Gregory William Hands (born 14 November 1965) is a British politician serving as Minister for London and Minister of State for Trade Policy since November 2023. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chelsea and Fulham, previously Hammersmith and Fulham, since 2005. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as its Chairman from February to November 2023.[1] Hands has served as Minister of State for Trade Policy under four prime ministers, holding the office on four occasions, and also served as Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth from 2021 to 2022.
Greg Hands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Official portrait, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister of State for Trade Policy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 13 November 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Himself | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 9 October 2022 – 7 February 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Liz Truss Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Conor Burns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Himself | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 13 February 2020 – 15 September 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Conor Burns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Penny Mordaunt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 15 July 2016 – 21 June 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | George Hollingbery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 13 November 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Paul Scully | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 13 June 2017 – 9 January 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Gavin Barwell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jo Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of Parliament for Chelsea and Fulham Hammersmith and Fulham (2005–2010) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 May 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Iain Coleman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Majority | 11,241 (24.0%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 14 November 1965 New York City, New York, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Citizenship | British American | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Irina Hundt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Dr Challoner's Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Robinson College, Cambridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hands has been the MP for Chelsea and Fulham since 2010; the constituency was created that year by the splitting of the former constituencies of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham. Prior to these boundary changes, he served as the MP for the Hammersmith and Fulham constituency from 2005.
Hands served in Prime Minister David Cameron's Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2015 until 2016. He voted for the UK to remain in the European Union during the 2016 Brexit referendum.[2] Following the referendum vote and Cameron's consequent resignation, Hands was demoted by the new Prime Minister Theresa May to a junior ministerial position at the Department for International Trade. Following the snap 2017 general election, Hands retained his position as Minister of State for Trade and Investment but also undertook the Minister for London role, replacing Gavin Barwell who lost his seat. Hands resigned in 2018, citing his opposition to the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport, but returned to the position as Minister of State for Trade Policy in February 2020 under Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In September 2021, Hands was appointed Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth. Following Johnson's resignation in 6 September 2022, Hands left that position and briefly returned to the backbenches before being appointed to his former role as Minister of State for Trade Policy by Prime Minister Liz Truss on 9 October 2022. Following Truss’s resignation, he was retained as Trade Minister by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Following the dismissal of Nadhim Zahawi in January 2023, Hands was promoted to Chairman of the Conservative Party by Sunak on 7 February 2023, but was sacked from this role on 13 November 2023. The same day, he was appointed to the role of Minister of State for Trade Policy.[3] He was appointed Minister for London for a second time a day later.
Early life and career edit
Gregory Hands was born on 14 November 1965 to British parents in New York City.[4] He lived in the United States until he was seven years old and his family moved back to the UK.[5] He was educated at state schools in England,[6] and completed his secondary education at Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham in 1984.[5]
During his gap year Hands worked in a swimming pool in Berlin where he gained the nickname “Tapper”; he became interested in the Eastern Bloc, visiting Prague and other Eastern European cities on future holidays.[5]
He went on to attend Robinson College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a first in Modern History in 1989. He joined the Conservative Party as a student, served as the chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association, and was on the Executive Committee of the Cambridge University Students' Union.[5]
Hands spent eight years after university in banking.[6] He worked on trading floors in derivatives at the City of London and New York City until 1997.[5]
Political career edit
Hands was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in 1998. He became the leader of the Conservative group in 1999, remaining in that capacity until 2003.[5]
In opposition edit
At the 2005 general election, Hands was elected to Parliament as MP for Hammersmith and Fulham, winning with 45.4% of the vote and a majority of 5,029.[7]
In his maiden speech on 26 May 2005, Hands referred to the fact that the BBC was the largest employer in his constituency and that Hammersmith Broadway was the busiest road interchange in Europe.[8]
Hands quickly became interested in the subject of MPs expenses, causing the whips to attempt to dissuade him.[6]
In 2007, Hands was selected to be the Conservative candidate for the new Chelsea and Fulham parliamentary constituency. His previous seat of Hammersmith and Fulham was abolished for the 2010 general election, with Hammersmith having its own seat (being fought by Shaun Bailey for the Conservatives), and Fulham joining Chelsea in a new seat. In January 2009, Hands was appointed to the Conservative front bench team as a shadow Treasury minister. He also became the Parliamentary chairman of Conservative Friends of Poland.[9]
