The Hon. Arthur Nicholas Winston Soames (born 12 February 1948) is a British Conservative politician, widely known as Nicholas Soames. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person
He is Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex and was Minister of State for the Armed Forces. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Mid Sussex is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a Parliamentary system. His main political interests are defence, international relations, rural affairs and industry. Defence The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for environmental protection For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious"
He was born in Croydon and is a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, the son of Lord Soames and Baroness Soames, a nephew of the former Defence Secretary Duncan Sandys and Diana Churchill; the journalist Randolph Churchill and the actress and dancer Sarah Churchill and a great nephew of the founders of the Scout movement, Robert Baden-Powell and Olave Baden-Powell. Croydon is a large town and major commercial centre in South London, and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Arthur Christopher John Soames Baron Soames, GCMG, GCVO, CH, CBE, PC ( October 12, 1920 &ndash September Mary Soames Baroness Soames, LG, DBE (born 15 September 1922) is the widow of the Lord Soames. The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. Edwin Duncan Sandys Baron Duncan-Sandys CH PC ( 24 January 1908 &ndash 26 November 1987) was a British Politician Diana Churchill ( 11 July 1909 – 20 October 1963) was the eldest daughter of Sir Winston Churchill and Clementine Churchill A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends Major Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer Churchill, MBE ( May 28, 1911 &ndash June 6, 1968) was the son of British An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an Art form that generally refers to movement of the body usually rhythmic Sarah Millicent Hermione Tuchet-Jesson Baroness Audley ( née Churchill ( October 7, 1914 &ndash September 24, 1982) was a Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide Youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical mental and spiritual Olave St Clair Baden-Powell Baroness Baden-Powell, GBE ( February 22, 1889 – June 25, 1977) was born Olave St Clair Soames
He has been married twice. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** His first marriage (1981-1988) was to Catherine Weatherall (the sister of the Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne), by whom he has one son. He married Serena Smith (a niece of the Duchess of Grafton) in 1993. (Ann Fortune FitzRoy Duchess of Grafton GCVO (born 1920 was born Ann Fortune Smith, the daughter of Captain Evan Cadogan Eric Smith born in 1894 They have one son and one daughter.
Soames is a close friend of HRH The Prince of Wales and publicly criticised Diana, Princess of Wales during the couple's estrangement. He is a rugby union fan and admits being moved to tears by the English team's victory in the Rugby Union World Cup. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr Tears are the liquid product of a process of lacrimation to clean and lubricate the Eyes The word lacrimation may also be used in a medical or literary sense The Rugby World Cup is the premier international Rugby union competition Soames says that acts of courage, as well as military bands playing Land of Hope and Glory also can move him to tears (Broadcasting House, BBC Radio 4, 19 September 2004). Gallantry redirects here Or see Gallant for other meanings Courage, also known as bravery, will, intrepidity Usage as the national anthem of England See also National anthem of England Land of Hope and Glory has long been traditionally sung amidst much flag-waving Broadcasting House is a current affairs programme on BBC Radio 4, presented by Paddy O'Connell. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
Contents |
Career
Education and military career
After attending St. Aubyns in Sussex, he received his secondary education at Eton College. Australia See also Education Eton College, or just Eton, is a world-famous British Independent school for boys founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. Later, he studied at Mons Officer Cadet School. He served in the 11th Hussars in West Germany and Britain. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( He is currently the Honorary Colonel of the Bristol University Officer Training Corps.
Early career
In 1970 he became Equerry to the Prince of Wales. An equerry (ˈɛkwərɪ or /ɪˈkwɛrɪ/ originated from the French word "écurie" ( Stable) and related to the French word "écuyer" ( Squire In 1972 he left to work as a stock broker. A stock broker or stockbroker is a qualified and regulated professional who buys and sells shares and other securities through Market makers or In 1974, he became a personal assistant; first to Sir James Goldsmith and then in 1976 to United States Senator Mark Hatfield, whose service he left in 1978 to become a director of Lloyds Brokers. Sir James Michael Goldsmith ( February 26, 1933, Paris, France - July 18, 1997, Benahavis, Spain The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Mark Odom Hatfield (born July 12 1922 is an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. Between 1979 and 1981, he was an assistant director of the Sedgewick Group.
