Matthew Offord

Matthew Offord
Matthew Offord FRGS MP
Member of Parliament
for Hendon
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded by Andrew Dismore
Majority 106 (0.2%)
Personal details
Born 3 September 1969 (1969-09-03) (age 42)
Alton, Hampshire
Political party Conservative Party (UK)
Spouse(s) Claire Michelle Rowles[1]
Residence Hendon
Alma mater Nottingham Trent University
Occupation Political Analyst at the BBC [2]
Website http://www.matthewofford.co.uk

Dr Matthew James Offord[3] FRGS (born 3 September 1969[4]) is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Hendon in North London. He is also a member of the AWEPA Governing Council.[5]

Contents

Politics

Offord stood unsuccessfully for election at the 2001 general election for the safe Labour seat of Barnsley East and Mexborough where he failed to defeat the sitting MP, Jeff Ennis. He was elected to the Hendon Ward of Barnet council in 2002[6] and later became chairman of the Hendon Conservative Association and deputy leader of Barnet London Borough Council, while working for the BBC as a political analyst. He became MP for Hendon at the 2010 general election, winning the seat for the Conservatives from Labour's Andrew Dismore with a 4.1% swing to give a majority of 106.[2]

Early life and education

Offord was state-educated at Amery Hill School, Alton, Hampshire,[7] and went to Nottingham Trent University where he first became involved in the Conservative Party. He went on to study at both Lancaster University where he received his masters degree, and King's College, London where he was awarded a PhD in 2010.

Other information

Offord is a keen sailor on the Welsh Harp Reservoir and competed in the 2009 Fastnet Race. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and undertook a 2,000 km exploration of the Libyan Desert in 2005.

References