Rory Stewart

After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Stewart became the Coalition Provisional Authority Deputy Governorate Co-ordinator in Maysan and Deputy Governorate Co-ordinator/Senior Advisor in Dhi Qar in 2003, both of which are provinces in southern Iraq.[6] He was posted initially to the KOSB Battlegroup then to the Light Infantry.[16] His responsibilities included holding elections, resolving tribal disputes, and implementing development projects.[16] He faced growing unrest and an incipient civil war from his base in a Civil-Military Co-operation (CIMIC) compound in Al Amarah, and in May 2004 was in command of his compound in Nasiriyah when it was besieged by Sadrist militia.[6] He was awarded an OBE for his services during this period.[17]

While Stewart initially supported the Iraq War, the international coalition's inability to achieve a more humane, prosperous state led him in retrospect to believe the invasion had been a mistake.[18]

Some have suggested that Stewart was an employee of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), during his time as a British Representative to Montenegro - allegedly being recruited to MI6 shortly after he graduated from Oxford University.[6][19] Stewart has said that his career progression and his father's work for MI6 might "give the appearance" that he worked for MI6,[20] but says he did not work for MI6 while a diplomat.[19] Stewart has acknowledged that due to the Official Secrets Act, even if he had worked for MI6, he would not be able to admit if he had.[21]

Stewart had considered a parliamentary career in the past but only decided to stand when, in the aftermath of the expenses scandal, David Cameron decided to "reopen the Conservative candidates' list to anybody who wants to apply". Stewart has said that his experience in Afghanistan made him a "Burkean conservative".[30] Having never voted for the Conservatives before (though, against his will, his parents cast his proxy vote for them in the 2001 general election, when he was abroad),[31] he joined the party in summer 2009.[32] Stewart tried for selection for the Bracknell constituency in the 2010 general election,[33] but the place went to Phillip Lee.[34] Stewart was then shortlisted for the Penrith and The Border constituency and, at an open caucus, selected as the candidate on 25 October 2009.[35] He was returned as the MP for the constituency on 6 May 2010.[36] At the 2015 general election, Stewart almost doubled his majority in Penrith and the Border from 11,241 to 19,894, the highest majority since the seat was created.[37] In the 2017 general election, he received 60.4% of the vote.

Upon joining the House of Commons, Stewart was elected a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, serving until 2014. During his tenure on the Committee he was also chair of the trans-Atlantic group Le Cercle but did not declare his membership.[38] Stewart also served as the chair of the APPG for Mountain Rescue[39][40] and the APPG for Local Democracy[41][42] and was an officer of the APPG for Rural Services.[43] He was elected chair of the Defence Select Committee in May 2014. He left these positions upon his appointment as environment minister.

In July 2010, Stewart apologised to his constituents after blogging about the relative poverty of rural areas and need for more public services.[44] He was quoted in the Scottish Sun as saying that "some areas around here are pretty primitive, people holding up their trousers with bits of twine".[44] He later said that he was making the point that Cumbria's beauty hides its “pockets of poverty”.[45] A light-hearted Guardian article, "In praise of ... binder twine", whilst acknowledging the "serious effort" Stewart had made by "walking hundreds of miles" to get to know his constituency, concluded that he had simply underestimated the importance of the "ubiquitous and indispensable" twine to the rural community.[46]

His speech about hedgehogs in Parliament in 2015 was named by The Times and The Daily Telegraph as the best parliamentary speech of 2015 and described by the deputy speaker as "one of the best speeches [she] had ever heard in Parliament".[47][48][49]

Stewart supported remain in the 2016 referendum on the UK's continued membership of the European Union[50] but accepted the result, writing that "the decision is made, and we should be energetic and optimistic [about it]".[51] Stewart was a prominent supporter of the Brexit withdrawal agreement negotiated by the prime minister Theresa May,[52][53][54] arguing that the agreement respects the result of the referendum "by leaving EU political institutions...and by taking back control over immigration" while also addressing "the concerns of the more than 16 million who voted remain" and protecting the British economy.[55]

Stewart led the first backbench motion for expanding broadband and mobile coverage, securing what was then the largest number of cross-party endorsements for a backbench motion.[56] In a report published in 2011, Stewart won support from the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee in calling for mobile phone companies to be forced to provide coverage to 98% of the population,[57] and in 2012, his campaign achieved its goal when regulator Ofcom announced its plans for the auction of fourth generation (4G) bandwidth for mobile phone services.[58] In March 2018, Ofcom announced that the 98% target had been met.[59]

