Graham Evans

This article is about Graham Evans the UK Member of Parliament. For the Australian public servant, see Graham Evans (public servant).
Not to be confused with Graeme Evans.
Graham Evans
Member of Parliament
for Weaver Vale
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded by Mike Hall
Majority 991 (2.3%)
Personal details
Born 10 November 1963[1]
Poynton, Cheshire, England[2]
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Cheryl Evans[3]
Alma mater Manchester Metropolitan University
Website www.grahamevans.org.uk

Graham Thomas Evans[4] (born 10 November 1963) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Weaver Vale in Cheshire since the 2010 general election.

Early life

Evans was born on a council house estate in Poynton, Cheshire. After attending Poynton High School, then a comprehensive school, he left with few qualifications.

Career

He worked as a shelf stacker at a local supermarket, and then attended Manchester Metropolitan University as a mature student.

He developed a career as a marketing specialist and then manager in the manufacturing sector, eventually holding a number of board positions with blue chip companies including BAE Systems and Hewlett Packard.

Evans joined the Cheshire Constabulary, spending four years working as a special constable.

Political career

Evans served ten years as a local councillor at Macclesfield Borough Council, until the council's abolition in 2009.[5] He served on the Community Development Committee and was part of a team of councillors that took the council’s Audit Commission rating from “poor” in 2000 to “good” in just four years.

In July 2007, Evans was selected by a Conservative Party primary election, open to all residents of Weaver Vale regardless of which party they normally support. His resultant campaign called for action on crime and fighting against post office closures.

Parliamentary career

Evans unsuccessfully contested the 2005 general election for the Worsley constituency.[6]

Evans was elected as Member of Parliament for Weaver Vale, gaining the seat with a swing of over 8%, at the 2010 general election.

Evans sits on the Work and Pensions Select Committee (elected November 2012)[7]

He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Rt Hon Greg Barker MP, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, in January 2014.

He sat on the influential 1922 Executive Committee between Autumn 2012 and January 2014.

His Private Members' Bill in October 2013 was about Drug Driving.[8]

He led a Back Bench Business for Holocaust Memorial Day on 23 January 2013.[9]

His Ten Minute Rule Bill in April 2013 was for a National Commonwealth Military Day.[10]

Positions held:

Co Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group (re-elected June 2013)[11]

Vice Chair of the Chemical Industry All Party Parliamentary Group (re-elected May 2013)[12]

Co Chair of the Energy Intensive Industries All-Party Parliamentary Group (elected February 2014)[13]

Co Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Scout Group (re-elected July 2013)[14]

Co-Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces (elected June 2013) and member of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme.

He is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Muscular Dystrophy, the Emergency Services All Party Parliamentary Group, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Young Disabled People, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Justice for Equitable Life Policy Holders, and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Interest Rate Swap Mis-Selling.

Graham is currently running a campaign to reinstate the Halton Curve railway line to connect the villages of Helsby and Frodsham to Halton and Liverpool.[15]

Personal life

Evans is married to Cheryl, and the couple have three children: George, Tom and Sophie.

Evans has an extensive interest in British social, economic and political history. He enjoys military history, and has a good size library on the subject of the First World War.

Evans is a keen sportsman, regularly playing cricket, football and rugby on the Parliamentary teams. He is also a keen runner and has completed numerous races including the London Marathon 2013 which he ran for Halton Haven Hospice and The Royal British Legion raising over £1,000.[16][17]

He was found to be playing air guitar during a parliament meeting, sparking an influx of videos with added audio of a guitar solo in the background.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Graham Evans MP". BBC Democracy Live (BBC). Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  2. ↑ http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U251331
  3. ↑ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/110124/part2.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/59418/notices/1118281/from=2010-05-06;to=2010-05-19;all=returned+westminster/
  5. ↑ "Introduction to Graham Evans Political biography". Cllr Graham Evans website. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  6. ↑ "Graham Evans, Member of Parliament for Weaver Vale". Conservative Party website. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  7. ↑
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  11. ↑
  12. ↑
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  14. ↑
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  16. ↑
  17. ↑
  18. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jRjSb3408I

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Mike Hall		 Member of Parliament for Weaver Vale
2010 – present 		Incumbent