Stephen Hammond
{{short description|British politician (born 1962)}}
{{About|the British politician|the 19th-century American politician|Stephen H. Hammond|the Ghanaian footballer|Stephen Hammond (footballer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Stephen Hammond
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Official portrait of Stephen Hammond MP crop 2.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2020
| office = Minister of State for Health
| primeminister = Theresa May
Boris Johnson
| term_start = 16 November 2018
| term_end = 25 July 2019
| predecessor = Steve Barclay
| successor = Chris Skidmore
| office1 = Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party for London
| leader1 = Theresa May
| term_start1 = 20 July 2017
| term_end1 = 16 December 2017
| predecessor1 = Position established
| successor1 = Paul Scully
| office2 = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
| primeminister2 = David Cameron
| term_start2 = 4 September 2012
| term_end2 = 15 July 2014
| predecessor2 = Mike Penning
| successor2 = Claire Perry
| office3 = Member of Parliament
for Wimbledon
| parliament3 =
| term_start3 = 5 May 2005
| term_end3 = 30 May 2024
| predecessor3 = Roger Casale
| successor3 = Paul Kohler
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|02|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = Southampton, Hampshire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| spouse = Sally (née Brodie){{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/110124/part2.htm |title=House of Commons – The Register of Members' Financial Interests – Part 2: Part 2 |publisher=Publications.parliament.uk |accessdate=1 June 2015}}
| party = Conservative
| otherparty =
| relations =
| children =
| residence = London, England
| alma_mater = Queen Mary University of London
| occupation = Politician
| profession =
| signature =
| website = [https://www.stephenhammond.net/ www.stephenhammond.net]
| footnotes = {{notelist}}
}}
Stephen William Hammond (born 4 February 1962) is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wimbledon from 2005 to 2024. He is a member of the Conservative Party.
On 4 September 2012, Hammond was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, with responsibility for buses, rail and shipping.{{cite web |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/ministers/stephen-hammond |title=Stephen Hammond – GOV.UK |publisher=Dft.gov.uk |access-date=1 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020071115/http://www.dft.gov.uk/ministers/stephen-hammond |archive-date=20 October 2012 }} He lost his ministerial post in the reshuffle on 15 July 2014 and was succeeded by Claire Perry.{{cite web|first=Natalie|last= Middleton |url=http://fleetworld.co.uk/news/2014/Jul/Stephen-Hammond-to-be-replaced-as-transport-minister/0434015438 |title=Stephen Hammond to be replaced as transport minister |publisher=Fleetworld.co.uk |date=15 July 2014 |accessdate=1 June 2015}} He became Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party for London on 20 July 2017 and was sacked the following 16 December after participating in a Brexit rebellion against the government of Theresa May three days earlier.{{cite news|first=Jon|last= Sharman |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/stephen-hammond-fired-sacked-brexit-rebellion-tory-mp-theresa-may-latest-a8108691.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/stephen-hammond-fired-sacked-brexit-rebellion-tory-mp-theresa-may-latest-a8108691.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Stephen Hammond: Tory MP sacked as Conservative vice-chairman after Brexit rebellion | work = The Independent |date=13 December 2017 |accessdate=13 December 2017}} Hammond was however appointed to be a Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 November 2018, following the promotion of Steve Barclay to the position of Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
On 3 September 2019, he had the whip removed after voting for a bill ruling out leaving the European Union without a deal.{{cite web |url=https://www.stephenhammond.net/news/voting-against-no-deal-tuesday-3rd-september |title=Voting Against No Deal – Tuesday 3rd September |date=9 September 2019}} However, on 29 October he was one of ten Conservative MPs to have the whip restored.{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2019-10-29/whip-restored-to-10-conservative-mps-who-rebelled-against-government-over-brexit/|title=Whip restored to 10 Conservative MPS who rebelled against government|date=29 October 2019|publisher=ITV}}
Early life and career
Stephen Hammond was born in Southampton and educated at the private King Edward VI School in the city, before reading Economics at Queen Mary University of London. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree, he began a career in finance at a leading fund management house and subsequently worked for major investment banks. Hammond was appointed a Director of the Equities division of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson in 1994 and four years later joined Commerzbank Securities. In 2000 he was promoted to Director, Pan European Research, with responsibility for seventy professionals based in London and across Europe.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}
Political career
Hammond first stood for Parliament in North Warwickshire at the 1997 general election, coming second with 31.2% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Mike O'Brien.{{cite web |title=Election Data 1997 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt |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}}{{cite web |title='Warwickshire North', May 1997 – |url=http://electionweb.co.uk/Bp/P97614.htm#97001 |access-date=18 May 2016 |website=ElectionWeb Project |publisher=Cognitive Computing Limited}}
At the 2001 general election, Hammond stood in Wimbledon, coming second with 36.6% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Roger Casale.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2001 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054450/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt |archive-date=15 October 2011 |access-date=18 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}
He was elected a councillor for the Village ward in the London Borough of Merton election in 2002 and subsequently became Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on Merton Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.merton.gov.uk/resstatsb2002-2.pdf|title=London Borough of Merton 2002 Election Results and Statistics|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831110531/http://www.merton.gov.uk/resstatsb2002-2.pdf|archive-date=31 August 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=22 April 2017 }}
At the 2005 general election, Hammond was elected to Parliament as MP for Wimbledon, winning with 41.2% of the vote and a majority of 2,301.{{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}} After the election, David Cameron appointed him as Shadow Minister for Transport on the Opposition front bench.
