Steve Baker (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Baker
FRSA
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Minister of State in the Cabinet Office | |
| In office 7 February 2024 – 5 July 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Minister of State for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 7 September 2022 – 5 July 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Liz Truss Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Conor Burns |
| Succeeded by | Hilary Benn |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union | |
| In office 13 June 2017 – 9 July 2018 |
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| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | The Lord Bridges of Headley |
| Succeeded by | Chris Heaton-Harris |
| Member of Parliament for Wycombe |
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| In office 6 May 2010 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Goodman |
| Succeeded by | Emma Reynolds |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Steven John Baker
6 June 1971 St Austell, Cornwall, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | University of Southampton St Cross College, Oxford |
| Signature | _signature.svg){kind=small} |
| Website | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1989–1999 |
| Rank | Flight lieutenant |
| Service number | 5206370Q |
Steven John Baker (born 6 June 1971) is a British former politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Wycombe from 2010 to 2024. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the UK Parliament.
Steve Baker was part of the Conservative Party. He held important government jobs, including Minister of State for Northern Ireland from 2022 to 2024. He was also a Minister of State in the Cabinet Office in 2024. Before that, he was a junior minister for leaving the European Union from 2017 to 2018.
He was also the leader of a group of Conservative MPs called the European Research Group (ERG) at different times.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Steve Baker was born on 6 June 1971 in St Austell, England. He went to Poltair School and then studied Aerospace Engineering at the University of Southampton. Later, he earned another degree in Computation from St Cross College, Oxford.
Military Service
In 1989, Steve Baker joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an engineer. He became an officer in 1992 and was promoted to flight lieutenant in 1996. He left the RAF in 1999. After his military career, he worked as a software engineer and manager.
Political Career (2010–2024)
Becoming an MP
Steve Baker was chosen to be the Conservative candidate for Wycombe in 2009. He won the election in 2010 and became the MP for the area. He was re-elected in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
Early Time in Parliament
As a new MP, Steve Baker was known for speaking his mind. He was elected to a group called the 1922 Committee in 2012. This committee is made up of Conservative MPs who don't have government jobs.
In 2015, he became a co-chair of Conservatives for Britain. This group supported the UK leaving the European Union. He later became the leader of the European Research Group (ERG), another group of Conservative MPs who wanted the UK to leave the EU.
Serving as a Minister
After the 2017 election, Steve Baker became a junior minister in the department that handled leaving the European Union. He resigned from this role in 2018 because he disagreed with the government's plans for Brexit.
Back to the Backbenches
After leaving his ministerial role, he returned to being a regular MP, sometimes called a "backbencher." He became the Deputy Chair of the ERG. In 2019, he became the Chair of the ERG again, but he stepped down in 2020.
In 2022, after Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister, Steve Baker considered running for the leadership of the Conservative Party. However, he decided not to and supported Liz Truss instead.
Return to Government
When Liz Truss became Prime Minister in September 2022, Steve Baker was appointed Minister of State for Northern Ireland. This is an important role that deals with political matters in Northern Ireland. When Liz Truss resigned, he continued in this role under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. In February 2024, he also became a Minister of State in the Cabinet Office.
In the 2024 general election, Steve Baker lost his seat in Wycombe to the Labour Party candidate. He had served as an MP for 14 years.
After Parliament
After leaving Parliament, Steve Baker has continued to be involved in political discussions. He supported Tom Tugendhat in the 2024 Conservative Party leadership election.
Political Views
Steve Baker is often described as being on the "right wing" of the Conservative Party. He is also called a "libertarian," which means he believes in a lot of personal freedom and less government control. He is a Christian.
Climate Change Views
Steve Baker has expressed some doubts about how much human activity affects climate change. He has said that he thinks bad economic decisions are a bigger threat than climate change. He was a trustee for a group called the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which has been criticized for its views on climate change.
He has also said he would prefer to encourage the production of natural gas in the UK instead of relying on wind and solar power.
Brexit Views
Steve Baker strongly supported the UK leaving the European Union (Brexit). He campaigned for it before the 2016 vote. He believes that leaving the EU gives the UK more opportunities for free trade with countries around the world.
Economic Views
He has supported the idea of returning to the gold standard for money. He also follows the ideas of the Austrian School of Economics, which focuses on individual choice and free markets.
Same-Sex Marriage
Steve Baker voted against the law that allowed same-sex marriage in 2013. He believes that marriage should be defined by private individuals, not by the government.
Parliament Procedures
He has suggested changes to how Parliament works, such as reforming "early day motions" to make debates more effective. In 2021, he proposed changes to public health laws to ensure that ministers could not impose restrictions without proper review.
In November 2023, he became a Privy Counsellor. This is an honor that allows him to use the title "The Right Honourable."
Personal Life
Steve Baker is married to Beth, who was also an officer in the RAF. He is an evangelical Christian and attends a Baptist church. For hobbies, he enjoys skydiving and advanced motorcycling. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He helped start The Cobden Centre, which is a charity that teaches about Austrian economics.
