Richard Harrington (politician)

For other people of the same name, see Richard Harrington.
Richard Harrington
MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Syrian Refugees
Assumed office
14 September 2015
Preceded by new position
Member of Parliament
for Watford
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Majority 9,794 (17.4%)
Personal details
Born (1957-11-04) 4 November 1957
Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Alma mater Keble College, Oxford
Website www.richardharrington.org.uk

Richard Irwin Harrington[1] (4 November 1957)[2] is a British Conservative Party politician, businessman, and former property developer and hotelier.[3] Since the 2010 general election he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford.

Early life

Harrington was born on 4 November 1957 in Leeds to a British Jewish family,[4] and educated at Leeds Grammar School and Keble College, Oxford University, where he studied Jurisprudence. While at Oxford, he sat on the Executive Board of the Federation of Conservative Students and was a member of the National Union Executive of the Party.[5] He began his career in business with a graduate scheme at the John Lewis Partnership, where he eventually became the assistant to the managing director of Waitrose after a long stint at Trewins in Watford.[5]

Career

In 1983 he founded Harvington Properties, a property development company, with 2 friends from University. In 1990, Harrington became a shareholder and managing director of a company active in the development, sales and management of holiday resorts in both the UK and Europe. The company was sold to a listed American company at the end of the decade. Harrington stayed on as chairman until 2000. When he left, the company employed more than 2,000 people.[5]

Other business activities included the restoration of one of Glasgow’s most famous hotels, One Devonshire Gardens.[3][6]

Harrington has been a trustee of the Variety Club Children’s Society.[7] He is a governor of University College School in Hampstead,[5] and is a trustee of several children’s charities.[5]

Politics

Harrington is a long-time member of the Conservative Party, in which he has played an active part since 1983, and supporter of Kenneth Clarke.[8] Until March 2010 he was chairman of the Executive Board of the Conservative Friends of Israel, which, during his tenure, had quadrupled in size financially.[5] He was appointed a treasurer of the Conservative Party in 2008, the role in which he launched the Number 10 Club with Sir John Major.[9]

Harrington won the Watford constituency from Claire Ward at the 2010 general election. He was the first of the 2010 intake to make his maiden speech.[10][11]

Since his election, Harrington has also been elected as General Secretary of the All Party Kashmir Group, Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Film Group, and a member of the International Development Select Committee.

He has run a number of successful community projects in Watford including three Jobs Fairs and a Community Exchange. His main areas of interest are cutting local unemployment, supporting business in the constituency and progressing the significant infrastructure projects in Watford including the Croxley Rail Link and the Watford Health Campus.

In September 2012, Harrington was appointed as a Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party.

In the 2012/2013 Parliamentary Session, Harrington successfully brought in a Private Members Bill to criminalise the unlawful subletting of social housing property.

In May 2015, Harrington was re-elected as Watford's Member of Parliament, with a 9,794 majority, increasing the Conservative share of the vote by 8.5%.

In June 2015, Harrington was appointed as the Prime Minister's apprenticeships' adviser. He is now working to further increase the number of apprenticeships across the UK. When appointed he said "apprenticeships are key to building people's skills and supporting local economies, this new role will really complement my work in Watford."

On 14 September 2015 Harrington was appointed Minister with responsibility for Syrian refugees, reporting primarily to the Home Secretary, Theresa May. [12]

Alternative medicine

In June 2010 he supported and signed an early day motion in support of the continuation of National Health Service funding for homeopathy, the motion was sponsored by Conservative MP David Tredinnick.[13]

References

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 61230. p. 9122. 18 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "HARRINGTON, Richard : Who's Who". Ukwhoswho.com. 1957-11-04. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
  3. 1 2 Sheila Hamilton, "He's welcomed biggest stars on earth to Glasgow – now Stephen faces new challenge", Evening Times, Glasgow, 22 April 2006.
  4. ↑ Jessica Elgot. "New Jewish ministers and the Miliband rivalry". The Jewish Chronicle.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Richard Harrington – Parliamentary Candidate for Watford". Conservative Party (UK). Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  6. ↑ "Share pair save hotel", Daily Mirror, London, 27 July 2002.
  7. ↑ Independent Auditors' Report to the Members, The Variety Club Children's Charity.
  8. ↑ Rebecca Paveley, "The Lost Voters Who Prefer Clarke", Daily Mail, London, 10 August 2001.
  9. ↑ "Donor Clubs". Conservatives.com. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
  10. ↑ "Parliamentary debates". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 25 May 2010. col. 80–82.
  11. ↑ "Richard Harrington, Mark Spencer and David Morris are the first of the 2010 Conservative intake to make their maiden speeches". Conservative Home. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  12. ↑ "Home Office Minister with responsibility for Syrian refugees appointed". www.gov.uk.
  13. ↑ Tredinnick, David (2010-06-29). "Early Day Motion #284 British Medical Association Motions on Homeopathy". Edmi.parliament.uk.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Claire Ward		 Member of Parliament for Watford
2010 – present 		Incumbent
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