Paul Holmes (Eastleigh MP)

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Paul Holmes
Official portrait, 2020
Assistant Government Whip
Assumed office
25 April 2024
Prime MinisterRishi Sunak
Preceded byRuth Edwards
Member of Parliament
for Eastleigh
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byMims Davies
Majority15,607 (26.5%)
Personal details
Born (1988-08-25) 25 August 1988 (age 35)
Southwark, London
Political partyConservative
Alma materUniversity of Southampton

Paul John Holmes (born 25 August 1988) is a British Conservative Party politician serving as an Assistant Government Whip and Member of Parliament (MP) for Eastleigh since 2019.

Early life and education

Paul Holmes was born at

council estate in Lewisham.[1]

Holmes attended Elfrida Primary School in

Kelsey Park Sports College in Beckenham. He then went on to study Politics and International Relations at the University of Southampton
.

Political career

While a second-year student at the University of Southampton, Holmes was elected as a Conservative councillor in the 2008 Southampton City Council election, representing the Redbridge ward, a seat he gained from the Labour Party.[3][4] He served on Southampton City Council as Chair of the Planning Committee and Cabinet Member for Education and Social Services.[5][6] Holmes stood down at the 2012 council election.[4]

Holmes worked as a parliamentary researcher to Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond from 2011 to 2015. From 2015 to 2016, he was an account manager at Portland Communications.

Holmes stood in Mitcham and Morden at the 2015 general election, coming second with 23.2% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh.[7][8]

He worked as a

secretary of state for education, Damian Hinds, in 2018, and became head of public affairs at Clarion Housing Group
in the same year.

At the snap 2017 general election, Holmes stood in Southampton Test, coming second with 34.1% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Alan Whitehead.[9]

Parliamentary career

At the 2019 general election, Holmes was elected to Parliament as MP for Eastleigh with 55.4% of the vote and a majority of 15,607.[10][11]

He was elected to serve on the

Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee until January 2021, and the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments
, on which he continues to serve.

In January 2021, he was appointed as

Holmes was appointed Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party with responsibility for policy in November 2022 following Rishi Sunak forming a Government, he left this position in September 2023 when Holmes was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. In November 2023 he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary.

Holmes has been selected to contest Hamble Valley at the next general election.[14]

In April 2024, Holmes was appointed as an Assistant Government Whip.[15]

Personal life

Holmes currently lives in Hedge End. He lists his recreations as "real ale, cooking, aviation", and is a member of the Southern Parishes Conservative club.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "About Paul". Paul Holmes. Archived from the original on 23 October 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  2. ^ . Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Paul Holmes". University of Southampton. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Local Elections Archive Project — Redbridge Ward". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  5. ^ Bond, Daniel (16 December 2019). "Class of 2019: Meet the new MPs". politicshome.com. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  6. ^ "About Paul". Paul Holmes. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  8. ^ Services, CS-Democracy (7 May 2015). "Councillors". democracy.merton.gov.uk.
  9. ^ "Paul Holmes - Candidate for Eastleigh in UK Parliament elections". candidates.democracyclub.org.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  10. ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). 14 November 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Eastleigh parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  12. ^ "MP Paul Holmes quits government role over Sue Gray report". BBC News. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  13. ^ Edgley, Timothy (27 May 2022). "Eastleigh MP Paul Holmes quits role blasting Downing Street 'toxic culture' after Sue Gray report". Romsey Advertiser. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  14. ^ https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23519637.eastleighs-conservative-mp-stand-new-hamble-valley-constituency/
  15. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: 25 April 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 April 2024.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Eastleigh

2019–present
Incumbent