Helen Whately

Helen Whately
MP
Vice Chairman of the
Conservative Party for Women
Assumed office
27 July 2018
Leader Theresa May
Preceded by Maria Caulfield
Member of Parliament
for Faversham and Mid Kent
Assumed office
8 May 2015
Preceded by Hugh Robertson
Majority 17,413 (35%)
Personal details
Born Helen Olivia Bicknell Lightwood
(1976-06-23) 23 June 1976
Norwich, United Kingdom
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s)
Marcus Whately (m. 2005)
Children 3
Alma mater Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Website Official website

Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately[1] (née Lightwood[2][3]; 23 June 1976) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Faversham and Mid Kent constituency in Kent since 2015. Lightwood was born to doctor-parents in Norwich and grew up near Redhill, Surrey, England. Her early education was at Westminster School, London.

She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. After graduation, she worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, AOL, and McKinsey & Company. At the last, she worked as an engagement manager in their healthcare division. Whately unsuccessfully contested the Kingston and Surbiton seat at the 2010 general election. After being selected, she was elected as MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, a safe Conservative seat, at the 2015 general election and re-elected in the 2017 snap general election.

Early life and career

Helen Olivia Bicknell Lightwood[4] was born in Norwich on 23 June 1976 and grew up near Redhill, Surrey, England. Both her parents worked as doctors.[5][6][7] Whately described her personality as a child as being stubborn, fiercely competitive, and hard-working. The latter she attributes to her father who worked long hours and encouraged the "ethics of hard work".[6]

She completed sixth form at the independent Westminster School in London, having earlier left an all-girls Roman Catholic school to study at Westminster because she felt it would give her a better chance of attending the University of Oxford like her father.[6][8] During her school years, she undertook work experience in hospitals with the intention of pursuing medicine as a career like her parents but Whately commented in her maiden speech as MP that it instead incentivised her to pursue a career in which she could improve healthcare as a whole.[9] After taking her A Levels, she taught English in rural Nepal for a year.[7] Lightwood then matriculated at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford in 1995 initially studying Human Sciences before switching to Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) after the first year.[6][10] During her time at Oxford, she was a member of the debating society, the Oxford Union, however Lightwood did not have any interest in student politics as she felt that it "did not seem to be about getting stuff done".[6]

After university, she worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers for two years as a management consultant trainee before working at AOL where Lightwood was involved in setting up their internet film service.[7][11][12] After this she worked as a media policy advisor for the then Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Hugo Swire. This experience inspired her to pursue a political career.[6] She contested the 2010 general election in the Kingston and Surbiton constituency for the Conservative Party, but lost to the incumbent Liberal Democrats MP, Ed Davey by 7,560 votes (13.3%).[13] From 2007 to 2015, Whately worked as an engagement manager for the management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company in their healthcare division.[12][14]

Parliamentary career

Whately was selected by the Conservative Party in February 2015 to contest the Faversham and Mid Kent seat in an all-women shortlist.[15] The constituency's previous Conservative MP Hugh Robertson had chosen in January not to seek re-election.[16] She had also made the shortlist for the Wealden, North East Hampshire, South Cambridgeshire, Bury St. Edmunds and Banbury constituencies.[15]

She was elected as MP for Faversham and Mid Kent at the 2015 general election with 24,895 votes (54%) and a majority of 16,652 (36.4%).[17] In the election, the Conservative Party won an unexpected overall majority in parliament.[18] The constituency is considered as a safe seat as it has been represented since its creation in 1997 by a Conservative MP.[19] Her maiden speech on 2 June focused on the National Health Service.[9] In the same year, she voiced her support for the repeal of the ban on foxhunting with dogs in England and Wales, stating that it did not protect animal welfare.[20] In July, Whately was chosen to sit on the Commons Health Select Committee.[21] In December, she voted to support Prime Minister David Cameron's plans to carry out airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria.[22]

