Shadow cabinet posts

Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
In office 6 December 2005 – 11 May 2010
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	Michael Ancram
Succeeded by	Bob Ainsworth
Shadow Foreign Secretary
In office 10 May 2005 – 6 December 2005
Leader	Michael Howard
Preceded by	Michael Ancram
Succeeded by	William Hague
Shadow Secretary of State for Health
In office 15 June 1999 – 6 November 2003
Leader	William Hague Iain Duncan Smith
Preceded by	Ann Widdecombe
Succeeded by	Tim Yeo
Shadow Constitutional Affairs Spokesperson
In office 1 June 1998 – 15 June 1999
Leader	William Hague
Preceded by	Michael Ancram
Succeeded by	George Young

Member of Parliament
for North Somerset
Woodspring (1992–2010)

In office
9 April 1992 – 30 May 2024

Preceded by

Sir Paul Dean

Succeeded by

Sadik Al-Hassan

Personal details

Born

22 September 1961 (age 63)
East Kilbride, Scotland

Political party

Conservative

Spouse

Jesme Baird

(m. 2005)

Residences

Tickenham, Somerset, England

Alma mater

University of Glasgow (MB ChB)

Medical career

Profession

General practitioner
Civilian army general practitioner

Sir Liam Fox (born 22 September 1961) is a British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for North Somerset from 1992 to 2024.

He served as the Secretary of State for International Trade from 2016 to 2019. Before that, he was the Secretary of State for Defence from 2010 to 2011. Sir Liam is a member of the Conservative Party.

Before becoming an MP, Fox studied medicine at the University of Glasgow. He worked as a GP (doctor) and a civilian army doctor. He held several government roles under Prime Minister John Major. He also served in important "shadow" roles for the opposition party. These included Shadow Health Secretary and Shadow Defence Secretary.

In 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron made him Defence Secretary. He resigned in 2011 due to concerns about a friend's access to government information.

After the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016, Theresa May appointed him as the first Secretary of State for International Trade. He was also made President of the Board of Trade. He lost his cabinet job in 2019 when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister. In 2023, he received a special honour for his public service.

Early Life & Education

Liam Fox was born on 22 September 1961 in East Kilbride, Scotland. He grew up in a Roman Catholic family with Irish heritage. His family lived in a council house, which his parents later bought. Most of his family supported the Labour Party.

He and his siblings went to state schools. He attended St Bride's High School in East Kilbride. Later, he studied medicine at the University of Glasgow. He graduated in 1983 with a medical degree. Before becoming an MP, Fox worked as a general practitioner (GP) in Beaconsfield, England. He also worked as a civilian army GP.

Parliamentary Career

Fox first tried to become an MP in 1987 for Roxburgh and Berwickshire. He came in second place.

He was first elected as an MP in 1992 for Woodspring. He won with a large number of votes. In 1993, he became a Parliamentary private secretary to the Home Secretary. He then became an Assistant Government Whip in 1994. In 1995, he was promoted to a Senior Government Whip. From 1996 to 1997, he worked at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

In 1996, he helped create a peace plan in Sri Lanka. This plan aimed to end the ethnic war there. However, it did not lead to lasting peace.

Liam Fox as Shadow Defence Secretary

Fox was re-elected as MP for Woodspring in 1997 and 2001. In 1998, he joined the Shadow Cabinet. From 1999 to 2003, he was the Shadow Secretary of State for Health.

In 2003, he helped Michael Howard become the leader of the Conservative Party. Fox then became a co-chairman of the party. He supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. As Shadow Defence Secretary, he visited Iraq several times.

He was re-elected in 2005. After this election, he became Shadow Foreign Secretary. In September 2005, Fox ran to become the leader of the Conservative Party. He wanted to focus on fixing "broken society" issues. He was eliminated in the second round of voting. David Cameron won the leadership and made Fox the Shadow Defence Secretary.

Fox supported the war in Afghanistan. He believed NATO partners should contribute more troops.

In 2010, his constituency of Woodspring was changed to North Somerset. He was elected as the MP for North Somerset. In 2013, he voted against allowing same-sex marriage in the UK. He felt it was "divisive" to change marriage for a small group.

Fox was re-elected in 2015. In 2016, he ran for Conservative Party leader again after the UK voted to leave the EU. He supported leaving the EU and wanted a quick exit. He also promised to increase defence spending. He was eliminated in the first round. Theresa May became Prime Minister and appointed him International Trade Secretary.

He was re-elected in the 2017 and 2019 general elections. In 2020, the UK government nominated Fox to lead the World Trade Organization. He made it to the second round but was not chosen.

In 2021, Fox sponsored a bill to help people with Down Syndrome. In the 2024 general election, he lost his seat to Sadik Al-Hassan.

Secretary of State for Defence

Fox with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates in 2010

Liam Fox became Secretary of State for Defence in David Cameron's government on 12 May 2010.

In July 2010, he said that the UK's finances meant the Armed Forces could not prepare for every possible danger. He suggested they might need to give up some capabilities. He also hinted that British troops stationed in Germany might be withdrawn. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) faced big budget cuts.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates escorts Fox into The Pentagon in 2010

In September 2010, Fox wrote a private letter to David Cameron. He warned against "draconian cuts" to the Armed Forces during wartime. He said such cuts would have "grave political consequences."

