Rory Stewart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rory Stewart
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Stewart in 2023
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| Secretary of State for International Development | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 May 2019 – 24 July 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Penny Mordaunt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Alok Sharma | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Roderick James Nugent Stewart
January 3, 1973 British Hong Kong |
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| Political party | Independent (from 2019) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Shoshana Clark
(m. 2012) |
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| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent |
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| Residences | South Kensington, London, England Dufton, Cumbria, England |
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| Alma mater | Balliol College, Oxford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance | United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Branch/service |  British Army |
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| Years of service | 1991–1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank |  Second Lieutenant (on probation) |
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| Unit |  Black Watch |
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Roderick James Nugent Stewart (born 3 January 1973) is a British academic, writer, and former politician. He has taught at famous universities like Harvard University and Yale University. Currently, he teaches and helps lead a program at Yale's Jackson School of Global Affairs.
Stewart was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Penrith and The Border from 2010 to 2019. He was part of the Conservative Party. He also served in the UK Government in several important roles. These included Minister of State for Environment (2015–16), International Development (2015–16), Africa (2016–18), and Prisons (2018–19). Later, he became the Secretary of State for International Development in 2019. In 2019, Stewart ran to become the leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister. Since 2022, Stewart has co-hosted a popular podcast called The Rest Is Politics with Alastair Campbell.
Rory Stewart was born in Hong Kong. He went to schools like the Dragon School and Eton College, and then studied at the University of Oxford. He worked as a diplomat in Indonesia and as a British representative in Montenegro. After this, he took a long walk across countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. He wrote a best-selling book, The Places in Between, about his adventures. He also worked in Iraq after the 2003 invasion and wrote another book, Occupational Hazards or The Prince of the Marshes, about his time there. In 2005, he helped start the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Kabul. From 2008 to 2010, he was a professor at Harvard University.
In 2010, Stewart was elected to the House of Commons. He became the chair of the Defence Select Committee in 2014. He served as a minister under David Cameron and Theresa May. When Theresa May resigned, Stewart ran for leader of the Conservative Party. His campaign was known for his unique use of social media and his opposition to a "no-deal Brexit." He resigned from the cabinet when Boris Johnson became prime minister in July 2019.
On 3 September 2019, Stewart was removed from the Conservative Party because he voted against the government's plan for Brexit. On 3 October 2019, he announced he had left the Conservative Party and would not be an MP anymore. He later planned to run as an independent candidate for the London mayoral election but decided not to in May 2020. In 2023, his book, Politics on the Edge, was published.
Stewart was the president of GiveDirectly from 2022 to 2023. He was also a visiting fellow at Yale Jackson from 2020 to 2022, teaching about politics. In March 2022, he started The Rest Is Politics podcast with Alastair Campbell.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Roderick James Nugent Stewart was born in 1973 in Hong Kong, which was then under British rule. His father, Brian Stewart, was a diplomat. His family comes from Scotland.
Stewart spent his early years in London, then lived in Malaysia and Hong Kong. He returned to Britain for boarding school at age 8. He attended the Dragon School and Eton College.
As a teenager, he was a member of the Labour Party. In 1991, during his gap year, he served briefly in the Black Watch army regiment.
He studied medieval history and philosophy, politics and economics (PPE) at the University of Oxford. While at Oxford, Stewart was a private tutor to Prince William and Prince Harry during the summer.
Diplomatic Career
Working in Indonesia and Montenegro
After university, Stewart joined the Foreign Office. He worked in the British embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 1997 to 1999. He worked on issues related to East Timor's independence. At 26, he became the British Representative to Montenegro after the Kosovo War.
Time in Iraq
After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Stewart was appointed as a Deputy Governorate Co-ordinator in two provinces in southern Iraq in 2003. His jobs included holding elections, solving local disputes, and starting development projects. He was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his work during this time. While Stewart first supported the Iraq War, he later felt the invasion was a mistake because the international efforts did not create a better state.
Books and Media Work
Travel and Writing
In 2000, Stewart took time off from the Foreign Office to walk across Asia. This journey lasted over eighteen months, covering parts of Iran, Pakistan, and the Indian and Nepali Himalayas. He finished with a 36-day solo walk across Afghanistan in early 2002. He usually walked 20–25 miles a day, staying in village houses. He has also walked across parts of Western New Guinea and much of the United Kingdom.
His book about his walk across Afghanistan, The Places in Between, became a New York Times bestseller. It was called a "flat-out masterpiece" and won several awards. The book was even adapted into a radio play.
His book about his 1,000-mile walk in the borderlands between England and Scotland, The Marches: Border Walks With My Father, also became a bestseller.
Writing on Politics
Stewart's book The Prince of the Marshes: and other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq shares his thoughts on the intervention in Iraq. Critics noted his honest picture of the challenges in creating a stable Iraqi state.
He also co-authored Can Intervention Work? in 2011. This book looked at lessons from conflicts in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan for international intervention.
Stewart has written many essays for magazines and newspapers. He has also appeared on television and radio, including BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.