Whately supported the United Kingdom remaining within the European Union in the June 2016 membership referendum.[23] She stated her reasons for this was that being part of the European Union meant higher standards of living for the British people, economic growth, security and the ability to hold influence in international affairs.[24] In the advisory referendum, the British people voted by majority for Brexit (for the United Kingdom to leave the EU).[25] Soon after the result, Prime Minister David Cameron resigned and in the leadership contest that followed Home Secretary Theresa May was selected by the Conservative Party to succeed him.[26][27] In July, as part of the new cabinet, Whately was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the International Trade Minister Greg Hands.[12] She was also selected as the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Mental Health and the APPG for Fruit and Vegetable Farmers in October.[28][29][30] She campaigned with the Kent County Council for two new schools to be opened in Maidstone, Kent to relieve pressure on primary school places as well as offering more places for children with special needs.[31] This resulted in the government announcing the opening of Maidstone Primary Academy and the secondary special school, Bearsted Academy (both to open in September 2018).[32][33] In February 2017, she voted to support the government's motion for the invoking of Article 50 to formally start the process of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU. Whately, a "Remain" supporter explained her decision as honouring the result of the referendum.[34][35]

In April 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May called for a surprise snap election, stating that she wanted to increase the Conservative Party's majority in parliament to provide a strong Brexit mandate.[36][37][38] Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, a prime minister cannot directly call an early election. However the election proceeded after being voted through by more than two thirds of MPs in parliament.[39] Whately held her seat in the June election with 30,390 (61.1%) votes and an increased majority of 17,413 (35%).[40] However the general election resulted in an unexpected hung parliament where no party held an overall majority.[41][42] The Conservatives remained as the largest party and formed the government after agreeing a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party.[43] Following the election, she became the PPS to the Secretary of State for Education, and Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening.[44] She also became the chair of the APPG for Health, and Personalised Medicine and continued to be chair of the APPG for Mental Health, and Fruit and Vegetable Farmers.[45][46][47]

Whately campaigned against Maidstone's Local Plan (a policy document that defines the framework for development in the area until 2031[48]) as she felt that it did not have enough funding for improvements in infrastructure and roads and could damage local landmarks such as Leeds Castle.[49] Both Whately and Maidstone and The Weald MP Helen Grant wrote to the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid in September 2017 to intervene in the matter however he declined as he felt that it was a decision that should be made locally.[50][51] Maidstone Borough Council formally adopted the Local Plan in October.[52] In January 2018, she was appointed as PPS to Brandon Lewis, the Minister without portfolio and Conservative Party Chairman.[53]

Personal life

Helen has been married to Marcus Whately (who she met at the University of Oxford) since 2005.[4][7] They have three children. Marcus is the founder and co-chief executive officer of an energy company.[12][54] She has one older brother.[6] Since 2015, she has been a vice-president of the Maidstone branch of the learning disability charity Mencap.[55][56][57]

