Marcus Fysh
{{Short description|British politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Marcus Fysh
| image = Official portrait of Mr Marcus Fysh MP crop 2.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2019
| honorific-suffix =
| term_end =
| successor = Andrew Bowie
| office1 = Member of Parliament
for Yeovil
| term_start1 = 7 May 2015
| term_end1 = 30 May 2024
| predecessor1 = David Laws
| successor1 = Adam Dance
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|11|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Independent{{cite news|title=Former MP quits Tory party saying 'it's dead|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ge4kd8kl9o|work=BBC News|access-date=6 July 2024|date=6 July 2024}}
| otherparty = Conservative (before 2024)
| education = Winchester College, Hampshire
(Independent boarding school)
| alma_mater = Corpus Christi College, Oxford
| spouse = Jenny
| children = 2
| residence = London, England
Naish Priory, East Coker, Somerset, England
| office = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports
| primeminister = Liz Truss
| termstart = 20 September 2022
| termend = 27 October 2022
| predecessor = Andrew Griffith
}}
Marcus John Hudson Fysh{{London Gazette |issue=61961 |date=19 June 2017 |page=11785}} (born 8 November 1970) is a British politician and former investment manager who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Yeovil from 2015{{cite news|title=Election 2015: Lib Dems lose Yeovil seat to Tories|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-32645935|work=BBC News|access-date=17 December 2015|date=8 May 2015}} until he lost the seat in 2024. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports from September 2022 until 27 October 2022.{{Cite web |title=Ministerial Appointments: September 2022 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-september-2022 |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}
Fysh was a supporter of Leave Means Leave, a pro-Brexit lobby group;{{cite web |url=http://www.leavemeansleave.eu/who-we-are/ |title=Co-Chairmen – Political Advisory Board – Supporters |publisher=Leave Means Leave |access-date=26 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024153425/http://www.leavemeansleave.eu/who-we-are/ |archive-date=24 October 2017 |url-status=dead }} he campaigned to leave the European Union (EU) in the 2016 referendum.
Early life and career
Marcus Fysh was born on 8 November 1970 in Australia. His family moved to the UK when he was three, and he was educated at Winchester College, a boarding independent school for boys in Winchester, Hampshire. He went on to study English literature at Corpus Christi College, Oxford.Winchester College, A Register 2014, p. 740
After graduation, he ran companies in the agriculture and healthcare sectors, as well as working for Mercury Asset Management specialising in investment in businesses in the Asia Pacific region.{{cite web|title=Marcus Fysh|url=https://www.conservatives.com/OurTeam/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates/Fysh_Marcus|publisher=Conservative Party|access-date=8 May 2015}}{{cite news|title=Election Yeovil result: Conservative Marcus Fysh wins the seat over Lib Dem David Laws|url=http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Election-Yeovil-result-Conservative-Marcus-Fysh/story-26463388-detail/story.html|access-date=8 May 2015|work=Western Daily Press|date=8 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518071236/http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Election-Yeovil-result-Conservative-Marcus-Fysh/story-26463388-detail/story.html|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last1=Carr|first1=Tim|title=The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015: Profiles of the New MPs and Analysis of the 2015 General Election Results|date=2015|publisher=Biteback|isbn=9781849549240|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVWqCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT248}}
Fysh was elected for the Conservative Party as a district councillor for South Somerset in 2011, representing Yeovil South ward, which he served on for one four-year term.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/South-Somerset-1973-2011.pdf|title=South Somerset Council Election Results 1973–2011|publisher= Plymouth University|access-date=21 September 2018}}{{cite web|title=Cllr Marcus Fysh|url=http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/councillors/find-your-local-councillor/cllr-marcus-fysh/|publisher=South Somerset Council|access-date=8 May 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419004536/http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/councillors/find-your-local-councillor/cllr-marcus-fysh|archive-date=19 April 2015|df=dmy-all}} In 2013, he was elected to represent the Coker ward of Somerset County Council; following his election as an MP he did not stand at the following local election in 2017.{{cite news|title=Conservatives claim another seat on Somerset County Council|url=http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/10426561.Conservatives_claim_another_seat_on_Somerset_County_Council/|access-date=8 May 2015|work=Somerset County Gazette|date=17 May 2013}}
Parliamentary career
At the 2015 general election, Fysh was elected to Parliament as MP for Yeovil with 42.5% of the vote and a majority of 5,293.{{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=Yeovil parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001060 |access-date=8 May 2015 |work=BBC News}}
Fysh has chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group on Education.{{cite web|url=http://www.educationappg.org.uk/|title=About the APPG|work=educationappg.org.uk|access-date=18 July 2021}} He has been a member of All-party parliamentary groups for the Armed Forces, for Housing, for Education, for Social Care, for County Councils, and for Women Against State Pension Inequality.{{cite news|title=COLUMN: Priority should be strong defence, MP Marcus Fysh|url=http://www.yeovilexpress.co.uk/news/14601824.COLUMN__Priority_should_be_strong_defence__MP_Marcus_Fysh/|access-date=29 August 2017|work=Yeovil Express|date=11 July 2016}}
Fysh was re-elected as MP for Yeovil at the snap 2017 general election with an increased vote share of 54.5% and an increased majority of 14,723.{{cite web |date=11 May 2017 |title=Statement as to persons nominated and notice of poll |url=https://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/media/885345/yeovil_statement_of_persons_nominated_and_notice_of_poll.pdf |access-date=6 June 2017 |publisher=South Somerset District Council}}{{cite news |title=Yeovil |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001060 |access-date=9 June 2017 |publisher=BBC}}