In September 2023, his book Politics on the Edge was published. It is a personal story of his years in politics, from becoming an MP to his leadership bid. It quickly became a bestseller in the UK.
Television Appearances
In January 2010, Stewart presented a BBC Two documentary series called The Legacy of Lawrence of Arabia.
In 2012, he wrote and presented Afghanistan: The Great Game – A Personal View by Rory Stewart for the BBC. This documentary explored foreign involvement in Afghanistan from the 19th century to today and won a Scottish BAFTA award.
In 2014, Stewart wrote and presented another two-part BBC Two documentary. It was about the history of "Britain's lost middleland" near the Anglo-Scottish border.
Podcasts
Stewart hosted the BBC Radio 4 Podcast The Long History Of Argument, where he discussed the history of debates.
In March 2022, Stewart launched a podcast, The Rest Is Politics, with Alastair Campbell. They discuss current political news stories.
Academic and Non-Profit Work
Non-Profit Work
In late 2005, Stewart helped set up the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Afghanistan. This organization works to restore historic buildings, manage finances, and establish clinics and schools. Stewart left his role as executive chairman in May 2010.
From 2021 to 2023, Stewart and his family lived in Jordan. There, he worked on a Turquoise Mountain Foundation project to restore a Roman site and create jobs.
In August 2022, GiveDirectly announced that Stewart would be the president of their organization.
Academic and Policy Work
In July 2008, Stewart became a professor at Harvard University and director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. He left this role to campaign for Parliament. In 2020, he returned to academia as a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute.
Stewart has often advised leaders in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada on issues in Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2009, he spoke to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, suggesting that a large American military presence in Afghanistan could be harmful. He believed a smaller force could handle al-Qaeda and help achieve long-term goals.
In September 2020, he became a fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. He teaches politics and international relations to students there. In January 2024, he became a professor of Grand Strategy at Yale.
Member of Parliament
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Representing Penrith and The Border
Stewart decided to run for Parliament after changes in the Conservative Party. He joined the party in 2009. He was chosen as the candidate for Penrith and The Border and was elected as an MP on 6 May 2010. In the 2015 election, he significantly increased his majority. In the 2017 election, he still won with a large majority.
In July 2010, Stewart apologized for a blog post about his constituents. He had mentioned that some people in the area used twine to hold up their trousers. He later explained he was trying to show that behind Cumbria's beauty, there were areas of poverty.
Stewart helped bring broadband internet to Cumbria in 2011. He also supported campaigns to keep the Penrith cinema and fire station open. He helped secure funding for disabled access at Penrith Station and for flood defenses in Cumbria.
National Roles Before Becoming a Minister
When he joined the House of Commons, Stewart was elected to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. He also chaired groups like the APPG for Mountain Rescue. In May 2014, he was elected chair of the Defence Select Committee. He was the youngest person to chair a select committee at that time.
His speech about hedgehogs in Parliament in 2015 was praised as one of the best speeches of the year.
Stewart led a campaign to expand broadband and mobile phone coverage. His efforts led to mobile companies being required to provide coverage to 98% of the population.
In January 2014, Stewart was asked to lead a government review into why some British veterans become criminal offenders. The review looked at ways to improve support for veterans.
As chairman of the Defence Select Committee, Stewart pushed for a stronger response to Russian actions in Ukraine. The committee also argued that Britain should do more in Iraq and Syria.
In July 2014, Stewart launched a project called Hands Across The Border. It aimed to build a stone monument called 'The Auld Acquaintance' near the Scotland–England border to celebrate the Union. Many people contributed stones with personal messages.
Ministerial Positions
Environment Minister
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After the 2015 election, Stewart became a minister at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). His responsibilities included the natural environment, national parks, and floods.
As 'floods minister', he helped lead the National Flood Resilience Review in 2016. He also started the Cumbria Floods Partnership after Storm Desmond to focus on long-term flood defense.
As environment minister, he introduced a 5 pence tax on plastic bags in England from October 2015. This tax greatly reduced the use of plastic bags. He also worked on a 25-year environment plan, emphasizing the importance of human cultural features in the landscape, like small family sheep farms. He secured more funding for national parks and supported the UNESCO World Heritage bid for the Lake District.
Minister of International Development: Middle East and Asia
In July 2016, Stewart was promoted to Minister of State for International Development. In this role, he was responsible for UK development programs in the Middle East and Asia. He traveled widely, meeting with leaders in countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Myanmar.
Minister of Foreign Office and International Development: Africa
In 2017, Stewart was promoted to a joint position as a minister in both the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development. He took responsibility for the Foreign Office and its embassies in Africa, as well as development programs in Africa. He visited many African countries and met with their presidents. He was a key figure in developing the British Government's new strategy for Africa.
Prisons and Probations Minister
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Stewart became Minister of State for Prisons in January 2018. This role involved overseeing prisons and probation in England and Wales. He took on this role after a critical report about the state of HMP Liverpool prison. Stewart visited the prison and promised to improve conditions.
In April 2018, Stewart helped pass a law that doubled the maximum sentences for those who attack emergency services personnel.