References

  1. ↑ "No. 61230". The London Gazette. 18 May 2015. p. 9123.
  2. ↑ "Whately". The Daily Telegraph. 3 August 2008. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "Whately". The Daily Telegraph. 15 August 2010. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Results for England & Wales Marriages 1837–2005". Findmypast. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  5. ↑ "Biography for Helen Whately". MyParliament. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Finlay, Simon. "Personality Profile" (PDF). Mid Kent Living. pp. 8–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Conservatives are putting faith in youthful Whately". Surrey Comet. 30 April 2007. Archived from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Who wants your vote in Faversham and Mid Kent?". Kent Online. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  9. 1 2 Whately, Helen (2 June 2015). "Maiden Speech". Helen Whately. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  10. ↑ "LMH, Oxford – Prominent Alumni". Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  11. ↑ Hopkirk, Elizabeth; Mendick, Robert (9 September 2008). "A future Tory Cabinet ... at least according to Tatler". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Q & A with Helen". Helen Whately. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  13. ↑ "Kingston & Surbiton". BBC News. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  14. ↑ "Helen Whately". Health Service Journal. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  15. 1 2 "Helen Whately to replace Sir Hugh Robertson as conservative candidate for Faversham and Mid Kent". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  16. ↑ "Hugh Robertson, former Conservative minister, to stand down". BBC News. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2015.
  17. ↑ "Faversham & Mid Kent". BBC News. Archived from the original on 30 December 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  18. ↑ Rudgard, Olivia (13 May 2015). "How did the Conservatives win the general election?". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  19. ↑ "Faversham & Mid Kent". UK Polling Report. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  20. ↑ Whately, Helen (16 June 2015). "Helen responds to Hunting Act concerns". Helen Whately. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  21. ↑ "Helen Whately MP". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "Syria strikes: Find out how your MP voted". BBC News. 3 December 2015. Archived from the original on 3 December 2015.
  23. ↑ Goodenough, Tom (16 February 2016). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  24. ↑ Whately, Helen (22 May 2017). "Why I'm voting to stay in the EU". Helen Whately. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017.
  25. ↑ Siddique, Haroon (23 June 2016). "Is the EU referendum legally binding?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 June 2016.
  26. ↑ Stewart, Heather; Mason, Rowena; Syal, Rajeev (24 June 2016). "David Cameron resigns after UK votes to leave European Union". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  27. ↑ Dunford, Daniel; Kirk, Ashley (11 July 2016). "Tory leadership contest: How Theresa May's victory over Andrea Leadsom unfolded". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017.
  28. ↑ "All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  29. ↑ Pyman, Tom (12 October 2016). "Helen Whately elected chair of parliamentary group for mental health". Kent News. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017.
  30. ↑ McEwan, Gavin (4 November 2016). "New parliamentary group hears fruit and veg growers' concerns". Horticulture Week. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  31. ↑ McWethy, Claire (28 March 2017). "MP Helen Whately plea for two new schools in Maidstone at Kent Medical Campus". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  32. ↑ Whately, Helen (12 April 2017). "Two new schools for Maidstone!". Helen Whately. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  33. ↑ "Bearsted to get its new primary school — full details". Downs Mail. 12 April 2017. Archived from the original on 26 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  34. ↑ Whately, Helen (2 February 2017). "Brexit: Let's use this opportunity to frame the country's future". Helen Whately. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  35. ↑ Batchelor, Tom (1 February 2017). "Article 50 Brexit vote: Full list of MPs who backed Theresa May starting official EU negotiations — and those who voted against". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  36. ↑ Birrell, Ian (2 May 2017). "Strengthen our hand in Europe? No, a landslide for May would weaken it". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017.
  37. ↑ "General election 2017: Why did Theresa May call an election?". BBC News. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017.
  38. ↑ Asthana, Anushka; Walker, Peter (19 April 2017). "Theresa May calls for general election to secure Brexit mandate". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017.
  39. ↑ "MPs approve an early general election". parliament.uk. 19 April 2017. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017.
  40. ↑ "Faversham & Mid Kent". BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  41. ↑ Bennett, Asa (9 June 2017). "What is a hung parliament? What happens when no party wins an election majority?". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017.
  42. ↑ Hunt, Alex; Wheeler, Brian (14 June 2017). "Theresa May: 10 reasons why the PM blew her majority". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017.
  43. ↑ "Conservatives agree pact with DUP to support May government". BBC News. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017.
  44. ↑ "Parliamentary Private Secretaries: full list". Conservative Home. 28 June 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  45. ↑ "Health". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  46. ↑ "Personalised Medicine". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  47. ↑ "Register of All-Party Parliamentary Groups" (PDF). 8 November 2017. pp. 462, 504, 621, 677. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2017.
  48. ↑ "What is the Local Plan?". Maidstone Borough Council. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  49. ↑ Smith, Alan (11 September 2017). "MP's last minute bid to stop Maidstone's Local Plan". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  50. ↑ "MP attempts halt on Local Plan for housing by appeal to Secretary of State". Downs Mail. 11 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  51. ↑ McConnell, Ed (3 October 2017). "Maidstone's Local Plan to be decided on after Sajid Javid decides not to intervene". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  52. ↑ Gazet, David (25 October 2017). "Maidstone's Local Plan has been adopted". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  53. ↑ "Parliamentary Private Secretaries January 2018" (PDF). gov.uk. January 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  54. ↑ "Team". Estover. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  55. ↑ "Annual Report 2015" (PDF). Mencap. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  56. ↑ "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Mencap. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  57. ↑ "Helen Grant visits Mencap with fellow MPs". Maidstone and the Weald Conservatives. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Hugh Robertson		 Member of Parliament
for Faversham and Mid Kent
2015–present		 Incumbent
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