Greg Clark

Gregory Clark was born in Middlesbrough on 28 August 1967 and attended St Peter's Roman Catholic School in South Bank. His father and grandfather were milkmen running the family business, John Clark and Sons,{{cite web |url=http://www.platform10.org/2012/04/greg-clark-mp-from-middlesbrough-to-minister-for-giving-power-to-the-people |title=Greg Clark MP – From Middlesbrough to Minister for Giving Power to the People |publisher=Platform 10 |date=20 April 2012 |access-date=15 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726134831/http://www.platform10.org/2012/04/greg-clark-mp-from-middlesbrough-to-minister-for-giving-power-to-the-people/ |archive-date=26 July 2014 }} while his mother worked at Sainsbury's.{{cite web|url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/interviews/2010/04/paul-goodman-interviews-greg-clark.html |title=Paul Goodman interviews Greg Clark |publisher=Conservative Home |date=1 April 2010 |access-date=15 July 2014}}

Clark read Economics at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) while at Cambridge and was an executive member of its national student wing, Social Democrat Youth and Students (SDYS) and, in 1987, president of Cambridge University Social Democrats. He then studied at the London School of Economics, where he was awarded his PhD in 1992 with a thesis entitled, The effectiveness of incentive payment systems: an empirical test of individualism as a boundary condition.{{cite thesis|last=Clark|first=David Gregory|date=1 January 1992|title=The effectiveness of incentive payment systems: an empirical test of individualism as a boundary condition.|url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/1340/|access-date=24 May 2021|website=LSE Theses Online|publisher=PhD thesis 1992 LSE}}

After leaving university, Clark first worked as a business consultant for Boston Consulting Group, before becoming special advisor to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Ian Lang, between 1996 and 1997. Subsequently, he was appointed the BBC's Controller, Commercial Policy, and was Director of Policy for the Conservative Party from 2001 until his election to parliament in May 2005.

Between 2002 and 2005, he was a councillor on Westminster City Council, representing Warwick ward and serving as Cabinet Member for Leisure and Lifelong Learning.

Clark was selected as the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Tunbridge Wells in December 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/tunbridge-wells/news/tories-pick-general-election-can-a15934/|title=Tories pick general election candidate|publisher=kentonline.co.uk|date=3 December 2004|access-date=26 December 2016}} At the 2005 general election, Clark was elected as MP for Tunbridge Wells with 49.6% of the vote and a majority of 9,988.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2005 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054249/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt |archive-date=15 October 2011 |access-date=18 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}

He made his maiden speech on 9 June 2005, in which he spoke of the (then) forthcoming 400th anniversary of Dudley, Lord North's discovery of the Chalybeate spring and the foundation of Royal Tunbridge Wells, a town to which the royal prefix was added in 1909 by King Edward VII.{{cite web |title=9 Jun 2005 : Column 1440 |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050609/debtext/50609-21.htm#50609-21_spnew2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311144430/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm050609/debtext/50609-21.htm |archive-date=11 March 2007 |access-date=5 February 2016}}

Clark was appointed to the front bench in a minor reshuffle in November 2006 by David Cameron, becoming Shadow Minister for Charities, Voluntary Bodies and Social Enterprise. Shortly after his appointment he made headlines by saying the Conservative party needed to pay less attention to the social thinking of Winston Churchill, and more to that of columnist on The Guardian, Polly Toynbee.{{cite news |date=10 May 2010 |title=A Conservative Who's Who |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/19dff8ce-2089-11df-bf2d-00144feab49a.html |access-date=15 July 2014 |newspaper=Financial Times}}

In October 2007, Clark campaigned to save Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital.{{cite web|title=Postcode lottery for homeopathic treatment|url=http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/postcode_lottery_for_homeopathic_treatment_1_1033474|work=Kent News|access-date=16 July 2014|date=12 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806103257/http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/postcode_lottery_for_homeopathic_treatment_1_1033474|archive-date=6 August 2016|url-status=dead}} In October 2008, Clark was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet, shadowing the new government position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

At the 2010 general election, Clark was re-elected as MP for Tunbridge Wells with an increased vote share of 56.2% and an increased majority of 15,576.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2010 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt |archive-date=26 July 2013 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}

After the election, Clark was appointed a Minister of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government, with responsibility for overseeing decentralisation. In this role he called for the churches and other faith communities to send him their ideas for new social innovations for all,{{cite news|first=Greg |last=Clark

|url=http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2010/07/30/it%e2%80%99s-time-for-government-to-stop-getting-in-your-way/ |title=It's time for Government to stop getting in your way |newspaper=Catholic Herald |date=30 July 2010 |access-date=15 July 2014}} and made a major speech on "turning government upside down" jointly to the think tanks CentreForum and Policy Exchange. He was accused of hypocrisy, having staunchly opposed house-building while in opposition, while promising to impose it as a government minister.{{cite news|author=Countryside |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/8720274/Rural-Britain-prepares-for-the-bulldozers.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826041807/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/8720274/Rural-Britain-prepares-for-the-bulldozers.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 August 2011 |title=Rural Britain prepares for the bulldozers |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=24 August 2011 |access-date=15 July 2014}}