At the 2010 general election, Hammond was re-elected as MP for Wimbledon with an increased vote share of 49.1% and an increased majority of 11,408.{{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 news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/f16.stm |title=Election 2010 | Constituency | Wimbledon |work=BBC News|accessdate=1 June 2015}} Following the election, Hammond became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. On 4 September 2012, he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport. He was removed from that post following a Cabinet reshuffle in July 2014.{{cite news|last=Phipps|first=Claire|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/14/reshuffle-at-a-glance-whos-in-whos-out-live |title=Reshuffle at a glance: who's in and who's out |work=The Guardian |accessdate=1 June 2015}}
In 2012, Hammond was the subject of a parliamentary investigation after it was revealed that he had failed to disclose investments in Harwood Film partnership, a legal investment scheme which permitted the deferral of tax payments, in the Register of Members' Interests.{{cite news|last=Syal|first=Rajeev|title=Transport minister Stephen Hammond faces inquiry over directorship|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/dec/06/transport-minister-stephen-hammond-inquiry-tax|accessdate=26 March 2015|work=The Guardian|date=6 December 2012}}{{cite news|last=Syal|first=Rajeev|title=Transport minister Stephen Hammond faces inquiry over directorship|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/oct/29/minister-tax-break-scheme-hammond|accessdate=26 March 2015|work=The Guardian|date=29 October 2012}} He subsequently apologised for the "oversight" in not registering the financial interest but was cleared of any wrongdoing.{{cite news|last=Rahman|first=Khaleda|title=Wimbledon MP, Stephen Hammond, apologises for failing to register financial interest|url=http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/whereilive/southlondon/wimbledon/10409909.Wimbledon_MP_apologises_for_failing_to_register_financial_interest/|access-date=26 March 2015|publisher=ThisisLocalLondon|date=9 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402153954/http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/whereilive/southlondon/wimbledon/10409909.Wimbledon_MP_apologises_for_failing_to_register_financial_interest/|archive-date=2 April 2015}}
In 2013, Hammond consistently voted in favour of allowing same-sex couples to marry.{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/11927/stephen_hammond/wimbledon/divisions?policy=6686|title=Stephen Hammond MP, Wimbledon – Same Sex Marriage|website=theyworkforyou.com}} Following the confidence and supply arrangement between the Conservatives and the DUP after 2017 general election, Hammond promised to stand up and protect LGBT+ and women's rights from any potential dilution.{{cite web|url=https://www.stephenhammond.net/news/agreement-dup|title = Agreement with the DUP|date=26 June 2017|website=stephenhammond.net}} In 2019, he voted to extend abortion and same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland.
