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Revision as of 07:49, 12 June 2010 by 82.45.255.17 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Matthew Hancock | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for West Suffolk | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Spring |
| Majority | 13,050 |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
Matthew Hancock (Cheshire, United Kingdom, 2 October 1978) is a British Conservative politician, who was elected the Member of Parliament for West Suffolk at the UK general election, 2010.
Hancock grew up on a farm in rural Cheshire, attended Farndon County Primary School and King's School Chester. He gained a First class honours degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University and a Master's Degree in Economics from Cambridge University. He then worked as an Economist at the Bank of England, specialising in the housing market. In 2005 he became an economic adviser to the Conservative Economic spokesman George Osborne, later becoming Osborne's chief of staff. As part of this role he managed the Conservative Party's Treasury Team, advising on policy. He stepped down from that role in February 2010 after being selected to contest West Suffolk in the 2010 General Election. Hancock narrowly won the selection contest after four rounds of voting, beating Natalie Elphicke by 88 votes to 81 votes in the final round of voting.
He won West Suffolk in the 2010 General Election, finishing 13,050 votes ahead of his nearest challenger.
Personal life
Hancock spent two months in the Arctic, training to heave a 180 pound sled by building up his muscles towing tyres in Hyde Park at 6am. During the trip, together with other participants, he set a world record for the most northerly game of cricket played, with proceeds going to Cancer Research UK. As a result of severe frostbite, he had to be airlifted out of the Arctic, and still suffers from arthritis in one finger caused by the cold.
He lives in the constituency in Little Thurlow with his wife Martha and daughter and son.
References
- ^ Candidate biography, Conservative homepage
- ^ The Times, 26 March 2006
- ^ Newmarket Journal, 11 March 2010, accessed 9 May 2010
- 2010 election results, BBC News 7 May 2010
- Norfolk News, 1 February 2010, accessed 9 May 2010