Stewart was successful in securing the Cumbrian broadband pilot in 2011,[60] and in November 2013, broadband provider EE cited the support of Government and regulatory policy in announcing that over 2,000 residents and businesses in rural Cumbria were to have access to superfast home and office broadband for the first time.[61] In February 2015 Stewart secured more funding in order to continue the broadband roll-out in Cumbria.[62]

Stewart supports fox hunting, and has been marked as a "For" voter to upkeep the traditional sport if it were voted on and has been seen at hunt meets in his local area.[63] He said, "I'm in favour. It's an important cultural tradition in Cumbria going back many hundreds of years, and hunts like Blencathra and Ullswater are a very important part of rural tradition. It's not something I've ever done myself but it's something I think people should have the right to do."[64]

In July 2014, Stewart launched Hands Across The Border, a project to construct a cairn called 'The Auld Acquaintance' as "a testament to the Union".[65] Built by members of the public, it is close to the Scotland–England border near Gretna. During the run up to the Scottish independence referendum.[66] Stewart said of the project: "We wanted to come up with a lasting marker of our union, something that future generations will look back at and remember, with deep gratitude, the moment we chose to stay together."[67] The campaign received support from several notable public figures in the UK, including actress Joanna Lumley, explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, mountaineers Alan Hinkes and Doug Scott, and historians Simon Schama and David Starkey.[68] Approximately 100,000 stones were laid on the cairn, many with personal messages.

At the same time, Stewart hosted a two-part documentary on BBC Two about the cross-border history of what he called "Britain's lost middleland",[69] covering the kingdoms of Northumbria and Strathclyde and the Debatable Lands of the Scottish Marches on the Anglo-Scottish border.[69]

In January 2014, Stewart was asked by Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for Justice, to lead a Government review into the reasons why a number of British veterans become criminal offenders after returning to civilian life.[70] The review looked at ways in which support and prevention for veterans in the justice system can be improved.[71] Following his election to Chairman of the Defence Select Committee, Stewart handed over the lead for the review to Stephen Phillips.[72]

In May 2014, Stewart was elected by MPs from all parties as Chairman of the Defence Select Committee. He was the youngest Chair of a select committee in parliamentary history, as well as the first MP of the 2010 intake to be elected to chair a committee. [73] [74][75] In this capacity, Stewart argued strongly for a more vigorous response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.[76] The committee also argued that Britain's commitments to Iraq and Syria were "strikingly modest" and that more should be done.[77] Under Stewart's chairmanship, the committee produced a report in favour of the proposals for a Service Complaints Ombudsman and also secured an amendment extending the powers of the Ombudsman.[78]

Stewart pictured with the Greek politician Nikos Xydakis in September 2016

Following the Conservatives' return with an outright majority at the 2015 general election, Stewart was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), with responsibilities including the natural environment, national parks, floods and water, resource and environmental management, rural affairs, lead responsibility for the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Forestry Commission, and acting as the secretary of state's deputy on the Environment Council.[79]

In July 2015, in his capacity as resource minister, he announced a review into the regulatory and enforcement barriers to growth and innovation in the waste sector.[80] Stewart as 'floods minister' joined the National Flood Resilience Review, formed in 2016 and chaired by the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Letwin.[81] Stewart initiated the Cumbria Floods Partnership in response to Storm Desmond, with a focus on long-term flood defence.[82] The House of Commons cross-party Environment Audit Committee criticised the statement by Stewart that the extra £700m for flood defence was the result of a "political calculation" and that it might not be spent according to the strict value-for-money criteria currently used.[83]

As environment minister he introduced the plastic bag tax which reduced the use of personal bags by 85% in 6 months;[84] and he was responsible for producing the first draft of the 25-year environment plan in which he emphasised, alongside biodiversity and ecosystems, the importance of human cultural features in the landscape, and particularly the conservation of small family sheep farms.[85] As Minister responsible for the National Parks, Stewart secured five years of increased funding for national parks and AONBs.[86] He also ensured the extension of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Park and supported the UNESCO World Heritage bid for the Lake District.[87]

As floods minister, Stewart oversaw the government's response to the 2015–16 Great Britain and Ireland floods, including the post-Storm Desmond floods,[88] including the reopening of the A591 and the bridge at Pooley Bridge in the Lake District.[89]

After Theresa May replaced David Cameron as Prime Minister, Stewart was promoted to minister of state for international development on 17 July 2016.[3][90]

