Graham Stuart (politician)

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Graham Stuart (politician) bigraphy, stories - Politician

Graham Stuart (politician) : biography

12 March 1962 –

Graham Charles Stuart (born 12 March 1962) is a British Conservative Party politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness in 2005, gaining reelection in 2010.

Parliamentary career

Stuart was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Beverley and Holderness in the 2005 general election with a majority of 2,580. Following his election, he said "I plan to be upfront and have a high profile, not only within the constituency but nationally". He sat as a member of two select committees; the Environmental Audit Select Committee and the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee. He was elected a member of the Conservative Party Board by his fellow MPs in 2006. He has been described as being pugnacious and has raised local and national issues in Parliament, including "thousands of issues on behalf of his constituents". Stuart was reelected in the 2010 general election, increasing his majority to 12,987 votes. He was elected as chair of the Education Select Committee in June 2010.

In 2005, he founded Beverley and Holderness Pensioners Action Group, Community Hospitals Acting Nationally Together (CHANT), a cross-party campaign group and Hull and Holderness Opposing the Incinerator (HOTI Group). He is vice-chairman of the GLOBE UK branch of Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment. Following the Parliamentary expenses scandal, Stuart defended his expenses in June 2009, which included spending £426 on bed linen and towels.

His successful campaigns in the last Parliament also include defeating legislation on home education and saving the Beverley Pasture Masters. Since 2010 he has won the battle for lower Humber Bridge tolls, successfully persuaded the government to improve the A164 and build the Beverley Bypass. In 2012 he defeated a proposed increase in VAT on static caravans, which are largely manufactured in the East Riding of Yorkshire.http://www.grahamstuart.com/2012/04/27/graham-stuart-leads-debate-opposing-caravan-tax/#more-2130

Early career

Stuart started his publishing business during his first year at university and remains non-executive chairman. He was elected as a member of Cambridge City Council for the Cherry Hinton Ward in the 1998 local elections. He contested the Cambridge constituency as the Conservative Party candidate at the 2001 general election, coming in third place with 9,829 votes, 23% of the share. He was reelected to Cambridge City Council in the 2002 local elections and served until 2004.

Personal life

He is married to Anne Crawshaw and they have two daughters, Katie and Sophie. Stuart has a range of interests including, motor cycling, football, economics, climate change and cycling.

Education

Graham Stuart was born in Carlisle, Cumbria, and studied at Glenalmond College, an independent school in Perthshire, followed by Selwyn College at the University of Cambridge from 1982 to 1985, where he read Philosophy and Law but failed his degree.

He was Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association during Easter 1985.