Edward Timpson

Early life

Timpson was born in Knutsford, Cheshire, in 1973. His father, John, is the CEO and owner of the Timpson chain of shoe repair and key-cutting shops, which has been in the family for five generations and has over 550 stores in the UK and Ireland. Timpson grew up with a brother, sister and over 80 children fostered by his parents.

He was educated at Uppingham School and Durham University (Hatfield College), where he studied politics before converting to law. He became a barrister in 1998. From 1999, he has practised in Chester as a family law barrister.

First years in the Commons

In July 2007, Timpson was selected as the Conservative candidate for the Crewe and Nantwich constituency, an area which had been represented by the Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody since 1974. After Dunwoody died in April 2008, a by-election was called for May 2008. In the run up to the by-election, Timpson was the target of a "toff" campaign by Labour, trying to paint him as "a rich man" who would not "understand the problems that people face day-to-day" in contrast to their candidate, Gwyneth Dunwoody's daughter Tamsin Dunwoody. The Conservative campaign focused on local issues, such as crime and antisocial behaviour, closure of post offices and problems at Leighton Hospital, where two women in labour were turned away, as well as national issues - referring to Dunwoody as "Gordon Brown's candidate" and capitalising on dissatisfaction with the Labour government, in particular the removal of the 10p tax rate.

On 22 May 2008, Timpson was elected MP, gaining 20,539 votes (49% of the vote), a swing from Labour of 17.6%. This was the Conservative's first gain in a by-election since 1982. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 16 June 2008. Timpson served on the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee. He is a Vice-President of Conservative Friends of Poland.

Since 2010

Following his re-election on 7 May 2010, Timpson was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary of Theresa May, the Home Secretary. In September 2012, he was appointed as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families at the Department for Education.

Timpson was named "Minister of the Year" in 2014 for pushing through reforms increasing the age of leaving foster care from 18 to 21, an initiative he had originally championed as a backbench committee chair. Timpson credited his childhood experiences of living with a large family of fostered children.

Edward Timpson was re-elected on 8 May 2015 for the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich. It was announced by David Cameron on 11 May 2015 that Edward Timpson would become Minister of State for Children and Families at Department for Education.

Edward Timpson voted for Remain in the 2016 EU membership referendum. He lost his seat at the 2017 election.

Personal life

In June 2002, Timpson married Julia Still in south Cheshire. Since then he has lived in Cheshire, 13 miles from Crewe, with his wife and three children (including a son born February 2004 and a daughter born November 2005).

Timpson has completed six marathons, including the New York marathon in 2007 and the London Marathon in 2008, raising over £4,500. Outside politics Timpson is a fan of football, both watching and playing.