Michael Bates, Baron Bates

For other people named Michael Bates, see Michael Bates (disambiguation).

The Right Honourable The Lord Bates

Michael Walton Bates, Baron Bates (born 26 May 1961, Gateshead) is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom serving in the House of Lords since 2008 having previously represented the constituency of Langbaurgh in the House of Commons from 1992 to 1997.

Early political life

Joined the Conservative Party in Gateshead in 1979 later becoming Chairman of Gateshead Conservative Association (1984–1988). Founder member of Gateshead Young Conservatives Young Conservatives, Chairman of Northern Area Young Conservatives and member of the National Advisory Committee of the Young Conservatives(1984–1989).

Contested Saltwell Ward of Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council for the Conservative Party in 1983 local elections; Deckham Ward in 1984 and Dunston Ward in 1986,1987, 1988 and 1989.Contested the Tyne Bridge parliamentary constituency for the Conservative Party in the 1987 General Election United Kingdom General Election, 1987

House of Commons

At the 1992 general election, he was elected MP for Langbaurgh – defeating Labour's Ashok Kumar who had gained the seat in a by-election in 1991. His constituency was abolished for the 1997 general election, when he stood in the similar seat of Middlesbrough South and Cleveland East, but lost to Ashok Kumar.

Bates was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt. Hon. Nicholas Scott MP, Minister of State, Department of Social Security in October, 1992. In November 1993 he voted against a government proposal to increase MP's salaries at a time when other public sector employees were receiving no increase and as a result was forced to resign his junior post in the government as a ministerial aid ^[1]

In May 1994 he returned to the government as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt Hon Sir John Wheeler MP, Minister of State in the Northern Ireland Office and two months later was appointed to his first full ministerial role as an Assistant Government Whip whip from 1994 to 1995, and Government Whip and Lord Commissioner to Her Majesty's Treasury from 1995–1996, appointed Paymaster General in the Cabinet Office from 1996 to 1997 and a Sponsor Minister for the north east of England.

Education

Attended Heathfield Senior High School and Gateshead College. In 1987 he was part of a team who bid successfully for a City Technology College to be located in Gateshead and in 1990 Emmanuel College was formerly opened. Bates later served as director of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation from 2008–2010 and a director of Bede Academy, Blyth; Trinity Academy, Doncaster and King's Academy, Middlesbrough.

After losing the election in 1997 Bates attended the Said Business Business School, University of Oxford graduating from Wadham College, Oxford in 1998 with a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA). Bates served as a member of the Business Advisory Forum of the Said Business School from 1999 until 2011.

Between 1998 and 2005 he served as Director of Consultancy & Research at Oxford Analytica.^[2]

Between 2006 and 2008 Bates commenced a doctoral research degree (researching ethics and foreign policy) at the School of Government and International Affairs, University of Durham and served as a non-resident tutor at St John's College, University of Durham.

Campaign North:In 2006 Bates was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party with specific responsibility for the North of England (North East, North West, Yorkshire & Humber regions). Bates served as a deputy to Rt Hon William Hague MP, Chairman of the Northern Board of the Conservative Party and Head of Campaign North.

House of Lords

He was awarded a life peerage on 30 June 2008; his title was gazetted as Baron Bates, of Langbaurgh in the County of North Yorkshire.^[3]

In December 2008 Bates was appointed to the Opposition Front bench as Shadow Minister for Cabinet Office, Energy & Climate Change and became a member of the Opposition Whips' Office. In March 2009 he became Shadow Minister for Communities & Local Government and in January, 2010 he became Shadow Minister for Children, Schools & Families.^[4]

Charity work

In 2009 Bates was appointed Patron of Tomorrow's People (North East) a charity specialising in getting 'hard to reach' young people into work or training. Bates undertook two sponsored walks called 'Walk for Tomorrow' for them in 2009 and 2010, raising over £25,0000. In 2011 he was nominated for a Dods Charity Champion Award by Tomorrow's People and shortlisted.^[5]

Olympic Truce

Bates has been campaigning for the Olympic Truce for the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games to be taken seriously by the signatories to the Olympic Truce Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly.^[6] In April 2011 he set out on a 'Walk for Truce' from Olympia in Greece to Westminster, London to raise awareness of the truce and to secure support for its observance at the London 2012 Games.

Personal life

Married to Carole née Whitfield (1983) Divorced (2008); two sons Matthew (born 1987) and Alex (born 1990). Lives in Durham.

References

1. ^ Tory MP wins praise for stand on pay raise
2. ^ The politician who practiced what he preached
3. ^ London Gazette, Number 58756 of 4 July 2008, viewed 6 July 2008
4. ^ "Profile at theyworkforyou.com". http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_bates. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
5. ^ Charity Champion Awards
6. ^ House of Lords debates, 31 March 2011, 11:06 am

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Ashok Kumar	Member of Parliament for Langbaurgh 1992 – 1997	Constituency abolished
Political offices
Preceded by David Willetts	Paymaster-General 1996 – 1997	Succeeded by Geoffrey Robinson

Persondata
Name	Bates, Michael Walton
Alternative names
Short description	Conservative MP for Langbaurgh 1992–1997
Date of birth	26 May 1961
Place of birth	Gateshead
Date of death
Place of death