Commons. He resigned from this position in 2000 in order to run for the position of Speaker of the House of Commons (following the retirement of Betty Boothroyd). However he was unsuccessful in his bid for the Speakership, with the House instead choosing Labour MP Michael Martin for the role. During the 2005-10 parliament, Cormack was the chairman of the Northern Ireland Select Committee.
The vote in Staffordshire South was postponed at the 2005 general election due to the death of the Liberal Democrat candidate Jo Harrison. When the election did take place on 23 June 2005, Cormack won comfortably. In February 2007, it was announced that Cormack had failed to win the readoption of his constituency party for the next general election. This vote was later declared invalid as the number of votes recorded exceeded the number of people present at the meeting.[3][4] In July 2007, the South Staffordshire Conservatives' executive council voted on the matter, but it resulted in a tie. Consequently, a vote of all local party members was held to decide whether Cormack should remain the party's candidate at the next general election.[5] In the vote, held on 14 September, Cormack was readopted as the Conservative candidate, receiving the backing of over 75% of participating party members. Cormack expressed his gratitude and called the victory a "great relief".[6] Subsequently, on 1 December 2009, Cormack announced his intention to stand down at the 2010 general election.[7]
Cormack was created a life peer on 18 December 2010, as Baron Cormack.[8] He sits on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords.
Cormack is seen as a One Nation Tory. He was a Heathite, and was a frequent rebel under Margaret Thatcher.
Cormack takes an active interest in historical issues, particularly those related to English Heritage. He is also a very knowledgeable parliamentary historian.
Cormack has written many books on subjects ranging from the history of parliament, British castles, English cathedrals, and a book on William Wilberforce.
Cormack has been a trustee of the Churches Preservation Trust since 1972, and is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He has been a council member of British Archaeology since 1979, and also a member of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass for the same length of time. From 1983-93, he was trustee on the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. He is a consultant and adviser to FIRST, an international affairs organisation since 1985.
A committed Christian, Cormack was a rector's warden at Parliament's parish church, St Margaret's, Westminster, from 1978-90.
Cormack was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1980. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 2011[9].
Cormack has been married to Kathleen Mary MacDonald since 1967. The couple have two sons.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jennie Lee |
Member of Parliament for Cannock 1970 – Feb 1974 |
Succeeded by Gwilym Roberts |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for South West Staffordshire Feb 1974 – 1983 |
Constituency abolished |
| Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire 1983–2010 |
Succeeded by Gavin Williamson |
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