Owen Paterson

For the production designer, see Owen Paterson (production designer).
The Right Honourable
Owen Paterson
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
In office
4 September 2012 – 14 July 2014
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by Caroline Spelman
Succeeded by Elizabeth Truss
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office
12 May 2010 – 4 September 2012
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by Shaun Woodward
Succeeded by Theresa Villiers
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office
2 July 2007 – 11 May 2010
Leader David Cameron
Preceded by David Lidington
Succeeded by Shaun Woodward
Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 May 1997
Preceded by John Biffen
Majority 15,828 (30.5%)
Personal details
Born Owen William Paterson
24 June 1956
Whitchurch, England
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Rose Ridley
Children Felix
Ned
Evie
Alma mater Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
University of Northampton
Religion Anglicanism
Website Official website

Owen William Paterson (born 24 June 1956) is a British Conservative Party politician who was the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2012 until 2014 and has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Shropshire since 1997. He was first appointed to the Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron in 2007 as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Upon the formation of the Coalition Government in 2010 he was appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, where he remained until being moved to DEFRA in 2012.

Early life and career

Radley College

Paterson was born in Whitchurch, Shropshire. He attended Abberley Hall School and Radley College, before beginning studies at Cambridge University, where he read History at Corpus Christi College. He then went on to the National Leathersellers College (now the British School of Leather Technology at the University of Northampton).[1]

He joined the British Leather Company in 1979, becoming Sales Director in 1983 and managing director from 1993 to 1999. He was President of COTANCE (the Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community),[2] the European Tanners Confederation from 1996–98. He was a Director of Parsons and Sons[3] leather company in Halesowen in the 1990s. Paterson is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Leathersellers' Company.

Member of Parliament

Paterson contested, but failed to win, the Wrexham seat in the 1992 General Election. He is Member of Parliament for North Shropshire, being first elected at the 1997 General Election and has been returned at every General Election there since.[4]

He served on a number of committees including the Welsh Affairs Committee (1997–2001), the European Standing Committee (1998–2001), and the Agriculture Committee (2000–01).[5] Paterson is a supporter of the Royal Irish Regiment, which has been based in his constituency at Tern Hill.[6]

Front bench politician

Paterson was appointed Shadow Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister from 2003–05. As agriculture spokesman he campaigned for the dairy industry. He visited Michigan, Maryland and Washington to discuss Bovine TB policy, writing extensively on the issue facing the UK.[7]

He travelled all over the North Atlantic to produce a landmark Green Paper on Fisheries.[8] Paterson joined the crew of the Kiroan, one of the few remaining trawlers out of Fleetwood, Lancashire, to view the fishing practices that have been created by the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.[9] He wrote the Green Paper "Consultation on a National Policy on Fisheries Management in U.K.Waters"[10] which was used by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Fish Fight Campaign.

Shadow Minister for Transport

Paterson previously served as Shadow Minister for Transport from 2005–07. Whilst he was Shadow Minister for Roads, Paterson researched relevant best practice and the latest ideas from Europe and North America.[8]

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

He was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 2 July 2007.

Paterson negotiated an agreement with the Ulster Unionist Party to re-establish the traditional links between the two parties, which was broken in 1972.[11] This included running joint Conservative/UUP candidates for the 2009 European and 2010 general elections.

News of this alliance was praised by several Conservatives, including Iain Dale and ConservativeHome.[12][13] However the alliance caused the UUP's only MP Sylvia Hermon to resign from the UUP. Lady Hermon retained her seat successfully against the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists in the 2010 Westminster election. The UUP lost seats at the assembly elections the following year.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Paterson was appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in The Coalition Government on 12 May 2010.[14] He was created a Privy Counsellor on 13 May 2010.[15]