In December 2014, Hammond assumed a second job as an adviser to Inmarsat; he was cleared to do so by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hammond-stephen-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-department-for-transport-acoba-recommendation/summary-of-business-appointments-applications-stephen-hammond|title=Summary of business appointments applications – Stephen Hammond|website=gov.uk
|access-date=22 April 2017}} He had been criticised earlier that year for having been the fourth most frequent user of ministerial chauffeur-driven "top up" cars, at 138 uses per year, during his time in office as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/06/transport-minister-chauffeur-driven-cars-stephen-hammond|title=Transport minister one of coalition's leading users of chauffeur-driven cars|last=Syal|first=Rajeev|date=6 January 2014|work=The Guardian|access-date=22 April 2017|issn=0261-3077}} Hammond had previously criticised Ken Livingstone in the House of Commons for setting up companies to reduce his tax bill. The Daily Telegraph subsequently alleged that Hammond had sought to avoid tax by registering the ownership of his Portuguese villa through an offshore-registered company, which his lawyers described as a "normal" arrangement that "did not result in tax benefits for him or his wife".{{cite news|title=Stephen Hammond: Conservative minister's offshore deal cuts tax bill|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/10422189/Stephen-Hammond-Conservative-ministers-offshore-deal-cuts-tax-bill.html|accessdate=26 March 2015|work=Daily Telegraph|date=1 November 2013}}
The article about Stephen Hammond on Wikipedia was one of a number edited in May 2015 by computers owned by Parliament in what The Daily Telegraph described as "a deliberate attempt to hide embarrassing information from the electorate." The deleted information concerned his frequent use of chauffeur-driven cars while in government.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11574217/Expenses-and-sex-scandal-deleted-from-MPs-Wikipedia-pages-by-computers-inside-Parliament.html|title=Expenses and sex scandal deleted from MPs' Wikipedia pages by computers inside Parliament|last=Riley-Smith|first=Ben|date=26 May 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=30 May 2015}}
Hammond was again re-elected at the 2015 general election with an increased vote share of 52.1% and an increased majority of 12,619.[http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt Election Data 2015], Electoral Calculus, 17 October 2015{{Cite web |last=Services |first=CS-Democracy |date=7 May 2015 |title=Councillors |url=https://democracy.merton.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=47 |website=democracy.merton.gov.uk}}
Hammond announced in early 2016 that he would wait until Cameron's renegotiations before endorsing either a Remain vote or a Leave vote in the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union.{{cite web|url=https://www.stephenhammond.net/news/my-views-eu-referendum|title=My views on the EU referendum|website=Stephen Hammond MP|date=15 February 2016 |access-date=22 April 2017}} On 14 June 2016, he endorsed a vote to remain in the European Union.{{cite news|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|title=Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?|date=16 February 2016|work=The Spectator|last=Goodenough|first=Tom|accessdate=11 October 2016}}
At the snap 2017 general election, Hammond was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 46.5% and a decreased majority of 5,622.{{cite news |title=Wimbledon parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001040 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web |date=29 January 2019 |orig-date=7 April 2018 |title=Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112183438/https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf |archive-date=12 November 2019 |publisher=House of Commons Library |edition=Second}}
On 13 December 2017, Hammond was involved in a rebellion against the government of Theresa May in which the government suffered a defeat on a key Brexit vote about granting MPs a 'meaningful vote' in Parliament. He was subsequently dismissed as the Conservative party vice-chairman over the incident.{{cite news |title=Theresa May: We're on course to deliver Brexit despite vote | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42346898 | work = BBC News | date = 14 December 2017 | access-date = 19 June 2018}}
In the 2019 Conservative leadership election, Hammond endorsed Matt Hancock's bid for the party leadership.{{cite web
| title = Westminster's very own Game of Thrones begins as Tories set out stall
| work = Evening Standard
| date = 15 April 2019
| access-date = 18 January 2020
| url = https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/game-of-thrones-begins-in-westminster-as-tory-leadership-contenders-set-out-their-stall-a4118111.html
| quote = Health Sec
}} Hammond lost the party whip during the September 2019 suspension of rebel Conservative MPs for voting to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Despite this, he was selected as the Conservative candidate for the next general election.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MertonTories/status/1190388769976934400|title=Huge congratulations to @S_Hammond who was overwhelmingly readopted as the Conservative Candidate for Wimbledon this evening.pic.twitter.com/u8vWP1V9Ka|last=Conservatives|first=Merton|date=1 November 2019|website=@MertonTories|access-date=23 December 2019}}
Hammond was again re-elected at the 2019 general election with a decreased vote share of 38.4% and a decreased majority of 628.{{cite web |date=14 November 2019 |title=Election of a Member of Parliament for the Wimbledon Constituency |url=https://www.merton.gov.uk/Documents/Statement%20of%20persons%20nominated%20and%20notice%20of%20poll%20-%20Wimbledon%20v2.pdf |publisher=London Borough of Merton}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14001040|title=Wimbledon parliamentary constituency – Election 2019|work=BBC News|access-date=23 December 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/wimbledon-constituency-results-general-election-2019-a4307261.html|title=Wimbledon constituency results 2019: Stephen Hammond wins for Tories|date=13 December 2019|website=Evening Standard|access-date=23 December 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/what-wimbledon-general-election-2019-17272741|title=What are the Wimbledon General Election 2019 results?|last=Sansome|first=Jessica|date=12 December 2019|website=Manchester Evening News|access-date=23 December 2019}}
Since January 2021, he has served as the Deputy Chair of the Conservative European Forum, which proceeded the Conservative Group for Europe. The group calls for close, strategic relationships with Europe advocating for close relationship with European institutions.{{cite web|url=https://www.conservativeeuropeanforum.com/people|title=Our people|website=conservativeeuropeanforum.com}}
In 2021 Hammond was censured by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) for an "unacceptable" breach of the ministerial code{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/former-tory-minister-stephen-hammond-mp-broke-ministerial-code-acoba-2021-2?r=US&IR=T|title=A second former Conservative health minister has been censured by the UK's anti-corruption watchdog|website=Business Insider}} for failing to seek their advice before taking a second job with the Public Policy Projects thinktank.
