George Freeman (politician)
| George Freeman MP | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Mid Norfolk | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Keith Simpson |
| Majority | 13,856 (27.3%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 July 1967 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Eleanor Freeman |
| Alma mater | Girton College, Cambridge |
| Website | www.georgefreeman.co.uk |
George William Freeman[1] (born 12 July 1967)[2] is a British Conservative Party politician and Minister for Life Sciences. He is the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Norfolk, and was first elected at the 2010 general election, replacing the constituency's previous incumbent, Keith Simpson who had decided to contest the neighbouring Broadland constituency instead.[3]
Education
He was educated at Radley College and Girton College, Cambridge, graduating with a degree in Geography in 1989.
Early career
Before entering Parliament, Freeman had a 15-year career in biomedical venture capital. He spent most of his career in and around the Cambridge cluster supporting high tech growth businesses. For the seven years prior to being elected he was Founder and Chairman of the specialist translational medicine consultancy 4D Biomedical Ltd. Prior to that he was CEO of Cambridge start-up Amedis Pharmaceuticals, and before that the Director of Early Stage Ventures at Merlin Biosciences. Straight after university, Freeman worked in Westminster as a lobbyist for the National Farmers Union.[4]
Political career
Freeman stood as Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in Stevenage in the 2005 general election, being defeated by incumbent Labour MP Barbara Follett. In 2005, he was added to the Conservative A-List and was selected for Mid Norfolk in October 2006.
Shortly after entering Parliament George Freeman was elected Chairman of the All Party Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture. He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Climate Change, Greg Barker MP, in the Coalition Government’s first tranche of appointments. In July 2011 the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon, David Cameron MP and Minister for Universities and Science, Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP, appointed Freeman as Government Life Science Advisor. In 2014, he was appointed Minister for Life Sciences at the Department of Health and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).[5]
Freeman is a co-founder of the 2020 Group of Conservative MPs, where he chairs the Innovation Economy Commission. He has spoken and written widely on the potential of UK science, technology and entrepreneurship to lead a sustainable economic recovery.
Personal life
Freeman is married to Eleanor, who is an employment solicitor in Cambridge, and they have two children. He enjoys sailing on the Norfolk coast, walking, rowing, wildfowling, and going to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford with his children to watch the Spitfires.[6]
References
- ↑ Who's Who. Ukwhoswho.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-17.
- ↑ "George Freeman MP". BBC Democracy Live (BBC). Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ "Election 2010: Mid Norfolk". Dereham Times. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ↑ Armitstead, Louise (9 December 2012). "George Freeman unites science, business and NHS". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ↑ Pagano, Margareta (25 July 2014). "George Freeman: Just the man for a matter of life and death". Independent. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ↑ "Biography". Conservative Website. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
External links
- Official website
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Keith Simpson |
Member of Parliament for Mid Norfolk 2010–present |
Incumbent |