In March 2019, Fysh was one of 21 MPs who voted against LGBT inclusive sex and relationship education in English schools, citing concerns about the teaching of gender fluidity confusing very young children.{{cite web|url=https://www.marcusfysh.org.uk/news/my-view-4th-april-2019 |title=In My View - 4th April 2019 |work=marcusfysh.org.uk |date=4 April 2019 }}{{cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/education/lgbt-sex-relationship-education-mps-support/ |title=MPs vote for LGBT inclusive sex and relationship education from primary school |work=inews |date=28 March 2019 }}
At the 2019 general election, Fysh was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 58.4% and an increased majority of 16,181.{{Cite web |title=Statement of Persons Nominated |url=https://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/media/2739/statement-of-persons-nominated-and-notice-of-poll-yeovil-constituency-final.pdf}}{{Cite news |title=Yeovil parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14001060 |via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
In June 2020, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found that Fysh should have registered his unremunerated company directorships as interests. The Committee noted: "We do not believe that Mr Fysh has acted in bad faith. He exercised his right as a Member of the House to express disagreement with the Commissioner's interpretation of the rules and bring the matter before the Committee."{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmstandards/213/21306.htm#_idTextAnchor033|title=Mr Marcus Fysh - Committee on Standards - House of Commons}} It added that he should "make an apology on the floor of the House for both the non-registrations and non-declarations by means of a personal statement." Fysh was also told to apologise to the commissioner and registrar in writing.{{cite news|title=Tory MP Marcus Fysh ordered to apologise after 'patronising' conduct|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53091934|date=18 June 2020|work=BBC News}} Fysh then issued the two apologies.{{cite news |last1=Read |first1=Jonathon |title=Tory MP issues an apology to the House of Commons over breach of rules |url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news-marcus-fysh-apologises-in-house-of-commons-82918/ |access-date=9 December 2021 |work=The New European |date=22 June 2020}}
In October 2021 Fysh officially opened the construction site for upgrades to the A303, having campaigned on the issue for years.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-58766090|title = Somerset: Work under way to dual section of A303|work = BBC News|date = 2 October 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.marcusfysh.org.uk/news/marcus-commits-dualling-a303|title=Marcus commits to dualling of the A303|website=Marcus Fysh MP|date=5 April 2017 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/news/11420748.marcus-fysh-a303-and-a358-dual-them/|title=Marcus Fysh - A303 and A358 - dual them|website=Chard & Ilminster News|date=20 August 2014 }}
Fysh was re-selected in April 2023 as the Conservative candidate for Yeovil at the 2024 general election.{{cite tweet |number=1649435867226820611 |user=MarcusFysh |title=Delighted to have been readopted as @Conservatives candidate to fight and win the next General Election for the people of the #Yeovil constituency. Can't wait for the hustings. Let's go! #Chard #Crewkerne #Ilminster #SouthPetherton #Yeovil (And all the villages in between! |author=Marcus Fysh |date=April 21, 2023}}
In September 2023, Fysh was ordered to apologise to Parliament after being found to have broken the MPs' code of conduct; this related to statements he gave concerning an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards into the All Party Parliamentary Group for Education (which Fysh chaired) whilst the investigation was ongoing.{{cite web |title=Marcus Fysh MP told to apologise after breaching code of conduct |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-66739185 |website=BBC News |access-date=8 September 2023 |date=7 September 2023}}
Fysh lost his seat to the Liberal Democrats in the 2024 general election,{{Cite news |title=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001603}} losing over 30% of the vote. On 6 July 2024, two days after the election, he announced that he had resigned from the Conservative Party - branding the party as "dead" and criticising the party's current Parliamentary makeup as "non-Conservative".
Personal life
Fysh lives in London and at Naish Priory in the village of East Coker.{{cite web|url=http://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/your-mp/marcus-fysh/|title=IPSA|publisher=GOV.UK |access-date=21 September 2018}}{{cite web|title=Cllr Marcus Fysh |url=http://www.somersetconservatives.org.uk/person/cllr-marcus-fysh |publisher=Somerset Conservatives |access-date=8 May 2015 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075022/http://www.somersetconservatives.org.uk/person/cllr-marcus-fysh |archive-date=18 May 2015 }} In 2011, Fysh opposed plans by the local council to build additional houses in the area.{{cite news|title=Hands Off Our Land: the fight to protect TS Eliot's village|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/hands-off-our-land/8839206/Hands-Off-Our-Land-the-fight-to-protect-TS-Eliots-village.html|access-date=8 May 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=22 October 2011}}{{cite news|last1=Gillespie|first1=James |title=Developers get bonus to build on TS Eliot site|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/Green_Belt/article867882.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075126/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/Green_Belt/article867882.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 May 2015|access-date=8 May 2015|work=The Sunday Times|date=5 February 2012}}{{cite news|title=Poet's corner: The battle for TS Eliot's village|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/poets-corner-the-battle-for-ts-eliotrsquos-village-2362671.html|access-date=8 May 2015|work=The Independent|date=1 October 2011}}
He is a regular contributor to The Telegraph as well as writing a weekly column in the Western Gazette.{{cite web |title=Marcus Fysh |date=11 February 2023 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/marcus-fysh/}}{{cite web |title=News: Marcus Fysh MP |url=https://www.marcusfysh.org.uk/news}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.marcusfysh.org.uk/ Official website]
- {{UK MP links |parliament=mr-marcus-fysh/4446 |publicwhip=Marcus_Fysh |theywork=marcus_fysh}}
- {{C-SPAN}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=David Laws}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Yeovil|years=2015–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Adam Dance}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fysh, Marcus}}
Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Councillors in Somerset
Category:People educated at Winchester College