Junior ministerial offices

Minister of State for Social Security
In office 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Nicholas Scott
Succeeded by	Alistair Burt
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security
In office 27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Ann Widdecombe
Succeeded by	Roger Evans

Shadow cabinet posts

Deputy Leader of the Opposition Senior Member of the Shadow Cabinet
In office 6 December 2005 – 11 May 2010
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Jack Straw (Acting Shadow Deputy Prime Minister)
Shadow Foreign Secretary
In office 6 December 2005 – 11 May 2010
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	Liam Fox
Succeeded by	David Miliband
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
In office 2 May 1997 – 11 June 1997
Leader	John Major
Preceded by	Ron Davies
Succeeded by	Michael Ancram
Shadow Constitutional Affairs Spokesperson
In office 2 May 1997 – 11 June 1997 Serving with Michael Howard
Leader	John Major
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Michael Ancram

Parliamentary offices

Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Life peerage 9 October 2015
Member of Parliament for Richmond (Yorks)
In office 23 February 1989 – 30 March 2015
Preceded by	Leon Brittan
Succeeded by	Rishi Sunak

Personal details

Born

William Jefferson Hague

26 March 1961 (age 64)
Rotherham, England

Political party

Conservative

Spouse

Ffion Jenkins

(m. 1997)

Education

Magdalen College, Oxford (BA)
INSEAD (MBA)

Signature

William Jefferson Hague, also known as Baron Hague of Richmond, was born on March 26, 1961. He is a British politician who has held many important roles. From 1997 to 2001, he was the leader of the Conservative Party and the Leader of the Opposition. He also served as Deputy Leader of his party from 2005 to 2010.

Hague was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond (Yorks) in North Yorkshire from 1989 to 2015. In the government led by David Cameron, he was the First Secretary of State from 2010 to 2015. He was also the Foreign Secretary from 2010 to 2014 and Leader of the House of Commons from 2014 to 2015. In November 2024, Hague was chosen to be the Chancellor of the University of Oxford, a role he will officially start in January 2025.

Hague studied at the University of Oxford and INSEAD. He became an MP in 1989. He quickly moved up in the government of John Major, becoming a Cabinet Minister in 1995 as Secretary of State for Wales. After the Conservatives lost the 1997 general election, he was elected leader of the party at 36 years old. He resigned as leader after the 2001 general election when his party did not win.

After leaving the leadership, he became an author, writing books about famous historical figures like William Pitt the Younger and William Wilberforce. He also worked as a consultant and public speaker. When David Cameron became Conservative leader in 2005, Hague returned to a senior role in the party. In 2010, he was appointed First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary in the new government. He stepped down as Foreign Secretary in 2014 and became Leader of the House of Commons. He did not run for re-election in 2015 and was later given a life peerage, which means he became a member of the House of Lords.

Early Life and Education
Political Career Highlights
Life After Parliament
- Fighting Illegal Wildlife Trade
- Royal Foundation
Personal Life
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Magdalen College, Oxford

William Hague was born on March 26, 1961, in Rotherham, England. He attended Wath Academy, a state secondary school. His parents ran a soft drinks business where he helped during school holidays.

When he was 16, Hague gained national attention by speaking at the Conservative Party's 1977 conference. He told the audience that future generations would have to live with the results of a Labour government if it stayed in power.

Hague studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Magdalen College, Oxford. He was also the President of the Oxford Union, a well-known debating society that many politicians join. After Oxford, he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from INSEAD. He then worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.

Political Career Highlights

Starting in Parliament

Hague first ran for Parliament in 1987 but was not elected. He was elected in a special election in 1989 for the area of Richmond, North Yorkshire. He became the youngest Conservative MP at the time.

In 1990, Hague joined the government as a Parliamentary Private Secretary. He quickly moved up, serving in the Department of Social Security and later becoming Secretary of State for Wales in 1995. He continued in this role until the Conservatives lost the 1997 general election.

Leading the Conservative Party

After the 1997 election defeat, William Hague was chosen as the new leader of the Conservative Party. He was 36 years old. His job was to help the party recover after their biggest election loss in the 20th century. He launched a campaign called "Listening to Britain" to reconnect with the public.

Under his leadership, the Conservatives did well in the 1999 European parliamentary elections. However, the party faced challenges and internal disagreements. Hague resigned as party leader after the 2001 general election, as the Conservatives only gained one extra seat. He was the first Conservative leader in many years who did not become Prime Minister.

Life After Leadership

After stepping down as leader, Hague became a "backbencher," meaning he was an MP but not in a government or shadow government role. He wrote a biography of the 18th-century Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger in 2004. He also wrote a book about William Wilberforce, who campaigned against the slave trade.

Hague earned a good income from various business roles and public speaking. He also supported David Cameron in the 2005 Conservative leadership election.

