Charles Hendry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Hendry
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| Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change | |
| In office 12 May 2010 – 4 September 2012 |
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| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Joan Ruddock |
| Succeeded by | John Hayes |
| Member of Parliament for Wealden |
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| In office 7 June 2001 – 30 March 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Geoffrey Johnson-Smith |
| Succeeded by | Nus Ghani |
| Member of Parliament for High Peak |
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| In office 9 April 1992 – 8 April 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Christopher Hawkins |
| Succeeded by | Tom Levitt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 May 1959 Cuckfield, Sussex, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Sallie Moores |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
Charles Hendry (born 6 May 1959) is a British politician from the Conservative Party. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for two different areas. First, he was the MP for High Peak from 1992 to 1997. Later, he became the MP for Wealden in 2001 and held that role until 2015. From 2010 to 2012, he was a Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change.
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Early Life and Education
Charles Hendry was born in Cuckfield, Sussex, England. His father worked as a stockbroker. Charles went to Rugby School and then studied at the University of Edinburgh. In 1981, he earned a degree in Business Studies. While at university, he was the president of the Edinburgh University Conservative Association in 1979.
After university, Hendry worked in public relations. He was an account manager for six years. Later, he became a special adviser for government ministers dealing with social security. Before becoming an MP, he worked as a senior consultant for a company called Burson-Marsteller.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Charles Hendry was active in politics from a young age. In 1980, he was the vice-chairman of the Scottish Federation of Conservative Students. He also served as vice-chairman of the Battersea Conservative Association for two years.
He ran for Parliament twice before being elected. In the 1983 general election, he tried to win the Clackmannan seat in Scotland but came in third place. In 1987, he ran for the Mansfield seat in Nottinghamshire. He lost by a very small number of votes, only 56 votes, making it one of the closest elections that year.
Serving in Parliament
Charles Hendry was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1992 general election. He became the MP for High Peak in Derbyshire. He won the seat with a majority of 4,819 votes.
During his time as an MP, he was part of several important committees. He was a member of the procedure select committee and the Northern Ireland select committee. He also served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to ministers in the Department of Social Security and the Department for Education and Employment. In 1995, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Conservative Party.
In the 1997 general election, Charles Hendry lost his High Peak seat. However, he was re-elected to Parliament in the 2001 general election. This time, he became the MP for Wealden in East Sussex. He won this new seat with a large majority of 13,772 votes.
After his re-election, he continued to take on important roles. He was an Opposition Whip and a spokesperson for Education and Skills. He also served as a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party again. Later, he became a spokesperson for trade and industry. He was also involved in groups that focused on topics like endometriosis, the Internet, and management.
In 2008, he became a Shadow Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change. This role meant he was part of the opposition party's team focusing on these issues. When the Conservative Party formed the government in May 2010, he became the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change. He held this important position until September 2012.
After leaving his ministerial role, he became the Chairman of Forewind, a company that develops offshore wind farms. He also served as a Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for the UK Youth Parliament, an organization that helps young people get involved in democracy.
From November 2012, Charles Hendry worked as a Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy. In this role, he helped promote trade between the UK and countries like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. In March 2013, he announced that he would not run for re-election in the 2015 general election.
In March 2015, he was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. This honor gave him the title "The Right Honourable." In 2019, he was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to UK trade and investment.
Personal Life
Charles Hendry married Sallie Moores in July 1995. They have two sons together, and Sallie also has two children from a previous marriage. In 2011, they bought Blair Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Images for kids
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Charles Hendry as Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change