In July 2011 he was appointed Minister for Cities.{{cite news|first=Kate |last=McCann|url=https://www.theguardian.com/local-government-network/2011/jul/20/greg-clark-appointed-minister-for-cities |title=Greg Clark appointed minister for cities|newspaper=The Guardian|date=20 July 2011|access-date=15 July 2014}} In this role he tried to promote the urban economies of the North, West and Midlands.{{cite news|last=Clark |first=Greg |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2011/dec/09/cities-deal-greg-clark-nick-clegg-mayors |title=A genuine New Deal is on offer for cities which take up our challenge |newspaper=The Guardian |date=9 December 2011 |access-date=15 July 2014}}

In a cabinet reshuffle in September 2012, Clark was appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, while retaining the ministerial brief responsible for cities policy.{{cite web|url=http://www.gregclark.org/about-greg/|title=Greg Clark – About Greg|work=gregclark.org}}

On 15 July 2014 Clark was appointed to the role of Minister for Universities, Science and Cities, replacing David Willetts. The new portfolio combined the universities and science brief held by Willetts with the cities policy already handled by Clark.{{cite news|last1=Watt|first1=Nicholas|last2=Wintour|first2=Patrick|title=Michael Gove demoted to chief whip as Cameron shows no sentimentality|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/15/michael-gove-chief-whip-david-cameron-reshuffle-cabinet|access-date=15 July 2014|work=The Guardian|date=15 July 2014}}

His appointment was met with concerns about securing future funding for universities{{cite news|last1=Shaw|first1=Claire|last2=Ratcliffe|first2=Rebecca|title=Greg Clark appointed universities and science minister|url=https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/jul/15/greg-clark-replaces-david-willetts-new-universities-science-minister-reaction|access-date=15 July 2014|work=The Guardian|date=15 July 2014}} and questions over his public support for homoeopathic treatments.{{cite news|last1=Ghosh|first1=Pallab|author-link1=Pallab Ghosh|title=Science minister has tough job to follow|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28317883|access-date=15 July 2014|work=BBC News|date=15 July 2014}}

At the 2015 general election, Clark was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 58.7% and an increased majority of 22,874.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}{{cite news |title=Tunbridge Wells |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001004 |access-date=13 September 2015 |work=BBC}} Clark returned to the Department of Communities and Local Government as Secretary of State on 11 May 2015.{{cite web|title=Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/greg-clark|publisher=gov.uk|date=11 May 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015}}

File:United States Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette visits London, Feb 2018 (38567011530).jpg in 2018]]

Clark was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 14 July 2016, in Theresa May's first cabinet.{{cite news|title=May adds energy policy to Business department|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36798836|access-date=22 July 2016|work=BBC News|date=14 July 2016}} In October 2016, he appointed his predecessor as MP, Archie Norman, as Lead Non Executive Board Member for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/business-secretary-appoints-archie-norman-as-lead-non-executive-board-member|title=Business Secretary appoints Archie Norman as Lead Non-Executive Board Member|publisher=www.gov.uk|date=3 October 2016}}

In February 2017, Clark travelled to Paris, in order to meet executives from Peugeot and the French Government, due to the proposed takeover of Vauxhall Motors.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/vauxhall-dead-peugeot-chrysler-car-company-uk-motorist-a7580476.html|title=Don't bother reading further – Vauxhall is dead|publisher=www.independent.co.uk|date=14 February 2017|access-date=16 February 2017}}

Clark was again re-elected at the snap 2017 general election, with a decreased vote share of 56.9% and a decreased majority of 16,465.{{Cite web |title=2017 General Election: The 6 candidates in Tunbridge Wells |url=https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/parl.tunbridge-wells.2017-06-08/tunbridge-wells/ |access-date=2019-11-07 |website=Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club |language=en-gb}}

In May 2018, Clark suggested that 3,500 UK domestic jobs could be lost as a direct and explicit result of Brexit. Brexiteers, such as Jacob Rees-Mogg said this was a "revival of project fear". Clark argued in response that the job losses were 'substantiated' in the result of an inadequate customs union deal with the European Union, but stated that this did not include the transition/implementation period.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-jobs-customs-partnership-theresa-may-uk-eu-greg-clark-a8338586.html|title=Thousands of jobs at risk if Theresa May drops Brexit 'customs partnership' plan with the EU, business secretary suggests|date=6 May 2018|work=The Independent|access-date=6 May 2018}}

