- Laurence Robertson
Infobox MP
honorific-prefix =
name = Laurence Robertson
honorific-suffix = MP
caption =
constituency_MP = Tewkesbury
parliament =
term_start =1 May 1997
term_end =
majority = 9,892 (21.8%)
predecessor = "new constituency"
successor =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1958|03|29|df=yes
birth_place =Bolton ,Lancashire
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = British
spouse = Susan Lees
party = Conservative
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater =University of Bolton
occupation =
profession =
religion =
website =
footnotes =Laurence Anthony Robertson (born
29 March 1958 ,Bolton ,Lancashire ) is a British politician. He has been ConservativeMember of Parliament for Tewkesbury,Gloucestershire since 1997. In May 2005, he was appointedShadow Minister forNorthern Ireland , a controversial choice given his opposition to theGood Friday Agreement .Early life
His father was a miner, then a
milkman . His mother was an office worker in Manchester. He was educated at St James's C.E. Secondary School (then asecondary modern school ) on "Lucas Road"; [http://www.fgs.utvinternet.co.uk Farnworth Grammar School] on "Manchester Road" inFarnworth and Bolton Institute of Higher Education (now theUniversity of Bolton ), gaining a diploma in Management Services. He working life has including him work as a charityfund-raising (where he claims to have raised over £1 million), public relations consultant, company director, factory owner from 1987-8, industrial management consultant from 1983-9, and work study engineer from 1977-83.Personal life
He married Susan Lees in May 1989 in Bolton. They have two step daughters, including Jemma. He has been actively involved in sports, especially golf, horses and
marathon s, of which he has completed 6, including the 1994New York Marathon .Between 1988-1991, he has been Chairman of Governors of a primary school, a Visitor forVictim Support Scheme, and the Area Chairman for theCampaign for Law and Order .Political Life
He was a candidate in
Makerfield in the 1987 General Election andAshfield in 1992.Following his 1997 Election to the House of Commons, he courted controversy in 2001 by offering support for
John Townend over his controversial remarks about race; he later apologised for any offence caused by offering this support. In 2005, he advanced aPrivate Member's Bill to outlaw abortion altogether, making it an imprisonable offence except where the mother's life was at risk or where conception was due to rape.In September 2001, he was appointed an Opposition Whip. In June 2003, was made
Shadow Minister forTrade & Industry . In November 2003, he was appointed aShadow Minister for Economic Affairs. Since May 2005, he has served as theShadow Minister forNorthern Ireland .Politically, he is interested in the following areas: Law and Order, Education, European Policy, the Constitution,
Small Business es, the Economy and Rural Issues. He is also a member of theright-wing pressure groupThe Freedom Association .External links
* [http://www.laurencerobertsonmp.com His website]
* [http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=people.person.page&personID=4583 Laurence Robertson MP] biography at the site of the Conservative Party
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-4463,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Laurence Robertson MP]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/laurence_robertson/tewkesbury TheyWorkForYou.com - Laurence Robertson MP]
* [http://www.tewkesburyconservatives.com Tewkesbury Conservatives]
* [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpc=Tewkesbury The Public Whip - Laurence Robertson MP] voting record
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/575.stm BBC News - Laurence Robertson] profile 10 February, 2005News items
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4379191.stm Ordered out of the Commons in March 2005]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3958877.stm Naming an irish bomber in October 2004]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1306373.stm BBC News - Laurence Robertson: MP in the spotlight] 1 May, 2001
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