Geoff Hoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geoff Hoon
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Hoon in 2002
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| Secretary of State for Transport | |
| In office 3 October 2008 – 5 June 2009 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Ruth Kelly |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Adonis |
| Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury |
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| In office 28 June 2007 – 3 October 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Deputy | Nick Brown |
| Preceded by | Jacqui Smith |
| Succeeded by | Nick Brown |
| Minister of State for Europe | |
| In office 5 May 2006 – 28 June 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Douglas Alexander |
| Succeeded by | Jim Murphy |
| In office 28 July 1999 – 11 October 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Joyce Quin |
| Succeeded by | Keith Vaz |
| Leader of the House of Commons Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal |
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| In office 6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Deputy | Phil Woolas Nigel Griffiths |
| Preceded by | Peter Hain |
| Succeeded by | Jack Straw |
| Secretary of State for Defence | |
| In office 11 October 1999 – 6 May 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | George Robertson |
| Succeeded by | John Reid |
| Minister of State for Asia, the Pacific, Middle East and North Africa | |
| In office 9 May 1999 – 28 July 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Derek Fatchett |
| Succeeded by | Peter Hain |
| Minister of State for the Lord Chancellor's Department | |
| In office 28 July 1998 – 9 May 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Harriet Harman (2005) |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Lord Chancellor's Department | |
| In office 6 May 1997 – 28 July 1998 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Keith Vaz |
| Member of Parliament for Ashfield |
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| In office 9 April 1992 – 12 April 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Haynes |
| Succeeded by | Gloria De Piero |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Geoffrey William Hoon
6 December 1953 Derby, Derbyshire, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Elaine Dumelow |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge |
Geoffrey William Hoon (born 6 December 1953) is a British Labour Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire from 1992 to 2010. During his career, he held several important government jobs. These included Defence Secretary, Transport Secretary, and Leader of the House of Commons.
Before becoming an MP, he was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Derbyshire. He served in this role from 1984 to 1994.
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Early Life and Education
Geoff Hoon was born in Derby, England. His father was a railway worker. He went to Nottingham High School, which is an independent school. After school, he studied law at Jesus College, Cambridge, graduating in 1976.
He then taught law at the University of Leeds from 1976 to 1982. He also taught as a visiting professor at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. In 1978, he became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. He started working as a barrister in Nottingham in 1982.
Political Career Beginnings
Hoon began his political career as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). He was elected for Derbyshire in 1984 and worked in Brussels and Strasbourg for ten years. He helped create rules about people not being able to be both an MEP and a national MP at the same time.
In 1992, he was elected to the House of Commons as an MP for Ashfield. He kept this seat until the 2010 general election. For a short time, he was both an MEP and an MP.
Government Roles
After the 1997 general election, Geoff Hoon joined the government of Tony Blair. He started as a junior minister in the Lord Chancellor's Department. He was promoted to a more senior minister in the same department in 1998.
In 1999, he briefly worked at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was responsible for relations with countries in Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and North Africa. Later that year, he joined the Cabinet as the Secretary of State for Defence. This is a very important job, overseeing the country's armed forces.
After the 2005 general election, he became the Lord Privy Seal and the Leader of the House of Commons. He held these roles until 2006, when he was appointed Minister for Europe.
Secretary of State for Defence (1999-2005)
Geoff Hoon became the Secretary of State for Defence in October 1999. During his time in this role, the UK military was involved in several important events. These included helping in the Sierra Leone Civil War in 2000. They also took part in the NATO action in Macedonia in 2001.
His time as Defence Secretary was mostly focused on the start of the War on terror in 2001. This included Britain's involvement in the War in Afghanistan and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He gave evidence about the Iraq war to two inquiries: the Hutton Inquiry in 2003 and the Iraq Inquiry in 2010.
Difficult Decisions During Conflict
During the Iraq War, there were discussions about the use of certain weapons. Geoff Hoon explained that difficult choices had to be made during conflicts. He said that while the immediate effects of war could be terrible, the goal was to help countries become free from harsh rule. He believed that in the long run, this would lead to a better future for the people.
Comments on Submarine Incident
In 2004, a Canadian submarine, HMCS Chicoutimi, had a fire on board while sailing from the UK. Sadly, one crew member died. The submarine had been bought from the Royal Navy. After the incident, some in Canada blamed the UK for providing an unsafe vessel.
Geoff Hoon offered his sympathy for the crew member who died. However, he also made comments that caused controversy in Canada. Many Canadian veterans were upset by his remarks, remembering Canada's help to Britain during the World Wars.
Secretary of State for Transport (2008-2009)
In October 2008, Geoff Hoon became the Secretary of State for Transport. In this role, he was in charge of transport matters for the country.
In January 2009, he approved the expansion of Heathrow Airport. This was a big and sometimes debated project. Later that year, he launched the vehicle scrappage scheme. This plan encouraged people to trade in older, more polluting cars for newer, more environmentally friendly ones.
Later Political Career
Geoff Hoon left his job as Transport Secretary in June 2009. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family.
In January 2010, he and another former minister, Patricia Hewitt, suggested a secret vote on the leadership of Gordon Brown. However, this idea did not go forward. Brown later called this suggestion a "form of silliness."
Hoon had planned to run for re-election in 2010. But he later announced that he would step down as an MP at the next election. After leaving politics, he helped start a consulting firm. He now works as a Managing Director for a helicopter company called AgustaWestland.
Expense Claims and Investigations
In 2009, it was reported that Geoff Hoon had claimed expenses for his constituency house. This was allowed by the rules of the House of Commons. He stated that he only claimed what he was entitled to under the rules.
In 2010, Geoff Hoon was part of an investigation by a TV programme. This investigation looked into how some politicians might use their contacts for lobbying. As a result, he was suspended from the Labour Party in Parliament. Later, he was banned for a period from having an ex-members pass for the Parliament buildings. This was due to a breach of rules related to lobbying.
Images for kids
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Geoff Hoon (right) at a Pentagon briefing with Donald Rumsfeld
