Mark Francois

Mark Gino Francois was born on 14 August 1965 in Islington, London to Anna ({{nee}} Carloni) and Reginald Francois.{{cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=8wIy4JnnkepBxQWr9imXJg&scan=1|title=Index entry|access-date=25 May 2020|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}} His father was an engineer and his mother was an Italian au pair. The family moved to Basildon in 1971.{{cite web|url=https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2014/04/mark-francois-mp-raised-on-a-council-estate-and-reared-on-tales-of-churchill-why-i-am-a-conservative.html|title=Mark Francois MP: Raised on a council estate and reared on tales of Churchill. Why I am a Conservative.|website=Conservative Home|access-date=9 April 2019|last=Francois|first=Mark|date=9 April 2014 }} His secondary education was at the Nicholas Comprehensive School (now part of James Hornsby School).{{cite web|url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/rayleighandwickford/|title=Rayleigh and Wickford|publisher=UK Polling Report|access-date=16 October 2019}} He studied history at the University of Bristol and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1986.{{cite web|url=https://www.bristol.ac.uk/alumni/events/diary/2012/342.html|title=Westminster drinks reception for Bristol alumni|publisher=University of Bristol|access-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016120239/https://www.bristol.ac.uk/alumni/events/diary/2012/342.html |archive-date=16 October 2019}} Francois stated that he joined the Conservative Party when he was studying in Bristol. He went on to undertake a Master of Arts (MA) degree in war studies at King's College London, graduating in 1987.{{cite web|url=https://www.kcl.ac.uk/archive/news/warstudies/francois|publisher=King's College London|date=11 September 2012|access-date=16 October 2019|title=Alumnus appointed as Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans}}

In 1983, whilst at university, he joined the Territorial Army (TA), the part-time reserve force of the British Army.{{cite web |title=Francois, Rt Hon. Mark (Gino), (born 14 Aug. 1965), PC 2010; MP (C) Rayleigh and Wickford, since 2010 (Rayleigh, 2001–10) |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U42285 |website=Who's Who 2024 |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=10 July 2024 |language=en |date=1 December 2023}} Given the service number 523962, Francois was commissioned as a second lieutenant (on probation) on 18 December 1985.{{London Gazette |issue=50446 |date=3 March 1986 |page=3091 |supp=y}} On 1 February 1988, he transferred from the general list to the Royal Anglian Regiment.{{London Gazette |issue= 51357 |date= 6 June 1988 |page= 6621 |supp= y }}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5431750/MPs-expenses-Mark-Francois-A-bit-of-an-animal.html|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=3 June 2009|access-date=16 October 2019|last=Allen|first=Nick|title=MPs' expenses: Mark Francois – A bit of an animal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211194309/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5431750/MPs-expenses-Mark-Francois-A-bit-of-an-animal.html |archive-date=11 December 2023}} His commission was confirmed in 1988, and he was granted seniority in the rank of second lieutenant from 18 December 1983.{{London Gazette |issue= 51557 |date= 12 December 1988 |page= 13975 |supp= y }} He was promoted lieutenant on 18 September 1988, with seniority in that rank from 18 December 1985. He left the Territorial Army on 21 September 1989.{{London Gazette |issue=52088 |date=26 March 1990 |page=7031}}

After university, Francois became a management trainee with Lloyds Bank. He then worked as a political consultant for the lobbying company Market Access International in 1988, leaving to set up his own lobbying firm, Francois Associates, in 1996, which he closed when he was elected as an MP in 2001.{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-archive/environmental-audit-committee/eac200701/|publisher=parliament.uk|date=22 July 2001|access-date=16 October 2019|title=EAC – back in business |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404195809/https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-archive/environmental-audit-committee/eac200701/ |archive-date=4 April 2019}}{{cite book|first1=Robert |last1=Waller|first2=Byron|last2=Criddle|title=The Almanac of British Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tDpzBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA769|date=7 May 2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-20676-5|page=769}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2161813.stm|website=BBC News|title=Mark Francois|date=16 October 2002|access-date=16 October 2019}}

He was a member of Basildon District Council for the Langdon Hills ward from 1991 to 1995. On the council, he served as vice-chair of the housing committee from 1992 to 1995.