Clark opposed a no-deal Brexit, saying in June 2018: "People in good jobs up and down the country are looking to our national leaders to make sure a deal is approved. We are one of the world's leaders in the next generation of automotive technology. To see that slip through our fingers is something we would regret forever".[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-negotiations-latest-no-deal-greg-clark-toyota-a8560766.html Brexit: Business secretary Greg Clark insists 'we need to have a deal', contradicting Theresa May] The Independent. 29 September 2018

In January 2019, Clark, against the advice of Theresa May, suggested he might resign from Cabinet in the event of the United Kingdom not securing a deal with the European Union in Brexit negotiations. At the time he was the most senior minister to do so.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-greg-clark-no-deal-resign-theresa-may-wto-conservative-cabinet-tory-a8720426.html|title=Tory minister refuses to rule out resigning if Theresa May pushes no-deal 'disaster'|date=10 January 2019|website=The Independent|access-date=1 February 2019}}

On 6 February 2019, Clark said to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that Theresa May had until 15 February to conclude Brexit negotiations in order to provide certainty to exporters to countries such as Japan because of the length of time that goods take to arrive. The EU-Japan free trade agreement would no longer apply to the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/deadline-for-agreeing-brexit-deal-is-next-week-business-minister-greg-clark-says-02nwnsjhs|title=Deadline for agreeing Brexit deal is next week, business minister Greg Clark says|author=Kate Devlin|date=7 February 2019|access-date=13 February 2019|newspaper=The Times}}

Under the tenure of Clark, who was responsible for workers' rights nationally, his department in London reportedly did not ensure that its staff, many of whom had been outsourced, were paid at least the London living wage.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/13/living-in-poverty-workers-at-business-department-go-on-strike|title='Living in poverty': workers at business department go on strike|first=Damien|last=Gayle|date=13 February 2019|access-date=13 February 2019|work=The Guardian}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/17/beis-faces-strike-over-low-pay-for-outsourced-service-workers|title=BEIS faces strike over low pay for outsourced service workers|first=Rajeev|last=Syal|date=17 December 2018|access-date=13 February 2019|work=The Guardian}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/business-secretarys-workers-rights-blitz-takes-hit-as-his-own-staff-vote-to-strike_uk_5c17b5bae4b049efa754a669|title=Business Secretary's Workers' Rights Blitz Takes Hit As His Own Staff Vote To Strike|date=17 December 2018|website=HuffPost UK|access-date=13 February 2019}} In February 2019, the staff went on strike for 26 hours.

{{Main|September 2019 suspension of rebel Conservative MPs}}

On 3 September 2019 Clark voted against the government on taking control of the House of Commons order paper to allow a bill to be debated in parliament which would stop a no-deal Brexit without explicit approval of parliament. He became an independent as the Conservative whip was withdrawn from him.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49563357|title=Who were the Conservative Brexit rebels?|date=3 September 2019|access-date=3 September 2019 }} On 29 October, the whip was restored to 10 former Conservative ministers, including Clark.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50221856|title=Restoration of Conservative Whip|date=29 October 2019|work=BBC News|access-date=29 October 2019}}

Clark was again re-elected at the 2019 general election with a decreased vote share of 55.1% and a decreased majority of 14,645.{{cite news |title=Tunbridge Wells Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001004 |access-date=26 November 2019 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}

Clark stood down at the 2024 general election.{{Cite web |author=Bob Dale |date=2024-05-24 |title=Greg Clark to stand down as Tunbridge Wells MP |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw998wj0145o |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=BBC News}}

Clark and his wife Helen have three children, two girls and a boy.{{cite news|last1=Merrick|first1=Jane|title=Greg Clark: Global warming is not on our back burner|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/greg-clark-global-warming-is-not-on-our-back-burner-1797308.html|access-date=20 March 2015|work=Independent|date=4 October 2009}} They live in Royal Tunbridge Wells. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/2380/0/fall-in-number-of-catholic-mps-in-the-house-of-commons-ahead-of-landmark-debate-on-assisted-dying|title=Fall in number of Catholic MPs in the House of Commons ahead of landmark debate on assisted dying |date=27 August 2015 |website=The Tablet }}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://www.gregclark.org Greg Clark MP] official constituency website
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100518164105/http://www.communities.gov.uk/profiles/corporate/gregclark Profile] at the Ministry for Communities and Local Government
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110925200540/http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Clark_Greg.aspx Profile] at the Conservative Party
• {{UK MP links | parliament = greg-clark/1578 | hansard = | hansardcurr = 4758 | guardian = 9122/greg-clark | publicwhip = Greg_Clark | theywork = greg_clark | record = Greg-Clark/Tunbridge-Wells/102 | bbc = 40488.stm | journalisted = greg-clark }}

;News articles

• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6071046.stm Garden grabbing Bill in October 2006]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2312539.stm His influence on policies in October 2002]

;Video clips

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlyHflnaDG8 Discovering poverty]

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Category:Living people

Category:1967 births

Category:Alumni of Magdalene College, Cambridge

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