Mark Fletcher (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Fletcher
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Assistant Government Whip | |
| In office 14 November 2023 – 5 July 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Succeeded by | Christian Wakeford |
| Member of Parliament for Bolsover |
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| In office 12 December 2019 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Dennis Skinner |
| Succeeded by | Natalie Fleet |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 September 1985 Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Will Knock |
| Education | Ridgewood School |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge |
Mark Peter Fletcher (born 29 September 1985) is a British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolsover from 2019 to 2024. He is a member of the Conservative Party.
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Early Life and Education
Mark Fletcher grew up in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. He went to Ridgewood School. He was the first person in his family to attend university.
He studied a subject called land economy at Jesus College, Cambridge. This subject is about how land is used and managed. While at university, he was also the president of the Cambridge University Students' Union. This means he led the student body.
Political Career
Before becoming an MP, Mark Fletcher worked in the House of Lords. This is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. He was a chief of staff for a special envoy. This envoy helped with trade between the UK and countries like Uganda and Rwanda. He also worked for a private healthcare company.
Running for Parliament
Mark Fletcher ran for Parliament several times. In the 2015 general election, he ran in the Doncaster North area. He was against Ed Miliband, who was the leader of the Labour Party at the time.
Two years later, in the 2017 election, he was a candidate in Stockton North. He increased the number of votes for his party there. However, he did not win the seat.
In May 2018, he also ran in local elections in Tower Hamlets. He was one of the Conservative candidates in the Whitechapel area.
Becoming an MP for Bolsover
Mark Fletcher was chosen to be the candidate for Bolsover in the 2019 general election. He won this election. He defeated Dennis Skinner, who had been the MP for Bolsover since 1970.
After Harold Neal and Dennis Skinner, Mark Fletcher was only the third person to be the MP for Bolsover since 1950.
Work as an MP
As an MP, Mark Fletcher worked on several projects. He helped with efforts to reopen a railway line in Ashfield District. He also supported a campaign to bring back education for students over 16 to Bolsover. Another project he worked on was improving a major road junction on the M1 motorway.
In 2023, he became a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Jeremy Hunt. Jeremy Hunt was the Chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. A PPS helps a government minister with their work.
In November 2023, Mark Fletcher became an Assistant Government Whip. Whips help to make sure that members of their political party vote in a certain way.
In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, Mark Fletcher lost his seat. The new MP for Bolsover is Natalie Fleet from the Labour Party.
Political Views
Mark Fletcher supports Brexit. This means he voted for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum.
He has also shared his opinions about the BBC. He has said that he believes some of their coverage does not fairly represent working-class communities in the North and Midlands of England.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2020