Francois stood for the Brent East constituency in the 1997 general election, coming second to the incumbent, Labour's Ken Livingstone.{{cite web |title=Election Data 1997 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054424/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt |archive-date=15 October 2011 |access-date=18 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}} Francois contested the election to be the Conservatives' prospective parliamentary candidate for Kensington and Chelsea in the 1999 by-election. The contest was won by Michael Portillo, who garnered 60% of the final ballot.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/portillo-wins-kensingtons-hearts-and-minds-by-a-landslide-738482.html|work=The Independent|date=3 November 1999|access-date=16 October 2019|last1=Waugh|first1=Paul|last2=Sengupta|first2=Kim|title=Portillo wins Kensington's hearts and minds by a landslide}}

He was selected as the party's candidate for Rayleigh in the 2001 general election.{{cite web|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/house/71897/forces-him|publisher=Politics Home|date=7 November 2013|access-date=16 October 2019|last=Waugh|first=Paul|title=The Forces with him}} Francois won the seat with a majority of 8,290.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/469.stm|website=BBC News|access-date=16 October 2019|title=Rayleigh}} He made his maiden speech on 4 July 2001.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo010704/debtext/10704-15.htm#10704-15_spnew4|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 4 Jul 2001 (pt 15)|website=publications.parliament.uk}} Francois was re-elected in the 2005 general election with an increased majority of 14,726.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2005 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054249/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt |archivedate=15 October 2011 |access-date=18 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}

He served as a member of the Environmental Audit Select Committee for the duration of his first term in Parliament. He was promoted to become an Opposition Whip in 2003 by Michael Howard; to Shadow Economic Secretary in May 2004; and later to Shadow Paymaster General (10 May 2005 – 3 July 2007) scrutinising HMRC.

He was promoted to be Shadow Minister for Europe on 3 July 2007, and joined the Shadow Cabinet at the January 2009 reshuffle. As Shadow Minister for Europe Francois oversaw the Conservative Party's withdrawal from the EPP grouping in the European Parliament, the creation of the ECR grouping and the Conservatives' opposition in the House of Commons to the Treaty of Lisbon, which he spoke against on many occasions including on 5 March 2008 in the debate to pass the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008.{{cite web |url= https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080305/debtext/80305-0023.htm#08030581002441 |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 05 Mar 2008 (pt 0023) |website=publications.parliament.uk}}

When the Rayleigh constituency was abolished, Francois was elected in the new seat of Rayleigh & Wickford in the 2010 general election.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/d62.stm|title=Election 2010 – Constituency – Rayleigh & Wickford|website=BBC News}} Francois won with a majority of 22,338 votes, 42.7%, receiving 57.8% of all the votes cast.{{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}}{{Cite web |title=BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Rayleigh & Wickford |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/d62.stm |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}

When the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats joined in a coalition government following the 2010 general election, he was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, a sinecure given to a Government Whip that entails being kept as 'captive' at Buckingham Palace when the Queen opens Parliament. He joined the Privy Council on 9 June 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.privy-council.org.uk/files/word/LIST%209%20June%202010.doc |title=Privy Council Orders |date=9 June 2010 |publisher=Privy Council |access-date=26 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202221059/http://www.privy-council.org.uk/files/word/LIST%209%20June%202010.doc |archive-date=2 December 2010 }} In 2011, he was a member of the special Select Committee set up to scrutinise the Bill that became the Armed Forces Act 2011.{{cite web |url= https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmarmed/779/77901.htm |access-date=20 September 2013 |title=Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill |publisher=parliament.uk}}

He was appointed Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans in the Ministry of Defence in September 2012. From October 2013 to May 2015, he was Minister of State with responsibility for the armed forces, cyber activity, and force generation.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state-minister-for-the-armed-forces |title=Minister of State for the Armed Forces |access-date=17 October 2013 |publisher=gov.uk}}