In government edit
Cameron–Clegg coalition edit
At the 2010 general election, Hands was elected as MP for the newly-created constituency of Chelsea and Fulham, winning with 60.5% of the vote and a majority of 16,722.[10] After the election, Hands served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne, having shadowed the Treasury in opposition.[11][12]
On 14 October 2011, Hands was appointed as an assistant government whip in the House of Commons as a consequence of the mini-reshuffle following the resignation of Liam Fox as Secretary of State for Defence.[13]
In 2013, Hands voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage in England and Wales.[14]
Hands was appointed Government Deputy Chief Whip and Treasurer of the Household in October 2013. In March 2014, he was sworn as a Privy Counsellor, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable" for life.[15]
Majority Cameron government edit
At the 2015 general election, Hands was re-elected as MP as Chelsea and Fulham with an increased vote share of 62.9% and a decreased majority of 16,022.[16][17][18] Following the election, Hands was promoted by David Cameron to the Cabinet inthe position of Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Hands campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union in the 2016 Brexit referendum.[2] In the lead-up to the referendum, Hands led the Chelsea and Fulham Britain Stronger in Europe campaign.[19] During the campaign, Hands issued warnings of the consequences for the UK should it leave the European Union, saying that the country would face "profound consequences" including "fewer jobs, higher prices in our shops and less money for our public services like the NHS".[20] A strong advocate of international trade, he described the European Union's Single Market as being the "most complete commitment to free trade that exists".[21]
May government edit
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In the 2016 reshuffle following the EU referendum and Theresa May's appointment as Prime Minister, he was made Minister of State for Trade Policy at the newly formed Department for International Trade.[22]
Following the referendum, Hands argued that the UK should leave the European Union with a deal.[23] To justify his changed position regarding the UK outside of the European Union, Hands argued that in "the long term" the UK could "independently conclude better contracts with third countries".[24] Hands voted against the Withdrawal Agreement in the first Meaningful Vote, but voted in favour of it in the second and third meaningful votes, stating that the deal had been improved.[25][26]
At the snap 2017 general election, Hands was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 52.6% and a decreased majority of 8,188.[27][28][29]
Following the Grenfell Tower fire which killed 71 people, Hands called for the Notting Hill Carnival to be moved. He said, "We have to ask ourselves if it is appropriate to stage a Carnival in the near proximity of a major national disaster." The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, dismissed Hands' proposal.[30][31]
On 21 June 2018, Hands resigned his ministerial post to vote against a third runway at Heathrow Airport.[32]
Following the third defeat of the Brexit withdrawal agreement in the House of Commons in March 2019, Hands co-chaired the Prosperity UK Alternative Arrangements Commission. This body looked at alternatives to the Irish backstop.[33]
Alongside former neighbouring MPs Justine Greening and Zac Goldsmith, Hands has been critical of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham's April 2019 decision to close Hammersmith Bridge to motor vehicles, and has called for the bridge to be promptly repaired and re-opened.[34]
During the 2019 Conservative leadership election, Hands was one of the first MPs to declare their support for Jeremy Hunt.[35] During the campaign, Hands wrote to Boris Johnson requesting that he review the Government's decision to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport.[36] Hunt ultimately lost the contest to Johnson in the final round.
Johnson government edit
Hands was again re-elected at the 2019 general election, with a decreased vote share of 49.9% and an increased majority of 11,241.[37][38]
Hands was appointed Minister of State for Trade Policy in the second Johnson ministry during the 2020 cabinet reshuffle.[39]
In May 2020, Parliament's Standards and Privileges Committee censured Hands for misusing public funds relating to stationery and pre-paid House of Commons envelopes.[40] In November 2021, Hands followed his party three line whip to vote to overhaul the Standards and Privileges Committee.[41]
Truss government edit
Hands was appointed Minister of State for Trade Policy on 9 October 2022.[42]
Sunak government edit
Following the firing of Nadhim Zahawi in January 2023, Hands was appointed as his replacement as Chairman of the Conservative Party in a subsequent cabinet reshuffle. As chairman, Hands was responsible for party administration and the organisation of the Conservative Campaign Headquarters.[1][43] In the November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle, Hands was replaced as Conservative Party chairman, though King Charles III approved a request to make Hands Minister of State for Trade Policy.[44] Returning to his previous brief, he joked, "I even kept my business cards from last time."[45] Hands was made Minister of London as well.[46]
Personal life edit
Hands has dual American/British nationality.[47] He lives in Fulham[5] with his German wife Irina,[48] and their son and daughter.[5] Hands says that he speaks five European languages, including German and Czech.[49]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, his father, Edward, died with COVID-19 in a UK care home.[50]
Hands supports Plymouth Argyle and has appeared as a guest at supporters' association events.[51]
References edit
- ^ a b "Sunak reshuffle: Shapps named energy secretary in department shake-up". BBC News. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ a b "EU vote: Where the cabinet and other MPs stand". BBC News. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ "The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ Sylvester, Rachel (30 June 2018). "Greg Hands: 'I was true to my word on Heathrow. People have a right to expect that'". The Times. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "About Greg". Greg Hands MP. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ a b c Gimson, Andrew (16 April 2014). "Profile: Greg Hands – the next Conservative Chief Whip?". Conservative Home. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Hansard Debates for 26 May 2005". parliament.uk. 26 May 2005. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016.