In August 2018, Stewart launched the Ten Prisons Project. He believed that violence in prisons could be reduced by improving security and staff training. He promised to resign if the project was not successful within 12 months. The results published in August 2019 showed a 16% drop in assaults and a 50% drop in positive drug tests in these prisons, showing a positive trend.
Secretary of State for International Development
In May 2019, Stewart was promoted to the cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development. This position included being a full member of the UK Cabinet and the National Security Council. He also served as a governor for international banks like the World Bank.
His three main goals in this role were to double the UK's investment in the environment and climate change, increase the number of UK development staff on the ground, and focus on the response to Ebola. He worked to make these priorities part of his department's plan. He also increased the UK's contribution to Ebola programs and visited outbreak sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Stewart felt he could not serve under Boris Johnson, who became prime minister in July 2019. So, he resigned from the cabinet on 24 July 2019.
Conservative Party Leadership Election
Stewart was a candidate in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election. His campaign was not initially taken seriously. He adopted an unusual campaigning style, going on "RoryWalks" where he filmed himself talking to voters on the streets of Britain. These videos were shared on social media and became very popular.
On 13 June, he passed the first parliamentary vote, gaining more support than expected. On 16 June, he appeared in a televised debate on Channel 4 and was widely seen as having performed well. However, he was eliminated in the next round of voting on 19 June 2019.
Independent Politician
Leaving Parliament
On 3 September 2019, Stewart and 20 other Conservative MPs voted against the government's plan to prevent a "no-deal Brexit." As a result, they were removed from the Conservative Party and had to sit as independent MPs. Stewart said he was informed of this decision by text message.
On 3 October 2019, Stewart announced he had resigned from the Conservative Party and would not stand as an MP in the next general election. He confirmed his resignation on Twitter, saying it had been a privilege to serve his constituency.
London Mayoral Candidate
In October 2019, Stewart announced he would run as an independent candidate in the 2021 London mayoral election. He planned to walk through each of London's 32 boroughs as part of his campaign. He also invited Londoners to let him stay in their homes to understand the city better.
The mayoral election was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 6 May 2020, Stewart ended his mayoral campaign, saying it was impossible to continue campaigning for another year against larger party budgets.
Political Views
Stewart describes himself as a centre-right, one-nation conservative. He was a strong supporter of former prime minister, Theresa May. He is often seen as part of the moderate wing of the Conservative Party.
As an MP, Stewart supported fox hunting, viewing it as an important cultural tradition in Cumbria.
In a 2024 interview, Stewart described himself as a "passionate monarchist" and a "strong friend of the king."
Before the 2024 United States presidential election, Stewart predicted that Kamala Harris would "win comfortably" against Donald Trump. After Trump's victory, Stewart admitted he was "completely wrong" and had engaged in "wishful thinking."
Brexit Stance
Stewart supported remaining in the European Union during the 2016 referendum. After the vote, he argued for a "sensible, moderate deal" for Brexit. He believed Britain should leave the EU's political institutions but stay close to Europe diplomatically, politically, and economically.
He supported the Brexit withdrawal agreement negotiated by Theresa May. He later advocated for the UK to remain in a Customs Union with the European Union. He also suggested that a citizens' assembly could help find a compromise on Brexit.
Stewart was always against a "no-deal Brexit." He voted against it in Parliament, which led to him being removed from the Conservative Party.
Personal Life
In 2012, Stewart married Shoshana Clark. They have two sons, born in November 2014 and April 2017. Stewart delivered their first child himself.
Stewart lives in South Kensington, London, and Dufton, Cumbria. He is a member of the Athenaeum Club and the Special Forces Club. He is said to be good at many languages. From 2021 to 2023, Stewart and his family lived in Jordan for his work with the Turquoise Mountain Foundation.
Awards and Honours
- Order of the British Empire, Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Civil Division (2004)
- Ondaatje Prize of The Royal Society of Literature (2005)
- Livingstone Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (2009)
- Ness Award of the Royal Geographical Society (2018)
- British Academy Scotland Award for documentary (2014)
- Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards for writing (2005)
- Politician of the Year award of British GQ (2019)
- Prize del Camino del Cid (2009)
- Honorary doctorate from the University of Stirling Doctor of the University (D.Univ) (23 November 2009)
- Honorary doctorate from the American University of Paris (2011)
- Honorary doctorate from the University of Cumbria (2023)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (2005)
- Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (FRSGS) (2009)
- He became a member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council on 3 May 2019. This gave him the honorific style "The Right Honourable".
- The Gold Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Public Discourse from the College Historical Society of Trinity College Dublin
Books
- The Places in Between, Picador, 2004
- Occupational Hazards: My Time Governing in Iraq, Picador, 2006
- Can Intervention Work? Amnesty International Global Ethics Series, co-authored with Gerald Knaus, W. W. Norton & Company, 2011
- The Marches: Border Walks With My Father, Jonathan Cape, 2016
- Politics On the Edge: A Memoir from Within, Jonathan Cape, 2023
See also
In Spanish: Rory Stewart para niños
