Chris Clarkson (politician)

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Chris Clarkson
MP
Official portrait, 2020
Member of Parliament
for Heywood and Middleton
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byLiz McInnes
Majority663 (1.4%)
Personal details
Born
Christopher Mark Clarkson[1]

(1982-11-12) 12 November 1982 (age 41)
Wegberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany[2]
Political partyConservative
Alma materUniversity of Dundee

Christopher Mark Clarkson (born 12 November 1982) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Heywood & Middleton since the 2019 general election. Prior to entering Parliament, Clarkson was a Salford City Councillor for Worsley.

Early life and career[edit]

Clarkson was born to Terence Clarkson and Alison Clarkson (née Parker) in Wegberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany.[2] He grew up in Blackburn, Lancashire where he attended St Wilfrid's Church of England High School, before studying law at Dundee University. He has worked for IRIS Legal as a corporate development manager, and was a consultant at Virgin from 2010 to 2019.[2]

Political career[edit]

Clarkson is a member of the Countryside Alliance and a supporter of Brexit.[3] He identifies as a One Nation Conservative, as well as a member of the Tory Reform Group. Prior to being elected to Parliament, he was a Salford City councillor between 2011 and 2019.[4] Whilst on the council, he was chair of the Audit and Accounts Committee from 2016 to 2018.[2]

He was elected as the MP for Heywood and Middleton in the 2019 general election with a majority of 663 (1.4%). Clarkson had previously unsuccessfully contested the seat in the 2017 general election and the Wallasey seat in the 2015 general election.[5][6][7]

On 22 October 2020, Clarkson criticised Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham in a parliamentary debate over his disagreements with the government concerning financial support for stricter COVID-19 restrictions, accusing Burnham of "opportunism". In response, Clarkson was called "scum" by Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner.[8] She later apologised, stating: "I apologise for the language that I used in a heated debate in Parliament earlier."[9]

On 10 November 2020, Clarkson was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministry of Justice.[10]

In November 2022, following the outcome of a coroner's court hearing into the 2020 death of Awaab Ishak (a two-year-old child who died from black mould in his house, which occurred in the constituency of Rochdale, not Clarkson’s constituency of Heywood & Middleton), he called the company who provided the housing (Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, or RBH) "modern day slum lords".[11] He said that he has photographs from his constituents living in RBH properties showing that the poor living conditions seen in Ishak's home were "not an isolated incident".[11]

Clarkson announced in June 2023 that he would not seek re-election as an MP at the next general election making reference to the Heywood and Middleton constituency being abolished.[12]

Personal life[edit]

Clarkson is a member of the Carlton Club in London, and St James' Club in Manchester.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "No. 62862". The London Gazette. 20 December 2019. p. 23182.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Clarkson, Christopher Mark, (born 12 Nov. 1982), MP (C) Heywood and Middleton, since 2019". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2020. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u293948. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Class of 2019: Meet the new MPs". PoliticsHome.com. 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Councillor Christopher Clarkson". Salford City Council. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Wallasey". UK Parliament.
  6. ^ "Heywood and Middleton". UK Parliament.
  7. ^ "Heywood and Middleton". UK Parliament.
  8. ^ "Chris Clarkson called 'scum' by Deputy Labour leader when speaking in House of Commons". Rochdale Online. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Angela Rayner apologises for 'scum' remark in Commons". BBC News. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  10. ^ Maguire, Patrick [@patrickkmaguire] (10 November 2020). "Flurry of new government PPS moves tonight" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ a b "Rochdale Boroughwide Housing 'are modern day slum lords', says Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson". Manchester Evening News. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Conservative MP Chris Clarkson to stand down at general election". BBC News. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.

External links[edit]

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Heywood and Middleton
2019–present 		Incumbent
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