- ^ "Who We Are". Conservative Friends of Poland. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Profiles: David Cameron's ministerial line-up". Financial Times. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
- ^ "Brown slow to defend bail-out chief". Financial Times. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2017.[dead link]
- ^ "Ministerial Appointments". GOV.UK. 14 October 2011.
- ^ "MP-by-MP: Gay marriage vote". BBC News. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ "Orders for 5 March 2014" (PDF). Privy Council Office. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ election result "General Election 7 May 2015 - Hammersmith & Fulham". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015. 3Aug15
- ^ "Chelsea & Fulham parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Hands, Greg [@GregHands] (8 January 2019). "I led the Remain campaign locally" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Cooper, Goolistan (7 May 2016). "MP campaigns against Brexit, says could cost 100k jobs & harm NHS". getwestlondon. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ Swinford, Steven (3 May 2016). "Brexit will cost 100,000 jobs, Cabinet minister warns". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "PM Theresa May makes more ministerial changes". BBC News. 17 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
- ^ "September Brexit Update from Greg Hands". Greg Hands MP. 6 September 2019.
- ^ Reichert, Isabella (11 December 2019). "Brexit: Wahlkampf mit dem Konservativen Greg Hands". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ "Brexit: How did my MP vote on the withdrawal agreement?". BBC News. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ "Summer Brexit Update from Greg Hands MP". Greg Hands MP. 20 August 2019.
- ^ "Candidates for Chelsea and Fulham Constituency 2017 general election". Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Chelsea and Fulham Parliamentary constituency". BBC. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Rawlinson, Kevin (7 July 2017). "Sadiq Khan rejects call to move Notting Hill carnival after Grenfell fire". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
- ^ Pasha-Robinson, Lucy (7 July 2017). "Tory minister wants to move Notting Hill Carnival because of Grenfell Tower fire disaster". The Independent. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ "Greg Hands quits as minister over Heathrow expansion". BBC News. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
- ^ "Tory MP Greg Hands: We've found a solution to the Brexit backstop". Belfast Telegraph. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ Sheppard, Owen (19 April 2019). "'We demand Hammersmith Bridge is repaired and re-opened' say MPs". MyLondon. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ Hands, Greg (4 June 2019). "I cannot imagine a better prime minister than Jeremy Hunt". The Times. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ Hands, Greg [@GregHands] (23 June 2019). "I have today written to @BorisJohnson asking him to set up a Review into the Heathrow 3rd Runway, similar to the one he announced yesterday on HS2, if he becomes Prime Minister" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Candidates for Chelsea and Fulham Constituency 2019 general election" (PDF). London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ^ "BBC News: Chelsea & Fulham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. December 2019.
- ^ "Minister of State for Trade Policy". GOV.UK. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- ^ "Committee on Standards Publishes Report on Greg Hands". UK Parliament. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- ^ "Committee on Standards – Motion as amended". TheyWorkForYou. mySociety. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
- ^ "Greg Hands named trade minister after Conor Burns sacking". BBC News. 9 October 2022.
- ^ Sparrow, Andrew (7 February 2023). "Rishi Sunak reshuffle: Greg Hands set to be next Tory party chair, reports say – live updates". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ "Ministerial appointments: November 2023". www.gov.uk. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ Scott, Jennifer (14 November 2023). "Rishi Sunak's reshuffle: David Cameron makes surprise return as foreign secretary - here's who is in and out of cabinet". Sky News. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ Joshi, Jitendra (14 November 2023). "Former Tory Party chairman Greg Hands becomes minister for London after Paul Scully ousted". Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ Muir, Hugh (6 November 2008). "Diary". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Waugh, Paul (17 January 2018). "International Trade Minister Greg Hands Reveals His Son Wept Over Brexit Vote". HuffPost. Oath. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
- ^ Hands, Greg [@GregHands] (18 October 2017). "This is the letter I wrote to all 11,000+ EU nationals in Chelsea & Fulham last month. Very good response. Blew the postage budget though" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ McGuinness, Alan (17 April 2020). "Coronavirus: Government minister Greg Hands reveals father's death linked to COVID-19". Sky News. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "40th Anniversary Celebration". PLYMOUTH ARGYLE SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION LONDON BRANCH. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2020.