Damian Patrick George Hinds[2] (born 27 November 1969) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for East Hampshire since 2010. He previously served as Secretary of State for Education under Theresa May from 2018 to 2019; he has also held junior ministerial positions under four Prime Ministers.
Damian Hinds | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | |
| In office 8 July 2024 – 4 November 2024 | |
| Leader | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Bridget Phillipson |
| Succeeded by | Laura Trott |
| Minister of State for Schools | |
| In office 13 November 2023 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Nick Gibb |
| Succeeded by | Catherine McKinnell |
| Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation | |
| In office 27 October 2022 – 13 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Rob Butler |
| Succeeded by | Edward Argar |
| Minister of State for Security and Borders[a] | |
| In office 13 August 2021 – 7 July 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | James Brokenshire |
| Succeeded by | Stephen McPartland |
| Secretary of State for Education | |
| In office 8 January 2018 – 24 July 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Justine Greening |
| Succeeded by | Gavin Williamson |
| Minister of State for Employment | |
| In office 17 July 2016 – 8 January 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Priti Patel |
| Succeeded by | Alok Sharma |
| Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 12 May 2015 – 13 July 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Priti Patel |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Jones[b] |
| Assumed office 6 May 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Mates |
| Majority | 1,275 (2.5%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 November 1969 Paddington, London, England[1] |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Education | St Ambrose College |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Oxford |
| Website | damianhinds |
Hinds was appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury by David Cameron in 2015. He was moved to the post of Minister of State for Employment in 2016 after Theresa May’s appointment as prime minister. In May's 2018 cabinet reshuffle he was promoted to Secretary of State for Education. He lost this position following Boris Johnson's appointment as prime minister in 2019. He returned to government in 2021 as Minister of State for Security and Borders. He returned to the backbenches on 7 July 2022, resigning in protest to Johnson's leadership. He was appointed Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October 2022, before becoming Schools Minister in November 2023.
Early life and career
editDamian Hinds was born on 27 November 1969 in Paddington, London. He was educated at St Ambrose College, a voluntary aided Roman Catholic grammar school in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester. Hinds studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Trinity College, University of Oxford, attaining a first class degree. Whilst at Oxford, he served as President of the Oxford Union.
Before becoming an MP, Hinds spent 18 years working in the brewing and hotel industries, in Britain and abroad.[3]
Parliamentary career
editHinds stood as the Conservative candidate in Stretford and Urmston at the 2005 general election, coming second with 30.4% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Beverley Hughes.[4]
In government
editAt the 2010 general election, Hinds was elected as Member of Parliament for East Hampshire with 56.8% of the vote and a majority of 13,467.[5]
Hinds sat on the Education Select Committee between 2010 and 2012.[6] He was also a member of the Public Bill Committee for the Defence Reform Act 2014.[7]
At the 2015 general election, Hinds was re-elected as MP for East Hampshire with an increased vote share of 60.7% and an increased majority of 25,147.[8]
In the run-up to the referendum of 2016, he campaigned in favour of the UK remaining in the European Union.[9] He was made Minister of State for Employment by Prime Minister Theresa May on 17 July 2016.
Hinds was again re-elected at the snap 2017 general election with an increased vote share of 63.6% and an increased majority of 25,852.[10]
In the 2018 cabinet reshuffle[11] he was appointed as Secretary of State for Education, succeeding Justine Greening, who resigned rather than changing position.[11]
In January 2018, Hinds spoke in Parliament about his interest in the Catholic education sector and the admissions rules that apply to faith free schools.[12]
During his tenure as education secretary, Hinds introduced First Aid and CPR courses to school curriculums and launched a campaign to increase awareness of the importance of technical skills and apprenticeships' education.[13][14]
Hinds lost his post as education secretary on 24 July 2019 following the appointment of Boris Johnson as prime minister.[15]
At the 2019 general election, Hinds was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 58.8% and a decreased majority of 19,696.[16][17]
Hinds returned to government on 13 August 2021 as Minister of State for Security following the resignation of James Brokenshire on health grounds.[18] In a cabinet reshuffle on 15 September 2021 his ministerial title changed to Minister of State for Security and Borders.[19] He resigned as minister on 7 July 2022, amid the July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis.[20]
In opposition
editAt the 2024 general election, Hinds was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 36.9% and a decreased majority of 1,275.[21]
On 8 July 2024, Hinds was appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Education in Rishi Sunak's shadow cabinet.[22][23]
Personal life
editHinds married Jacqui Morel, a teacher, on 11 August 2007.[24] They have three children.[25]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Interview with Damian Hinds MP". This Is Alton. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
- ^ "No. 59418". The London Gazette. 13 May 2010. p. 8742.
- ^ "About Damian". Damian Hinds.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Damian Hinds MP". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
- ^ "House of Commons Public Bill Committee on the Defence Reform Bill 2013–14". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds: 'We need to regain your trust'". Farnham Herald. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- ^ "Hampshire East parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
- ^ a b Coughlan, Sean (8 January 2018). "Damian Hinds new education secretary, replacing Justine Greening". BBC News. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- ^ "Catholic Schools (Admissions) Debate 30 April 201" (PDF). Catholic Union. Hansard. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- ^ "Education Secretary Damian Hinds adds first aid and CPR to school curriculum". PoliticsHome.com. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ "New Apprenticeship Campaign 'Fire It Up' launches". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ Whieldon, Fraser (24 July 2019). "Education secretary Damian Hinds OUT". FE Week. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ "General Election 2019 results | East Hampshire District Council". Archived from the original on 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Constituencies | UK results: Conservatives win majority", Election 2019, BBC News.
- ^ Mason, Rowena; Grierson, Jamie (13 August 2021). "Damian Hinds to be security minister after Johnson U-turn over Priti Patel". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- ^ "Ministerial appointments: September 2021". GOV.UK. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- ^ Dugan, Emily (7 July 2022). "Government crisis: more ministers resign from cabinet". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ "East Hampshire - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "UK politics live: Lord Cameron resigns as Rishi Sunak announces interim shadow cabinet". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "UK politics live: Lord Cameron resigns as Rishi Sunak announces interim shadow cabinet". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ Barton, Tom (11 August 2007), Cutting the cake, retrieved 2 August 2020
- ^ Giles, Rhys. "Who is Damian Hinds?". blog.teamsatchel.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
External links
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