Prime Minister David Cameron Succeeded by Mike Penning Spouse Sasha Nott (m. 1996) Preceded by Paul Goggins Role British Politician | Prime Minister David Cameron Name Hugo Swire Preceded by Jeremy Browne Leader David Cameron Party Conservative Party | |
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Marriage location Kensington, London, United Kingdom Education University of St Andrews, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, St Aubyns School, Eton College Similar Priti Patel, David Cameron, Dominic Raab Profiles | ||
Celebrating Commonwealth Week 2015: Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP, Minister of State for the Commonwealth
Sir Hugo George William Swire, (born 30 November 1959) is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Devon since 2001. He was a Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In his job, he had responsibility towards India, the Far East, Latin America and the Falklands, as well as Australasia.
Contents
- Celebrating Commonwealth Week 2015 Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP Minister of State for the Commonwealth
- Uk deputy minister hugo swire press conference regarding myanmar political changes
- Early life and education
- Career
- Member of Parliament
- Minister of State for Northern Ireland
- Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- Fundraising events
- Personal life
- References
Uk deputy minister hugo swire press conference regarding myanmar political changes
Early life and education
Swire was born on 30 November 1959. His great-great-great-grandfather, John Swire (b. 1793), was the founder of the Liverpool textile trading business that later became the Swire Group, the multi-billion USD conglomerate based in Hong Kong.
Swire was educated at St. Aubyns School, a preparatory school in Rottingdean, East Sussex, United Kingdom and at Eton College, an all-boys public school in Eton, Berkshire. He studied at the University of St Andrews before going to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
Career
Before going into politics, Swire served in the Grenadier Guards.
He was a financial consultant. He later became Head of Development for the National Gallery, then Director of the auction house Sotheby's directly before his election from 1996.
Swire was non-executive chairman of Photo-Me International prior to joining the Government.
Member of Parliament
He contested Greenock & Inverclyde in 1997, finishing fourth. In 2001 he won the seat of East Devon. Two years after his election to Parliament, he became an Opposition whip. In 2004, he was promoted to become Shadow Culture Minister. He joined the Shadow Cabinet on 8 December 2005, when new leader David Cameron appointed him Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Swire was sacked in the July 2007 Conservative re-shuffle for suggesting his party would scrap free museum entry. Swire returned to the backbenches and amongst other roles became Hon. Secretary of the Conservative Middle East Council.
Minister of State for Northern Ireland
In May 2010 he was appointed Minister of State for Northern Ireland in the newly elected Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government headed by Prime Minister David Cameron.
In October 2011, Swire, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson, boycotted a meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly held at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, as the hotel had been the scene of the 1984 IRA attack on the Conservative party leadership.
In December 2011, Swire criticised a government agency, the Rural Payments Agency, based at Clyst St Mary in his East Devon constituency, for allegedly banning Christmas decorations from their offices.
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
On 6 September 2013, Swire sent letters to the South China Morning Post and Ming Pao, commenting on the universal suffrage of Hong Kong SAR, emphasising the importance of democracy. Moreover, he added that he would provide any support towards the establishment of universal suffrage in Hong Kong. In January 2015, Hong Kong’s leaders caused diplomatic ‘outrage’ after declining to meet him to discuss political reform. Swire believed the Chinese government feared it would cause pro-democracy unrest, though the purpose of the visit was also to support trade.
Swire was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2016 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours.
Fundraising events
Given his former role at Sotheby's, Swire is often invited to be the auctioneer at Tory fundraising events.
Personal life
Swire married Alexandra (Sasha) Nott, the daughter of Sir John Nott (former Conservative Secretary of State for Defence during the Falklands War) in December 1996 in Kensington. The couple have two daughters (born May 1997 and August 2001). His brothers-in-law include Julian Nott.