One of his first tasks was overseeing the publication and delivery of the Saville Report on the events of Bloody Sunday which led to an apology by the Prime Minister David Cameron.[16] He worked with the Treasury to deliver his promise of a consultation on the devolution of the power to reduce the rate of Corporation Tax[17] to Stormont. Paterson has stated that "Rebalancing and rebuilding the economy is critical to the future prosperity of Northern Ireland and it is one of the Government's key priorities for Northern Ireland."[18] He has been outspoken on the issue of integrated education in Northern Ireland. Currently 95% of Northern Ireland pupils attend a segregated school. Paterson believes segregated education is not working; in October 2010 he said: “there's a school in Belfast with no pupils and there's a school in Belfast with more staff than pupils. That's just a criminal waste of public money. We cannot go on bearing the cost of segregation and I don't see why the British taxpayer should continue to subsidise segregation."[19]

Paterson made headlines as the first cabinet member to publicly oppose the Coalition Government's Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill,[20] defying David Cameron and ministerial convention.[21]

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Paterson speaking in 2013

Paterson was appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in September 2012.[22]

Despite his voting record "moderately for" laws to stop climate change,[23] he is a climate change sceptic,[22] and has not accepted David MacKay's offer of a briefing on climate change science.[24] During his time in office, Paterson cut funding for climate change adaptation by approximately 40%. In 2014 the outgoing Environment Agency chair Chris Smith said that flood defence budget cuts had left the agency underfunded and hampered its ability to prevent and respond to flooding in the UK.[25][26][27]

Paterson voted and spoke strongly against the fox hunting ban, in one speech likening supporters of the Bill to Nazis.[22][28][29] Coming as Justine Greening was removed as Transport Secretary, Paterson's appointment was widely considered to be part of a move back towards the expansion of Heathrow Airport, given his support for aviation.[30][31] Paterson stated on BBC Radio 4's Any Questions? in June 2013 that "the temperature has not changed in the last 17 years ...".[32]

When asked in a BBC interview about the alleged failure of a badger cull he had been responsible for, Paterson famously replied that "the badgers have moved the goalposts."[33]

Paterson is known as a strong supporter of GMO food technology. Even before he acceded to DEFRA in September 2012, he spoke at length in June of the same year at the Rothamsted Research facility and invited GMO innovators to take root in the UK.[34] In December 2012, he labelled consumer opposition to the technology as a “complete nonsense”.[35] In October 2013, he branded opponents to the development of a type of GMO rice enriched with vitamin A "wicked".[36]

Paterson praises Britain’s shale gas reserves as “one unexpected and potentially huge windfall.”[22]

Paterson was mentioned by journalist Benedict Brogan as a possible replacement on the European Commission when the term of Baroness Ashton expires.[37]

Paterson was succeeded by Elizabeth Truss as Environment Secretary on 15 July 2014.

In a blog for The Guardian, George Monbiot said Paterson was "the worst environment secretary this country has ever suffered".[38] In a blog for Breitbart.com, James Delingpole said Paterson was "the other best thing in Cameron's Cabinet: principled, informed, diligent".[39]

Personal life

Paterson married Rose Ridley, the daughter of Matthew Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley and sister of Matt Ridley in 1980.[40] They have two sons and a daughter. They are Felix, Ned and Evie.[41] Paterson speaks fluent French and German. His wealth is estimated at £1.5m.[42]

Paterson is a keen horse rider and racer. He has ridden across Turkmenistan and most recently Mongolia.[43] His daughter, Evie, is a successful eventer who won the British Junior Eventing Championships in 2008, aged 16.[44]

In February 2014, he suffered from a detached retina and required urgent surgery to prevent loss of sight in that eye.[45][46]