Following the publication of the Sue Gray report into Partygate, Hammond revealed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson.{{cite web |last=Buchan |first=Lizzy |date=26 May 2022 |title=Senior Tory demands Boris Johnson resigns – and suggests he lied to Parliament |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-senior-tory-demands-boris-27069702 |access-date=27 May 2022 |website=Mirror }}
In September 2023, Hammond announced that he would stand down at the 2024 general election.{{cite news |title=Wimbledon: Tory MP Stephen Hammond to stand down at next election |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66818427 |website=BBC News |access-date=16 September 2023 |date=15 September 2023}}
= Summer-born campaign =
In Parliament, Hammond has been an advocate of giving summer-born and premature children the right to start school a year later, to give them extra time for development. In October 2015 he held an adjournment debate on this issue, arguing that "summer-born children can suffer from long-term development issues and a lag in educational standards". and highlighting the inconsistent treatment of these children by councils. In response, Nick Gibb MP, the Minister of State for Schools, set out plans in a letter to all schools to change the school admissions code to allow summer-born children to start reception class at the age of 5.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summer-born-children-nick-gibbs-letter-about-school-admissions|title=Summer-born children: Nick Gibb's letter about school admissions|website=gov.uk|access-date=1 May 2017}}
In October 2016, Hammond held another adjournment debate on this topic, urging the Government to take action more quickly and to provide a timetable for the changes.
Personal life
Hammond has been married to Sally Hammond since 1991. The couple live in Wimbledon Park and they have one daughter.{{cite web|url=http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/12891418.ELECTION_2015__Get_to_know_the_candidates_who_want_to_be_the_next_Wimbledon_MP/|title=ELECTION 2015: Get to know the candidates who want to be the next Wimbledon MP|website=Wimbledon Guardian|date=15 April 2015 |access-date=13 April 2017}} He employs his wife as his Office Manager on an annual salary of over £45,000,{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/11706561/One-in-four-MPs-employs-a-family-member-the-full-list-revealed.html|title=One in five MPs employs a family member: the full list revealed|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=28 April 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/11927/stephen_hammond/wimbledon|title=Stephen Hammond MP, Wimbledon|website=theyworkforyou.com|accessdate=15 February 2018}} making her one of only six MP's assistants paid more than £40,000.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/despite-expenses-scandal-136-mps-still-employ-family-members-2350952.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/despite-expenses-scandal-136-mps-still-employ-family-members-2350952.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Despite the expenses scandal, 136 MPS still employ family members|website=Independent.co.uk|date=7 September 2011}}
Hammond used to play hockey for a National League team and for his county. He continued to play veterans hockey for Wimbledon.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.stephenhammond.net/ Stephen Hammond MP] official site{{UK MP links | parliament = stephen-hammond/1585 | publicwhip = stephen_hammond | theywork = stephen_hammond}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130727193051/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/h/24241/Stephen+HAMMOND.aspx Debrett's People of Today]
- {{cite web |url=https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2015/05/27/parliamentary-insiders-clean-up-mps-wikipedia-pages/ |title=Parliamentary insiders clean up MPs' Wikipedia pages |work=Sophos News |date=27 May 2015}}
- {{C-SPAN|1018283}}
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{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Roger Casale}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Wimbledon|years=2005–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Paul Kohler}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Mike Penning}}
{{s-ttl|title=Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport|years=2012–2014}}
{{s-aft|after=Claire Perry}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammond, Stephen}}
Category:Alumni of Queen Mary University of London
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Independent members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom
Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Merton
Category:People educated at King Edward VI School, Southampton
Category:Politicians from Southampton