At the 2015 general election, Francois was re-elected as the MP for Rayleigh and Wickford with a reduced majority of 17,230 votes.{{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}} Following the election, he became Minister of State for Communities and Resilience and Minister for Portsmouth at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Francois left the government after Theresa May was appointed prime minister, but she appointed him to conduct a review into the use of reserves in the Army.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-ministerial-and-government-appointments-announced-on-july-17-2016 |title=New ministerial and government appointments announced on July 17 2016 |date=17 July 2016|publisher=UK Prime Minister's Office |access-date=18 July 2016}}

At the 2017 general election, Francois was re-elected as the MP for Rayleigh and Wickford with an increased majority of 23,450 votes.{{cite news |title=Rayleigh & Wickford Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000888 |access-date=19 November 2019 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}

Since September 2017, Francois has sat on the Defence Select Committee and is a former member of the Administration Committee, the Committee of Selection, Defence Committee and Environmental Audit Committee.{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/mark-francois/1444|title=Mark Francois MP|publisher=GOV.UK|access-date=28 March 2019}} He is a vice-president of Conservative Friends of Poland.[http://www.cfofp.co.uk/whoweare.php Conservative Friends of Poland website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103110641/http://www.cfofp.co.uk/whoweare.php |date=3 November 2012}}

In September 2019, Essex Police issued clarification on Francois' status, when he joined one of their patrols in a Rayleigh, Essex Wetherspoons pub in his capacity as the local MP. He appeared to be dressed as a uniformed police officer, including wearing a police issue stab vest. Essex Police said that they had wrongly issued the jacket to the MP and confirmed that Francois is not employed by them. They used the statement to add that they are however currently recruiting.{{cite web |title=Force confirms Tory MP Mark Francois is 'not a police officer' after he is spotted in a pub wearing 'uniform' |url=https://news.sky.com/story/force-confirms-tory-mp-mark-francois-is-not-a-police-officer-after-he-is-spotted-in-uniform-11813191 |access-date=12 December 2023 |website=Sky News }}{{cite web |date=19 September 2019 |title=Brexiteer Tory MP spotted wearing police uniform in Wetherspoons |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mark-francois-essex-police-vest-wetherspoons-rayleigh-a9110661.html |access-date=12 December 2023 |website=The Independent }}

In 2019, Francois became one of the 28 so called Tory "Brexit Spartans" who voted against Theresa May's Brexit deal all three times it was put to the House of Commons.{{cite news |last1=Tominey |first1=Camilla |title=New allegiance of Brexit Spartans could yet win the war for Boris Johnson |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/10/19/boris-won-brexiteers-hardline-tories-backed-prime-ministers/ |access-date=22 July 2020 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=19 October 2019}}

At the 2019 general election, Francois was re-elected with an increased majority of exactly 31,000{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000888|title=Rayleigh & Wickford|access-date=28 November 2021|website=BBC News}} and achieved 72.6% of the vote. In January 2020, he launched a crowdfunding bid with the StandUp4Brexit group to raise money for Big Ben to chime upon the UK's departure from the EU.{{cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/tory-mp-launches-crowdfunding-bid-to-make-big-ben-bong-for-brexit-11909401|title=Tory MP launches crowdfunding bid to make Big Ben 'bong for Brexit'|last=Heffer|first=Greg|work=Sky News|date=15 January 2020|access-date=16 January 2020}}