Styles

References

  1. ↑ http://www2.northampton.ac.uk/portal/page?_pageid=434,2721693&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL[]
  2. ↑ "COTANCE". Euroleather. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  3. ↑ www.parsonsandsons.co.uk
  4. ↑ "BBC – Shropshire's MPs hold onto their seats". BBC News. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  5. ↑ "Rt Hon Owen Paterson". Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Politicians clash in wristband row". Shropshire Star. 9 October 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  7. ↑ Owen Paterson (6 December 2005). "Owen Paterson MP visits the USA to discuss Bovine TB Policy". Farmers weekly. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Conservative Party|People|Members of Parliament|Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP". Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  9. ↑ Charles Clover, Richard North (18 October 2004). "Fishermen call for end to slaughter caused by EU net laws". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  10. ↑ Owen Paterson MP (January 2005), Consultation on a National Policy on Fisheries Management in UK Waters (PDF), Conservative Party, retrieved 16 September 2011
  11. ↑ Andrew Porter (23 July 2008). "David Cameron launches biggest Conservative shake-up for decades". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  12. ↑ Iain Dale (24 July 2008). "A Landmark Day for Northern Ireland Politics". Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  13. ↑ Jonathan Isaby (21 November 2008). "In praise of Owen Paterson and the Tory/UUP deal". ConservativeHome. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  14. ↑ "Owen Paterson new NI Secretary of State". BBC News. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  15. ↑ "Privy Council appointments, 13 May 2010". Privy Council. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  16. ↑ "Bloody Sunday: PM David Cameron's full statement". BBC News. 15 June 2010.
  17. ↑ "NI corporation tax cut 'benefits all' – Owen Paterson". BBC News. 30 March 2011.
  18. ↑
  19. ↑ "Paterson sparks segregation row - UTV Live News". U.tv. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  20. ↑ Watt, Nicholas (22 May 2012). "Tory minister Owen Paterson opposes gay marriage". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  21. ↑ "Owen Paterson to defy Cameron on gay marriage vote". The Shropshire Star. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Watt, Holly (4 September 2012). "Owen Paterson becomes new Environment Secretary". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  23. ↑ "Owen Paterson's Voting Record". They Work For You. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  24. ↑ Webster, Ben (28 September 2013). "Climate expert David MacKay plants artificial tree idea for reducing warming". The Australian. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  25. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/08/flooding-uk-government-spin-protection-cuts
  26. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/27/uk-climate-change-owen-paterson
  27. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/26/lord-smith-flooding-budget-cuts-climate-change-extreme-weather
  28. ↑ Davern, Fin. "MPs ban foxhunting". London: The Daily Mail. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  29. ↑ "Owen Paterson faces choice between ideology and evidence". Business Green. September 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  30. ↑ Groves, Jason; Robinson, Martin (September 2012). "'It's a fudgearama!' Boris hammers Cameron over third runway for Heathrow and pledges to lead campaign against it". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  31. ↑ "Green groups' concern over Owen Paterson record". BBC. September 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  32. ↑ Cusick, James (29 November 2013). "Owen Paterson, his sceptic brother-in-law, and how Defra went cold on climate change". London: The Independent. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  33. ↑ "Badgers 'moved goalposts' says minister Owen Paterson". BBC. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
  34. ↑ defra.gov.uk: "Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP speech to Rothamsted Research" 20 June 2012
  35. ↑ telegraph.co.uk: "Food minister Owen Paterson backs GM crops" 9 December 2012
  36. ↑ bbc.co.uk: "GM 'golden rice' opponents wicked, says minister Owen Paterson" 13 Oct 2013
  37. ↑ telegraph.co.uk: "There will be Tory trouble on Europe unless David Cameron sends a Right-winger to Brussels" 21 January 2014
  38. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/15/ban-neonicotinoids-another-silent-spring-pesticide-moratorium
  39. ↑ http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/07/16/Three-reasons-why-Cameron-s-cabinet-reshuffle-is-a-disaster-for-conservatism
  40. ↑ "www.burkespeerage.com". www.burkespeerage.com. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  41. ↑ "About Owen". Owen Paterson. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  42. ↑ Glen Owen The coalition of millionaires: 23 of the 29 member of the new cabinet are worth more than £1m... and the Lib Dems are just as wealthy as the Tories Mail on Sunday 23 May 2010
  43. ↑ Cassandra Jardine (5 August 2011). "Owen Paterson on the Mongol Derby". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  44. ↑ "MP's daughter scoops title". 21 May 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  45. ↑ "MP Owen Paterson to have urgent operation on detached retina". BBC News. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  46. ↑ "Owen Paterson to miss Cobra meeting for eye surgery". ITV. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Owen Paterson.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Biffen		 Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
1997–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
David Lidington		 Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2007–2010 		Succeeded by
Shaun Woodward
Preceded by
Shaun Woodward		 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2010–2012 		Succeeded by
Theresa Villiers
Preceded by
Caroline Spelman		 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2012–2014 		Succeeded by
Elizabeth Truss