In February 2011, Fox criticized "ballooning" spending in his department. Major projects were over budget and delayed. He said these practices would not be allowed in the MoD anymore.

In March 2011, Fox defended the decision to reduce the number of armed forces personnel. He said it was important for those affected to know their options. He also warned that Libya could split in two during the 2011 Libyan civil war.

In May 2011, Fox disagreed with plans to greatly increase Britain's aid budget. He suggested that aid money should go to defence instead.

Defence & Security Review

Liam Fox at Chatham House in 2010

On 19 October 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans for defence cuts. These included reducing jobs in the British Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force. The RAF would lose some aircraft, and the Army would have fewer tanks. The Navy would have fewer ships.

Cameron said the defence budget would be cut by 8%. However, he insisted Britain would still meet its NATO spending target. He also announced a new cyber security program.

Resignation

It was discovered that Fox's close friend, Adam Werritty, visited him at the Ministry of Defence many times. Werritty did not have security clearance. This raised concerns about inappropriate access to government information.

An investigation found that Fox's actions broke the rules for government ministers. It also said his actions created a "security risk." Because of this, Liam Fox resigned on 14 October 2011.

Secretary of State for International Trade

After Theresa May became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in July 2016, Fox was appointed Secretary of State for International Trade. His job was to help the UK make new trade deals after Brexit.

He said he preferred a free trade agreement with the EU. This would allow Britain to negotiate better deals with other countries. In a 2016 speech, Fox said British businesses needed to export more. He called exporting a "duty."

In 2017, Fox announced a new board of trade. This board would help spread the benefits of free trade across the UK. In July 2019, he lost his cabinet role when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister.

Political Views

Finances

Fox was a shareholder in a medical education company that closed in 2010. He also received a large donation from an investment firm owner. This firm later owned a company that supplied parts for military aircraft.

In 2023, it was reported that Fox received a cash donation from a company owned by a Russian oil tycoon.

Middle East

Liam Fox in Basra, Iraq September 2008

In March 2013, Fox was a guest at a conference in Bahrain. This conference aimed to support the Bahrain government. In August 2014, Fox suggested the UK should bomb Islamist extremists in northern Iraq. This later became government policy.

Fox is a strong supporter of Israel. He is a member of a group called Conservative Friends of Israel. In 2011, he said that Israeli settlements were "illegal and an obstacle to peace."

Brexit

Fox supported leaving the EU in the 2016 EU Referendum. He calls himself a "staunch Eurosceptic." He wanted a "clean break" from Brussels to regain "national sovereignty." In 2019, he admitted that leaving without a deal could lead to the breakup of the UK.

In 2018, Fox said he would not support extending the EU transition period. He had previously said a post-Brexit trade deal "should be the easiest in human history." In 2019, he acknowledged that a deal with the US would "take time." In November 2018, he supported Theresa May's Brexit deal.

Afghanistan

Liam Fox in Afghanistan with Air Marshal Stuart Peach in 2010

In July 2010, Fox said that leaving Afghanistan too early would risk civil war. He believed it would also encourage terrorists. He said British troops should be among the last to leave.

He told MPs that UK forces were making "good progress" in Sangin. He also said that by 2014, the Afghan army and police should be able to handle their own security. After that, British troops would only work as trainers.

Liam Fox meeting with General McChrystal in Kabul, Afghanistan in July 2009

NATO

Fox strongly believes in NATO. He thinks it is key to the defence of the UK and Europe. He believes NATO should be more important than the European Union in defence matters. He has called for fairer sharing of costs among NATO countries.

European Union

He is strongly against the European Union. He opposes European defence and political integration. He believes that European defence efforts duplicate NATO's work.

Military Welfare

Fox has often said that the "Military Covenant" is broken. This means he believes the British Armed Forces are asked to do too much with too few resources. He worked with David Cameron to create a commission to improve the welfare of service members and their families. He is especially interested in mental health issues for military personnel.

US-UK Relations

Liam Fox with Rudy Giuliani and Margaret Thatcher in 2007

He strongly believes in the "Special Relationship" between the UK and the United States. He helped create "The Atlantic Bridge," a charity that promoted this relationship. The charity closed in 2011.

Freedom of the Press

In October 2013, Fox suggested that The Guardian newspaper should be prosecuted. This was after they published information about mass surveillance.

National Health Service

In January 2014, Fox said that dedicated funding for the NHS should end. He argued that despite increased spending, some health results in the UK were behind other countries.

Syria

Fox was disappointed when Parliament voted against military action in Syria. This was after chemical weapons were used there. He believed there was no need for Parliament's approval for military action. He later suggested that bombing attacks against ISIL in Iraq should extend into Syria. He also called for safe zones to be created in Syria.

Western Sahara

In January 2024, Fox supported Morocco's plan for Western Sahara. He asked the UK government to officially recognize Morocco's claim to the territory.

Personal Life

On 17 December 2005, Liam Fox married Jesme Baird. She is a doctor who works for a lung cancer charity.

He has lived in North Somerset since 1990. He currently lives in Tickenham.

In September 2013, Fox published a book called Rising Tides: Facing the Challenges of a New Era. In the book, he warns that many world institutions are not ready for 21st-century threats. He is a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Images for kids

Liam Fox in Basra, Iraq September 2008

Liam Fox facts for kids

Contents