Parliamentary career
Soames has been an MP without interruption since the 1983 general election. Results The Conservatives won with a majority of 144 seats|} Total votes cast 30661309 He represented Crawley from 1983 up until the 1997 general election (when Labour replaced Conservatives in Crawley and in government). Crawley is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Results The election was fought under new boundaries with a net increase of eight seats compared to the 1992 election In the election he won the constituency of Mid Sussex and has remained its MP since. Civil parishes Within the District are the following civil parishes Albourne Ardingly Ashurst Wood
He has served as a Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food between 1992 and 1994, Minister of State for the Armed Forces at the Ministry of Defence under John Major between 1994 and 1997 and as the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence 2003-2005. A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with their duties The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom In British parliamentary practice the Official Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet (usually known simply as 'The Shadow Cabinet' is a group of members from Her Majesty's Loyal The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. He is also the chairman of Framlington Second Dual Trust PLC and a non-executive director of Aegis Defence Services. Aegis Defence Services is a London, UK –based Private military company with overseas offices in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq
During the rebellion by eurosceptic Conservative MPs against the Maastricht Treaty, Soames threatened to close down a meat-processing company owned by rebel Conservative MP Christopher Gill. The Maastricht Rebels were British Members of Parliament (MPs belonging to the then governing Conservative Party who refused to support the government of John The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final Christopher John Frederick Gill (born October 28, 1936) is a politician in the United Kingdom. Soames, Minister for Food at the time, said to Gill: "I will close every abattoir you own". [1]
On 9 May 2005, shortly after Michael Howard announced his intention to resign as leader of the Conservative Party, Soames resigned from the shadow cabinet. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He immediately ended speculation that he intended to stand for the post of leader, saying that he merely wanted to be free to think about and influence the future of the party. He added that he was interested in joining the executive of the 1922 Committee. In British politics, the 1922 Committee consists of all backbench Conservative Members of Parliament, though when the party is in opposition He later announced his support for David Cameron. David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966 is a British Politician and the current leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of Her Majesty's
Criticisms
Soames has been referred to in Private Eye and by some Members of Parliament as Bunter after the famously portly public schoolboy in Frank Richards' Billy Bunter books. Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical Magazine, edited by Ian Hislop. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Charles Harold St John Hamilton ( August 8 1876 – December 24 1961) was an English writer specializing in writing long-running series William George Bunter or Billy Bunter, the "Fat Owl of the Remove" is a fictional character created by Charles Hamilton (using the nom de plume of
In 1996, he was criticised by the left-wing political comedian Mark Thomas in his Channel 4 television programme, who suggested that 14 May 1996 should be National Soames Day. A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience primarily by making them laugh Mark Clifford Thomas (born 11 April, 1963) is an English Comedian, presenter political activist and reporter from south London Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) [2] Thomas accused him of dishonestly registering some inherited heirlooms, including a "three tier mahogany buffet with partially-reeded slender upright balustrade supports", as conditionally exempt works of art, which do not attract inheritance tax if the public has access to them. "Heir" and "Heiress" redirect here For the men and women fragrances endorsed by Paris Hilton see Heiress (fragrance. In the United Kingdom, Inheritance Tax was first introduced as a tax on estates in England and Wales over a certain value from 1796 then called legacy succession Public is of or pertaining to the people relating to or affecting a nation state or community opposed to private; as the public treasury a road or lake Thomas claimed the public had not been granted access. [3]
