Simon Clarke (politician)

Simon Richard Clarke[1] (born 28 September 1984) is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.[2] He was first elected in the 2017 general election[3][4] and held his seat with a greatly increased majority in 2019. Since February 2020, he has been Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government after serving as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.

Simon Clarke

MP
Clarke in 2020
Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government
Assumed office
13 February 2020
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byJake Berry
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
In office
27 July 2019 – 13 February 2020
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byRobert Jenrick
Succeeded byKemi Badenoch
Member of Parliament
for Middlesbrough South
and East Cleveland
Assumed office
8 June 2017
Preceded byTom Blenkinsop
Majority11,626 (24.3%)
Personal details
Born (1984-09-28) 28 September 1984
Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England
Political partyConservative
Alma materUniversity College, Oxford

Early life

Clarke was born in North Tees Hospital and grew up in the village of Marton. His parents Richard and Jill Clarke were a solicitor and stay-at-home mother.[5][3] He was privately educated at Yarm School in North Yorkshire,[6] before going on to study History at University College, Oxford. After leaving university he moved to London and trained as a solicitor with Slaughter and May before going to work in 2010 for the Surrey-based Conservative MP Dominic Raab, and then the Yorkshire-based Conservative MP Graham Stuart.[7]

Political career

Clarke unsuccessfully stood as the Conservative candidate in the Middlesbrough constituency in the 2015 general election, coming third and suffering a swing against his party of 2.3%. Whilst being employed as a Policy Advisor to the Conservative MP Graham Stuart, he was selected as the candidate for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland in April 2017.[8] He was elected at the 2017 general election, winning the seat from Labour after the sitting MP Tom Blenkinsop stood down.

Clarke has served on the Treasury Committee, the Treasury Sub-Committee and the Regulatory Reform Committee.[9] He has clashed with both the Labour MP for Redcar and the Labour run Middlesbrough Council over plans for transport improvements in the local area,[10][11] while he has argued against his own party's opposition to onshore windfarms.[12]

On 27 July 2019 he was appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury in Boris Johnson's administration.[13] On 13 February 2020 he had his portfolio changed to a Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Brexit

Clarke is a strong supporter of Brexit, having voted for the UK to leave the European Union, and is a supporter of the Eurosceptic campaign Leave Means Leave.[14] He called the new Brexit deal secured by Boris Johnson "marvellous news", noting that the "anti-democratic backstop" had been abolished.[15] He was critical of the negotiating approach taken by Theresa May[16] and had submitted a call for a vote of no confidence in her leadership.[17]

Personal life

Clarke lives in the market town of Guisborough and London. He is married to Hannah and they have a young son.[18][19] His height, 6 ft 7, makes him Britain's second-tallest MP and earned him the nickname 'Stilts' at school.[20]

References
  1. "No. 61961". The London Gazette. 19 June 2017. pp. 11783–4.
  2. "Simon Clarke MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  3. Ian Johnson (9 June 2017). "Who is Simon Clarke? Teesside Tory MP who loves George Boateng and was nicknamed 'Stilts' at school". Gazette Live. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  4. "Labour seat goes blue as Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland elects Conservative Simon Clarke". The Northern Echo. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  5. "About Simon Clarke". Simon Clarke. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  6. "Clarke, Simon Richard". Who's Who. 2018 (February 2018 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 February 2018. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  7. LinkedIn
  8. "Ford is selected in Chelmsford. Bennett withdraws from Saffron Walden. Latest candidate selection news". Conservative Home. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  9. "Simon Clarke MP". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  10. Felicity Collinson (13 February 2018). "War of words over Teesside new trains snub: 'We're getting hand-me-downs' says one MP". Gazette Live. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  11. Mike Brown (23 July 2017). "Tory MP Simon Clarke has put the debate back on the agenda, but Middlesbrough Council says it's always working on solutions". Gazette Live. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  12. "Simon Clarke: The case for lifting the national bar on onshore wind". Conservative Home. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  13. Mattha Busby (27 July 2019). "Nadine Dorries joins Department of Health and Social Care". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  14. "Co-Chairmen - Political Advisory Board - Supporters". Leave Means Leave. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  15. "North-East MPs react to Boris Johnson's Brexit deal". The Northern Echo. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  16. "North-East MPs react to Theresa May departure - with one backing Boris Johnson to be PM". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  17. "Tory MP delivers damning verdict on Theresa May's Brexit withdrawal". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  18. "About Simon". Personal website. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  19. "IPSA record". IPSA. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  20. https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/who-simon-clarke-teesside-tory-13160040
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Tom Blenkinsop		 Member of Parliament
for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
2017–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Robert Jenrick		 Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
2019–2020		 Succeeded by
Kemi Badenoch
Preceded by
Jake Berry		 Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government
2020–present		 Incumbent
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