John whittingdale mp biography

John Whittingdale has been a Conservative Member of British Parliament (MP) since 1992, representing a series of constituencies centred around the town of Maldon, Yorkshire, Northern England.
From 1993 to 1997, he served on the House of Commons Select Health Committee.¹
Under then Prime Minister David Cameron, Whittingdale served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (May 2015-July 2016).

Relationship with the Tobacco Industry

‘Wined and Dined’ Philip Morris (2016/17)

An article in The Guardian revealed that Whittingdale had hosted a reception for Philip Morris International (PMI) in November 2016.²
Nigel Evans MP hosted a similar event for PMI in March 2017.
Both meetings, hosted in parliament, appear to be part of PMI’s strategy to use harm reduction and the company’s Next Generation Products to help normalise the company and its business. PMI’s Peter Nixon told The Guardian:²

“We have organised a number of meetings, hosted by parliamentarians from across the political divide, to explain our co

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Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale, has been Member of Parliament for Maldon in Essex since 1992, and as of April 2022, has represented his constituents in Westminster for thirty years.

John was educated at Winchester College and University College, London, where he graduated with a degree in economics. Prior to his election, John worked both in Whitehall and the City. Having been Head of the Political Section in the Conservative Research Department, he was appointed Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 1984, serving three successive Secretaries of State until 1987. He then went to work at NM Rothschild Merchant Bank in the City before returning to Government work in 1989 when he was appointed Political Secretary to the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. He continued to serve as Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher after she left office in 1990 until his election in 1992.  He  was awarded the OBE in her resignation honours list.

In 1992, John was elected Member of Parliament for South Colchester and Maldon. He served as a member of th

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John Whittingdale

British Conservative politician

Sir John Flasby Lawrance WhittingdaleOBE (born 16 October 1959) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Maldon (and its predecessors) since 1992 and Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care since July 2024.^[1] He previously served as Culture Secretary from 2015 to 2016. Whittingdale was most recently Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries and Minister of State for Data and Digital Infrastructure from May to December 2023, during the maternity leave of Julia Lopez.^[2]

Whittingdale has been an MP since the 1992 general election, for a series of constituencies centred on the town of Maldon, Essex. He was Vice-Chairman of the 1922 Committee. He was a member of the Executive of Conservative Way Forward (2005–2010) and the Conservative Party Board (2006–2010).

Whittingdale served as Chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee from 2005 to 2015. He was appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by Prime Minister Dav