Soames, known as a bon viveur (he was once called a "one-man food mountain" by Tony Banks, Labour MP) with little appetite for political correctness, clashed with a businessman at a top Chinese restaurant in summer 2004. Anthony Louis Banks Baron Stratford ( 8 April 1943 &ndash 8 January 2006) known as Tony Banks, was a British politician Afterwards, The Sunday Times (18 July 2004, p3) dubbed him Fat Boy Dim. The Sunday Times is a Sunday Broadsheet Newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " It has been suggested that Soames was the unnamed senior Conservative at the 2004 party conference who was quoted in The Guardian as allegedly saying that "the trouble is that the Tory party is being run by Michael Howard, Maurice Saatchi and Oliver Letwin, and none of them really know what it is to be English" (The New Statesman and The Sunday Telegraph have printed a similar quote bemoaning the fact that "Saatchi, Michael Howard and Oliver Letwin are in charge; could they know how Englishmen felt?"). The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Michael Howard QC (born 7 July 1941 is a British Politician, a Conservative MP since the 1983 General Election for the constituency of Maurice Saatchi Baron Saatchi (born 21 June 1946) is the co-founder with his brother Charles, of the Advertising agencies Saatchi and Oliver Letwin (born 19 May 1956, Hampstead) is the British Member of Parliament for West Dorset, Chairman of the Policy The New Statesman is a British Left-wing political Magazine published weekly in London. For "The Daily Telegraph" in Australia see The Daily Telegraph (Australia.
According to the book Women in Parliament published in 2005, Soames has been named as the 'most sexist' MP, with several female MPs stating that he has made vulgar comments. One says they retaliated by shouting "click" at him — a reference to a claim that having sex with him was "like having a wardrobe fall on you with the key still in". It has frequently been alleged that Soames makes repeated cupping gestures with his hands, suggestive of female breasts, when women are trying to speak in parliament, to sexually harass and distract them from performing politically. [4] He is also alleged to have attempted to harass Director of Communications Alastair Campbell by phoning him and saying "you sex god, you Adonis, you the greatest of all great men. Director of Communications is a position in the private and public sectors This is about the political associate of Tony Blair for others see Alistair Campbell (disambiguation. " Unknown to Soames, he was actually speaking to Campbell's young son. [5]
Soames often heckles "Old Labour" MPs such as John Prescott during Prime Minister's Question Time. John Leslie Prescott (born 31 May 1938 is a British Labour Party Politician, former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Prime Minister's Questions ( PMQs) (officially Questions to the Prime Minister) is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom, where every He has been accused of class snobbery, due to reports that he made a habit of regularly addressing Prescott with the phrase "Mine's a gin and tonic, Giovanni, and would you ask my friend what he's having", a reference to Prescott's former employment as a ship's steward. [6]
On May 15 2008 Mr Soames was disqualified from driving for two months, fined £200 and was ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge and costs of £35 by Crawley magistrates after he pleaded guilty to riding a quad bike on a public road without insurance. A photograph of Soames driving with passengers who included three children and a pregnant woman, was taken from footage filmed by hunt saboteurs in Slaugham, West Sussex, on New Year's Day. It was given to the police and was published by the Daily Mirror.
See also
- MPs elected in the UK general election, 1983
- MPs elected in the UK general election, 1987
- MPs elected in the UK general election, 1992
- MPs elected in the UK general election, 1997
- MPs elected in the UK general election, 2001
- MPs elected in the UK general election, 2005
External links
- Nicholas Soames official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Nicholas Soames MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Nicholas Soames MP
- The Public Whip - Nicholas Soames MP voting record
- BBC News - Nicholas Soames profile 16 March 2006
- ThePeerage.com - Person Page 10627 family details
- Open Directory Project - Nicholas Soames directory category
Offices held
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by (new constituency) |
Member of Parliament for Crawley 1983–1997 |
Succeeded by Laura Moffatt |
| Preceded by Tim Renton |
Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex 1997 – present |
Incumbent |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic