Bill Cash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Bill Cash
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Official portrait, 2017
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| Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee | |
| In office 8 September 2010 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Connarty |
| Succeeded by | Committee abolished |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs | |
| In office 1 July 2003 – 10 November 2003 |
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| Leader | Iain Duncan Smith |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Alan Duncan |
| Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales | |
| In office 14 September 2001 – 10 November 2003 |
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| Leader | Iain Duncan Smith |
| Preceded by | Edward Garnier |
| Succeeded by | Dominic Grieve |
| Member of Parliament for Stone |
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| In office 1 May 1997 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency re-established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of Parliament for Stafford |
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| In office 3 May 1984 – 8 April 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Hugh Fraser |
| Succeeded by | David Kidney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 May 1940 Finsbury, London, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Bridget Lee
(m. 1965) |
| Children | 3, including William |
| Alma mater | Lincoln College, Oxford |
Sir William Nigel Paul Cash (born 10 May 1940) is a British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1984 until 2024. An MP is a person elected to represent a specific area in the UK Parliament.
Sir Bill Cash is a member of the Conservative Party. He was first elected for Stafford and later for Stone in Staffordshire. He is well-known for being a strong Eurosceptic. This means he believed the United Kingdom should have less involvement with the European Union.
He was the founder of the Maastricht Referendum Campaign in the early 1990s. He also chaired the House of Commons' European Scrutiny Committee. This committee checks what the European Union is doing. Sir Bill Cash retired from Parliament in May 2024.
He was made a Knight Bachelor in 2014 for his political work. He also received the Order of the Companions of Honour in 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Sir Bill Cash was born in Finsbury, London, on 10 May 1940. He came from a family with a history in politics. Several of his relatives were Members of Parliament for the Liberal Party, including John Bright.
He grew up in Sheffield and went to a private school called Stonyhurst College. After that, he studied History at Lincoln College, Oxford. In 1967, he became a solicitor. A solicitor is a type of lawyer who gives legal advice and represents people. Since 1979, he has worked as an independent solicitor.
Family Life
Sir Bill Cash married Bridget Mary Lee on 16 October 1965. They have two sons and one daughter. One of their sons is the journalist William Cash.
Sir Bill and his wife worked to restore Upton Cressett Hall in the 1970s. This historic building was later named the 'Best Hidden Gem' heritage site in the UK in 2011. He is also a distant cousin of the famous American country musician Johnny Cash.
Time in Parliament
Sir Bill Cash first became an MP in 1984. He was elected for Stafford in a special election after the previous MP passed away. From 1997 until his retirement in 2024, he was the MP for Stone, Staffordshire.
He led several important parliamentary committees. He became the Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee in 2010. He also served on the Select Committee on European Legislation starting in 1985.
In June 2023, he was one of a few Conservative MPs who voted against punishing Boris Johnson. This was after an investigation by a special committee in Parliament.
Working on International Issues
Sir Bill Cash also led many All-Party African committees. These committees focused on countries like Kenya and Uganda. He also chaired the All-Party Committee on Malaysia.
He was the chairman of the All-Party Sanitation and Water Committee. In this role, he worked with charities like Wateraid and Tearfund to help people in developing countries. He introduced a law called the Gender Equality (International Development) Bill in 2013. This law helps make sure that overseas aid policies support equality between boys and girls, and men and women.
Many people praised this law. The Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, congratulated Sir Bill Cash in Parliament for his achievement.
Views on Europe
Sir Bill Cash is well-known for his strong views on Europe. He believed that the UK should have more control over its own laws and less influence from the European Union. This view is called Euroscepticism.
He was a key leader during the 'Maastricht Rebellion' in the early 1990s. This was when some Conservative MPs disagreed with their own government about a treaty with the European Union. This disagreement was a big event during the time John Major was Prime Minister.
In 1993, Sir Bill Cash started the European Foundation. This group supports Eurosceptic ideas. He also held other roles, like being a vice-president of the Conservative Small Business Bureau.
After Iain Duncan Smith became the leader of the Conservative Party, Sir Bill Cash was given important roles. He was the shadow Attorney general in 2001 and later the Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs in 2003. He returned to being a regular MP later that year.
In 2019, Sir Bill Cash supported the idea of a "No-deal" Brexit. This meant leaving the European Union without a special agreement.
Books and Writings
In 2011, Sir Bill Cash published a biography about John Bright. He called Bright "one of the greatest parliamentarians of all time." A biography is a book about someone's life. Many reviewers praised the book.
Besides history, Sir Bill Cash has written several books and essays about Britain's relationship with the European Union. Some of his books include It's the EU, Stupid (2011) and Against a Federal Europe: The Battle for Britain (1991). These books explain his views on why Britain should have more independence from the EU.
Parliamentary Expenses
In 2009, there were reports about Sir Bill Cash's expenses claims. He had claimed money for rent for a flat. He later agreed to pay the money back.
Sir Bill Cash was cleared of any wrongdoing after an appeal in 2010. A judge found that there was no evidence of him doing anything improper. His local party also supported him, and he received a letter of support from the Conservative leader, David Cameron.
