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 Conservative Party politician. He was 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. He served in this role until 2015.
From 2010 to 2012, he worked as a Minister of State. This job was in the Department of Energy and Climate Change. He decided not to run for MP again in the 2015 election.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Charles Hendry was born in 1959. His father worked as a stockbroker. Charles went to Rugby School in Warwickshire.
He 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, Charles worked in public relations. He was an account manager for six years. From 1988 to 1990, he was a special adviser. He helped the Secretaries of State for Social Security. Before becoming an MP, he was a senior consultant.
Charles Hendry's Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Charles Hendry began his political activities early. In 1980, he was a vice-chairman. This was for the Scottish Federation of Conservative Students. The next year, he was elected vice-chairman. This was for the Battersea Conservative Association.
He ran for Parliament twice before winning. In 1983, he ran in Clackmannan, Scotland. He came third in that election. In 1987, he ran in Mansfield. He lost by a very small number of votes. It was one of the closest elections that year.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Charles Hendry was first elected to the House of Commons in 1992. He became the MP for High Peak. He won this seat with a good majority.
In Parliament, he joined a committee. This was the procedure select committee. He was a member for three years. In 1994, he became a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS). He worked for William Hague, a Minister of State. He also briefly served as PPS to Gillian Shephard. She was the Secretary of State for Education.
He also worked on the Northern Ireland select committee. In 1995, he became a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party. He held this role until 1997. In 1997, he lost his seat in the election.
Return to Parliament
Charles Hendry was re-elected to Parliament in 2001. This time, he became the MP for Wealden. He won this new seat with a large majority.
After his re-election, he was appointed an Opposition Whip. This means he helped organize his party's MPs. In 2003, he became a spokesman. He spoke on matters of Education and Skills. He suggested creating "first time voter packs." These would help young people get involved in politics.
Later, he became a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party again. From 2005, he was a spokesman for trade and industry. He also served on the culture, media, and sport select committee. He was also a vice-chairman for several all-party groups. These included groups on endometriosis, the Internet, and management.
Ministerial Role and Later Career
In 2008, Charles Hendry became a Shadow Minister of State. This role focused on Energy and Climate Change. In May 2010, he became the actual Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change. He held this important job until September 2012.
After leaving his ministerial role, he became Chairman of Forewind. This company works on offshore wind farms. He also became a Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for the UK Youth Parliament. This organization helps young people get involved in democracy.
From 2012, he served as a Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy. He worked to improve trade with countries like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. In 2013, he announced he would step down as an MP. He did not run in the 2015 general election.
In 2015, he was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. This gave him the title of The Right Honourable. In 2019, he received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award. This was for his work in UK trade and investment.
Personal Life
Charles Hendry married Sallie Moores in 1995. They have two sons together. He also has two stepchildren. In 2011, they bought Blair Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Images for kids
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Charles Hendry (centre) during his time as MP for High Peak
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Charles Hendry speaking in 2013