On 3 March 2020, Francois was announced as chair of the ERG, succeeding Steve Baker.{{cite web |last=Read |first=Jonathon |date=30 December 2020 |title=Mark Francois claims his work fighting for Brexit will not be over if deal passes |url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news-westminster-news-mark-francois-on-european-research-group-6874942/ |access-date=17 May 2022 |website=The New European }} In this capacity he wrote to Michel Barnier, head of the task force negotiating the post-Brexit relationship between the UK and the EU, a letter titled "A Missive from a Free Country".{{cite news |last1=Adler |first1=Katya |title=Brexit: Face-to-face trade talks between UK and EU begin in Brussels |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53222011 |website=BBC News |access-date=17 September 2020 |date=29 June 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Robinson |first1=Anthony |title=Cummings is starting to make the ERG nervous |url=https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/cummings-is-starting-to-make-the-erg-nervous/ |website=Yorkshire Bylines |access-date=17 September 2020 |date=30 June 2020}} Barnier replied in an open letter.{{cite web |last1=Cooper |first1=William |title=Barnier schools Head of ERG on how Brexit works |url=https://medium.com/@VeritasMedia/barnier-schools-head-of-erg-on-how-brexit-works-ab76c2ea4981 |website=Medium |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=17 September 2020}}{{cite web |title=Letter from Michel Barnier to Mark Francois |url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/brexit_files/info_site/mb_letter_to_m._francois_redacted.pdf |website=European Commission |access-date=17 September 2020}}

In December 2021, Francois called on Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis to resign for failing to come through with promised legislation related to veterans.{{cite news|title=Tory MP calls on Northern Ireland secretary to resign|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-59596509|access-date=10 December 2021}}

In November 2022, Labour MP Sarah Owen criticised Francois for using an "outdated and crass racial slur" in the House of Commons when he referred to Japanese people as "Japs". Francois used the term when asking a question on defence, saying: "Given the defence budget is likely to come under great pressure, why does it take BAE Systems eleven years to build a ship the Japs can build in four?"{{cite news |title=Tory MP Mark Francois criticised for using 'outdated' racial slur |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63556238 |website=BBC News |access-date=10 February 2023 |date=8 November 2022}} Francois later said he was complimenting the Japanese shipbuilding industry and used "Japs" as an abbreviation for Japanese.

Francois was again re-elected at the 2024 general election, with a decreased vote share of 37% and a decreased majority of 5,621.{{cite news |date=4 July 2024 |title=UK general election results 2024: live tracker |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2024/jul/04/uk-general-election-results-2024-live-in-full |access-date=4 July 2024 |work=The Guardian}}[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001437 Rayleigh and Wickford]

Francois married Karen Thomas at Langdon Hills, Basildon, in June 2000. They divorced in 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-42285|title=Francois, Rt Hon. Mark (Gino)|website=WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U42285|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4}}

On 11 June 2022, Francois married Olivia Sanders, a NHS radiographer, borough councillor, and former Conservative Mayor of Brentwood.{{cite news |last=Hope |first=Christopher |date=17 June 2022 |title=A good week for Mark Francois |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/06/17/good-week-mark-francois/ |access-date=20 June 2022 |issn=0307-1235}}{{cite web |title=Cllr Olivia Sanders |url=https://www.boca.org.uk/people/cllr-olivia-sanders |access-date=13 December 2023 |website=Brentwood & Ongar }}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• {{official website}}
• {{UK MP links |parliament=mark-francois/1444 |hansardcurr=3316 |hansard=mr-mark-francois |publicwhip=Mark_Francois |theywork=mark_francois}}
• [http://www.rayleighandwickfordconservatives.com Rayleigh Conservatives]
• [http://www.rayleighconclub.co.uk Rayleigh Conservative Club]
• {{C-SPAN|1000845}}

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{{s-bef|before=Michael Clark}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Rayleigh |years=2001–2010}}

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{{s-new | constituency }}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Rayleigh and Wickford |years=2010–present}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Shadow Minister for Europe |years=2007–2010}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the European Research Group|years=2020–present}}

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{{s-end}}{{Conservative Party UK MPs}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Francois, Mark}}

Category:1965 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol

Category:Alumni of King's College London

Category:Royal Anglian Regiment officers

Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Category:UK MPs 2001–2005

Category:UK MPs 2005–2010

Category:UK MPs 2010–2015

Category:UK MPs 2015–2017

Category:UK MPs 2017–2019

Category:UK MPs 2019–2024

Category:UK MPs 2024–present

Category:People from Basildon

Category:People from Islington (district)

Category:Politicians from the London Borough of Islington

Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom

Category:People from Rayleigh, Essex

Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Islington

Category:20th-century British Army personnel

Category:English people of Italian descent

Category:British Eurosceptics