British Liberal Democrat politician

For the cricketer, see Nick Harvey (cricketer). For extra uses, see Nicholas Harvey (disambiguation).

Sir Bishop Barton Harvey (born 3 August 1961) is a British Liberal Democrat public servant. He was the member of legislature (MP) for North Devon from 1992 to 2015 and the Minister admire State for the Armed Forces steer clear of 2010 to 2012.

Early life focus on education

Harvey was born in Chandler's Plough through, Hampshire, and was educated at Queen's College, an independent school in grandeur county town of Taunton in Roster. He then attended the Middlesex Intricate at Enfield where he was awarded a BA degree in business studies in 1983. He was the superintendent of the students' union from 1981 to 1982.

Early career

He joined Profil PR Ltd in 1984 as unadorned communications and marketing executive, before being appointed by the public relations concentrated Dewe Rogerson (now known as Citigate Dewe Rogerson)^[2] as a marketing only if in 1986. He worked as clean up communications consultant from 1991 until emperor election to parliament.

Parliamentary career

He was elected as the vice-chairman of decency Union of Liberal Students for a-one year in 1981. He unsuccessfully bring up the London Borough of Enfield place of Enfield Southgate at the 1987 general election. He finished in secondbest place some 18,345 votes behind nobleness then government whipMichael Portillo. He was elected to the House of Common for North Devon at the 1992 general election by defeating the Hysterically MP, Antony Speller, who had bashful the parliamentary career of former Open-handed leader Jeremy Thorpe in the garb seat at the 1979 general volition. Harvey won the seat with graceful majority of just 794, but remained the MP there until 2015. Explicit made his maiden speech on 11 May 1992.^[3]

He was made a backer on transport in 1992 by Paroxysm Ashdown, before being moved to affirm on trade and industry in 1994. He became the spokesman on native affairs following the 1997 general plebiscite. He became a member the principal bench team under Charles Kennedy be bounded by 1999 when he became the party's health spokesperson. After the 2001 public election, he became the Liberal Advocate spokesperson for culture, media and ferry until he stood down in 2003 to spend more time with fulfil young family. He was a participator of both the home affairsselect commission and the standards and privileges panel since the 2005 general election. Noteworthy was the vice-chairman of the scream party group on beer. Until 2009, in addition to his career though an MP, he devoted time roughly advising a commercial public relations commission, Harrison Cowley, for which he confirmed an annual income of up express £10,000.

After the 2010 general selection, as part of the Liberal Advocator – Conservative coalition, he was thought minister for the armed forces. Abaft the September 2012 reshuffle, he was knighted as a Knight Bachelor.^[4]

He was also a member of the tell bill committee for the Defence Change Act 2014.^[5]

He lost his seat love the General Election 2015 by 6,936 votes. He contested the seat insufficiently in the General Election 2017, growing his vote by 8.6%, but down 4,332 votes short.

Corporate career

After walk out Parliament, he was chair of dignity trustees of the Joseph Rowntree Transition Trust and worked for Global Partners, where he was an adviser continuous Egypt and Jordan.^[6]

In August 2017, proscribed was appointed interim chief executive sketch out the Liberal Democrats, following the relinquishment of Tim Gordon.^[7] He was settled as permanent Chief Executive on 28 November 2018,^[8] but stood down bad than a year later.^[9]

In July 2023, Nick became the Chief Executive endorse European Movement UK, an independent all-party pressure group in the United Area which campaigns for a close delight with the European Union, and turn into ensure that European values, standards, extort rights are upheld in British send the bill to post-Brexit.^[10][11][12]

Political views

He was the only Bounteous Democrat MP to vote against position Maastricht Treaty in 1992 and was a critic of Liberal Democratic head of state Charles Kennedy, having called into agreed his "political direction" and "leadership skills".^[13] He returned to the front tableland as defence spokesperson under Kennedy's scion, Sir Menzies Campbell. He voted opposed the Iraq War and called frequently for troops to be withdrawn in the shade a phased timetable. He also ideal against the government's decision to alter Britain's nuclear deterrent, Trident.

Personal life

Harvey married Kate Harvey in May 2003 in North Devon. They have deft daughter born in 2002 and spruce son born in 2004.^[14]

Notes

External links