Returning to the Frontbench

After the 2005 general election, David Cameron became the new leader of the Conservative Party. On December 6, 2005, Hague accepted the role of Shadow Foreign Secretary. This meant he was the main spokesperson for his party on foreign affairs. He also served as a senior member of the Shadow Cabinet, acting as Cameron's deputy.

Hague often filled in for David Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions when Cameron was unavailable.

Serving as Foreign Secretary

Hague met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after his appointment as Foreign Secretary.

Hague stands with members of The Elders organisation: Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Laureate, and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in London, 2010.

Hague met Clinton's successor, Secretary of State John Kerry, in 2013.

When David Cameron became Prime Minister in 2010, his first appointment was William Hague as Foreign Secretary. This is a very important job, as the Foreign Secretary handles the UK's relationships with other countries. He was also given the special title of First Secretary of State. His first trip overseas as Foreign Secretary was to Washington, D.C., where he met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In August 2010, Hague explained his approach to foreign policy. He said that the UK's foreign policy should be based on values like human rights. He stressed that human rights are a key part of how the UK deals with other nations.

In 2013, Hague visited New Zealand and met with government ministers there. He also started the International Leaders Programme, which aims to connect and develop future global leaders.

Middle East Protests

Hague played a role in the UK's response to the protests in the Middle East and North Africa in 2011. He spoke about the need for peaceful solutions and respect for human rights. For example, he condemned the violence used by authorities in Bahrain and Libya against protesters. He called for international pressure on leaders who used force against their own people.

He also spoke about the Syrian civil war, calling for political reforms and condemning the violence. In 2012, the UK started training Syrian opposition activists and providing them with non-military equipment. Hague recognized the Syrian National Council as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. He ordered the evacuation of British diplomats from Syria due to safety concerns.

In 2013, the British Parliament voted against military action in Syria. Hague continued to urge other governments to act against the use of chemical weapons. Eventually, an agreement was reached to remove Syria's chemical weapons.

Other Foreign Policy Issues

Taliban Talks: In 2011, Hague said that Britain helped start peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He believed that negotiations were the best way to end the conflict and ensure national security.
The Euro: In 2011, Hague famously described the Euro currency as "a burning building with no exits" for some countries. He believed it was a mistake to create the system without a way for countries to leave easily.
Iran: In 2012, Hague warned about Iran's willingness to consider terrorism. He also spoke about Iran's nuclear program, saying that if Iran built a nuclear weapon, other countries in the region might do the same.
Falkland Islands: In 2012, Hague reaffirmed Britain's commitment to the Falkland Islands and the right of their people to decide their own future. He said that British military deployments to the islands were normal.
Julian Assange: In 2012, Hague stated that Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, would not be granted political asylum by the UK. He confirmed that the UK was legally required to extradite Assange to Sweden.

Leader of the House of Commons and Retirement

In 2014, William Hague announced that he would not seek re-election as an MP in 2015. He then stepped down as Foreign Secretary and became Leader of the House of Commons. In this role, he managed the government's business in Parliament.

On his last day in the House of Commons, Hague made a surprise move to change how the Speaker is elected. This caused some debate and was seen as an attempt to remove the current Speaker. The motion was not passed.

He was succeeded as MP for Richmond (Yorks) by Rishi Sunak, who later became Prime Minister.

Life After Parliament

On October 9, 2015, William Hague was made Baron Hague of Richmond. This means he became a life peer and a member of the House of Lords.

In August 2020, Hague supported Joe Biden for U.S. president. He believed that a Biden victory would be good for the UK.

Fighting Illegal Wildlife Trade

While he was Foreign Secretary, Hague and the then Duke of Cambridge (now Prince William) recognized that the illegal wildlife trade was a major criminal activity. In 2014, they created the Transport Task Force (TTF) to fight wildlife trafficking. They continue to work on this issue.

Royal Foundation

In September 2020, Hague became the chairman of the Royal Foundation. This is a charity that operates under the guidance of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Personal Life

Hague married Ffion Jenkins on December 19, 1997. She is now known as The Lady Hague of Richmond.

Hague is a vice-president of the Friends of the British Library, which helps fund new acquisitions for the British Library. He is also a patron of the European Youth Parliament UK and President of the Britain–Australia Society. He enjoys judo and learned to play the piano after the 2001 election. He also loves the natural beauty of his home county, Yorkshire.

In 2015, Hague bought a country house called Cyfronydd Hall in Wales.

Awards and Recognition

1998: The Spectator's "Parliamentarian of the Year Award"
2005: History Book of the Year for his book William Pitt the Younger
2007: The Spectator's "Speech of the Year Award"
2008: The Trustees' Award at the Longman–History Today Awards
2009: Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL)
2014: Britain-Australia Society Award for his work on UK-Australia relations
2015: Freeman of the City of London
2015: Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers
2015: Life peerage
2016: Honorary Degree from the University of York
2017: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan)
2018: Honorary Degree from Lancaster University

Images for kids

William Hague's signature
Coat of Arms granted to William Hague

William Hague facts for kids

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