Stewart was promoted to become joint Minister for Africa, taking over responsibility for the Foreign Office and its embassies in Africa, as well as the Department for International Development (DfID) in Africa. In this capacity he visited a number of countries in Africa[91][92][93] and the United National General Assembly in New York (UNGA).[94] During these trips he held personal meetings with President Kagame of Rwanda,[95] President Kabila of DRC,[96] President Lungu of Zambia,[97] President Magufuli of Tanzania,[98] and President Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.[99] In this role Stewart was the driving force behind the British Government's new Africa strategy and pushed for more resources to go into the Foreign Office network in Africa. His most notable trip was to Zimbabwe where he was the first foreign dignitary to be received by President Mnangagwa.[100] His Zimbabwe policy pressed for political reform, and free and fair elections.[101]

Stewart at the London Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference 2018

Stewart was appointed Minister of State for Prisons with responsibility for prisons and probation in England and Wales in January 2018.[102] He was appointed in the aftermath of a highly critical leaked report on the state of HMP Liverpool, in which the inspector described it as the "worst prison he had ever seen" with piles of rubbish, rats, soaring violence and drug use and poor health provision.[103] Stewart immediately visited the prison and, testifying before the Justice Select Committee, announced his determination to clean up prisons in England and Wales.[104]

This advocacy of a "back to basics" approach was recorded in The Guardian, with Stewart writing an opinion piece in the publication, entitled "I strongly believe we can improve our prisons and make progress".[105]

In April 2018, Stewart took the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Private Member's Bill through the House of Commons, on behalf of the government, which doubled the maximum sentences for those who attack emergency services personnel and introduced sexual assault as an aggravating factor in sentencing.[106]

In August 2018, during an interview with BBC Breakfast, Stewart announced the launch of the Ten Prisons Project. He argued that, despite five years of continuous rise in violence in prisons, it was possible to turn it around. Stewart argued that it could be done through improving perimeter gate security (to catch drugs) and by improving training and support of staff. The key, he said, was to get the basics right. He undertook to create a new prison officer handbook and a new course at the training college for prison officers. Stewart pledged, in the same interview, that he would resign if this project was not successful.[107]

The twelve months statistics showed a continuing positive trend when, in August 2019, the results from the Ten Prisons Project were published. These showed a 16% drop in the rate of assaults, and a 17% drop in the number of assaults, almost 10% greater than the national trend. At the same time, the percentage of positive results from random mandatory drug tests dropped by 50%.[108]

In May 2019, Stewart was promoted to the cabinet after the dismissal of Gavin Williamson, replacing the new defence secretary Penny Mordaunt in the Department for International Development. The position included membership of the political cabinet and the National Security Council and saw Stewart serve as a governor of the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank and the Inter-African Development Bank. He was also an alternative governor to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.[109]

On 1 July, in his first overseas trip as international development secretary, Stewart visited UK aid funded programmes in Jordan and held meetings with Prime Minister Omar Razzaz.[110]

On 24 July 2019, Stewart resigned as international development secretary following Boris Johnson's victory in the Conservative Party leadership election triggered by the resignation of Theresa May.[111]

Stewart was a candidate in the 2019 Conservative leadership election, announcing his intention to stand in an interview in The Times.[112][113] His candidacy was not initially taken seriously, with a piece in the New Statesman's diary stating that he had a single supporter: himself.[114] As The Guardian noted: "his campaign benefited at the start from low expectations, and for days leading up to the first vote his tally of supporters was in single figures. When he met the threshold he looked like the insurgent because so many had assumed he would be knocked out".[115]

Adopting an unconventional campaigning style, Stewart did not focus his attention on Westminster but, instead, went on a series of filmed walkabouts (dubbed 'RoryWalks'), which saw him take to the streets of Britain, talking to voters, to understand their priorities and concerns. These were then uploaded onto social media, with significant success.[116] On 1 June, Kenneth Clarke was announced as one of Stewart's MP backers, with other supporters including David Lidington, David Gauke, Nicholas Soames, Tobias Ellwood, Gillian Keegan and Victoria Prentis.[117]

Stewart's use of social media later became the subject of controversy when, at a talk at the Emmanuel Centre in October 2019, in the course of discussing his use of social media during this contest, he referred to an encounter in Brick Lane with three "sort of minor gangsters". This drew accusations of racism from many politicians, including Dawn Butler, David Lammy and Diane Abbott.[118] Stewart apologised the next day, tweeting "I am very sorry towards the guys and towards everyone else. I was wrong".[119]

Against expectations, on 13 June 2019, Stewart made it through the first parliamentary ballot, gaining 19 votes, two more than the elimination threshold.[120] On 16 June, he appeared, as one of the six remaining candidates, in a televised debate on Channel 4.[121] He was widely judged to have won the debate, with Michael Deacon writing in The Daily Telegraph that "If you were to judge it by the response of the studio audience, Channel 4's debate had only one winner. Rory Stewart got more rounds of applause than any other candidate – and, at the end, when each took turns to sum up, he was the only candidate to get a round of applause at all".[122]

On 18 June 2019, he also made it through the second parliamentary ballot, with 37 votes from a threshold of 33, surpassing Home Secretary Sajid Javid by four votes; however, following a lacklustre performance in that evening's BBC debate, he polled just 27 votes in the next day's ballot and was eliminated as the last-placed candidate.[123][124] It was revealed on the same day that Stewart was in talks with Michael Gove to stop Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister.[125]

On 3 September 2019, Stewart and 20 other Conservative MPs voted in favour of MPs taking control of the order paper, as the first step to table a Bill to stop a no-deal Brexit, in the process rebelling against the Government Whip.[126] It had been widely reported in the media that any such action would lead to a withdrawal of the Conservative Whip, and all 21 were told that they had lost it,[127] expelling them as Conservative MPs and requiring them to sit as independents.[128][129] If they should decide to run for re-election in a future election, the party would block their selection as Conservative candidates.[130] Stewart stated that he was informed of this decision by text message, while collecting his GQ Politician of the Year Award.[131]

At an event on 3 October 2019, Stewart announced he had resigned from the Conservative Party and would stand down as an MP at the next general election. He read out a letter in which a housemaster at Eton College described Boris Johnson as being guilty of "a gross failure of responsibility". The next day, Stewart confirmed his resignation on Twitter, saying: "It's been a great privilege to serve Penrith and The Border for the last ten years, so it is with sadness that I am announcing that I will be standing down."[132]

In October 2019, Stewart announced that he was to stand as an independent in the upcoming London mayoral election (initially scheduled to be held in 2020 and later postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic)[133] against incumbent Labour mayor Sadiq Khan and Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey.[134] On the day he announced his run, Stewart's odds to win were placed at 2/1.[135]

On 6 May 2020, Stewart ended his mayoralty bid. He claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic had made it "impossible" to campaign and that he could not ask his unpaid volunteers to continue in their roles for another year.[136]

His first book, The Places in Between, was an account of his 36-day solo walk across Afghanistan in early 2002.[137][138] It was a New York Times best-seller, with the newspaper also naming it one of its 10 notable books of 2006 and hailing it as a "flat-out masterpiece".[6] It won the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize,[139] a Scottish Arts Council prize,[140] the Spirit of Scotland award,[141] and the Premio de Literatura de Viaje Caminos del Cid.[141] It was short-listed for a Scottish Arts Council prize,[142] the Guardian First Book Award[137] and the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize.[137] The book was adapted into a radio play by Benjamin Yeoh and was broadcast in 2007 on BBC Radio 4.[143]

Stewart's second book, The Prince of the Marshes: and other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq, also published as Occupational Hazards: My Time Governing in Iraq, describes his experiences as a Deputy Governorate Co-ordinator in Iraq.[6] The New York Times critic William Grimes commented that Stewart "seems to be living one of the more extraordinary lives on record", but for him the "real value of the new book is Mr. Stewart's sobering picture of the difficulties involved in creating a coherent Iraqi state based on the rule of law".[144] Stewart's books have been translated into multiple languages.

In 2017, Stewart's memoir Occupational Hazards was the subject of a play at the Hampstead Theatre, written by Stephen Brown.[145]

Stewart's reflections on the circumstances under which outside military and political intervention in countries' internal affairs may or may not hope to achieve positive results were distilled in a 2011 book, Can Intervention Work?, co-authored with Gerald Knaus and part of the Amnesty International Global Ethics Series. He has also written about theory and practice of travel writings in prefaces to Wilfred Thesiger's Arabian Sands,[146] Charles Doughty's Arabia Deserta[147] and Robert Byron's The Road to Oxiana.[148]

In 2016, he published The Marches: Border Walks With My Father a travelogue about a 1,000-mile walk in the borderlands separating England and Scotland, known as the Scottish Marches, and an extended essay on his father, Brian Stewart.[149] The Marches was long listed for the Orwell Prize, won the Hunter Davies Lakeland Book of the Year,[150] was a Waterstones Book of the Month,[151] and became a Sunday Times top ten bestseller.[152]

Stewart was a columnist for the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald, contributing a monthly column,[153] and has been a columnist for The New York Times,[154] in addition to a contributor to the New York Review of Books,[155] and the London Review of Books.[156]