Richard Fuller (Bedford MP)

Early life

Fuller was educated at Hazeldene School and Bedford Modern School (then a direct grant school), followed by University College, Oxford (1981–84) where he studied Politics, Philosophy & Economics, and Harvard Business School (1987–89) for his MBA.

Fuller was President of the Oxford University Conservative Association (OUCA) in 1983. Following the failed nomination of Conservative candidates for the Oxford University Student Union (OUSU), Oxford's student paper Cherwell ran the headline "OUCA falls apart" and Fuller lost a vote of confidence but remained in office. As President, Fuller also provided the first Conservative Party platform for the African National Congress, then a proscribed terrorist organisation in then still apartheid South Africa but not proscribed in the UK.

Professional career

Fuller joined the management consultancy company, LEK Consulting in 1984 as part of their first intake of university graduates. In 1986, Fuller transferred to Sydney to help establish the Australian practice of LEK. After Harvard Business School, he worked in South Korea, before rejoining LEK in Australia and then working for two years on assignment with the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) in Manila, Philippines. Fuller moved to the United States in 2004 and rejoined LEK in Los Angeles in 2007. In 2000, he joined the alternative assets firm, Investcorp, to help establish their technology ventures group. Fuller joined the board of the Osborne Association, a New York-based charity working with offenders and ex-offenders in 2002.

Political career

Fuller joined the Conservative party and began delivering leaflets for Trevor Skeet, the MP for Bedford during the 1979 general election. As a Young Conservative Fuller became a member of the "wet" moderate (Tory Reform Group) faction that controlled the National Young Conservatives, in opposition to Monday Club and libertarian elements attempting to wrest control of the movement.

Young Conservatives

Fuller was elected National Chairman of the Young Conservatives from 1985 to 1987, campaigning on social issues such as housing, changes to drugs policies as well as on tackling unemployment.

Fuller continued the anti-apartheid policies initiated under previous YC chairmen Iain Picton, Phil Pedley and John Guthrie. His position was backed by the YC National Conference which endorsed in a motion at the 1986 Conference despite vocal opposition from right-wing FCS members.

'This conference utterly condemns the apartheid regime in South Africa and congratulates the firm stand of the Foreign Secretary in seeking a rapid and peaceful transformation of South African society.'

After Michael Heseltine resigned from Mrs Thatcher's cabinet over the Westland helicopters dispute, Fuller provided Heseltine with his first major national party platform. In his farewell speech to the National Young Conservatives conference in 1987, Fuller declared that "I am not a Thatcherite, never have been, never will be."

National YC Report on Infiltration & Extremism

The National YC Report was passed in 1984 under Phil Pedley's Chairmanship. Fuller resisted pressure from Conservative Central Office to withdraw support from Pedley who (along with the BBC) was being sued by Harvey Proctor, Neil Hamilton and Gerald Howarth. When the BBC Governors suddenly intervened and ordered the trial be abandoned, Fuller voiced his concerns as to why the trial had been abruptly abandoned. Addressing an Eastern Area Young Conservative Conference, he said:

"I find it strange that they have apparently decided to settle now, when things appeared to be going well."

Concern grew over the actions of Malcolm McAlpine, a BBC Governor and a cousin of Alistair McAlpine, the treasurer of the Conservative Party. "He denied yesterday that he had promised Mr Hamilton that he could "deliver" the governors behind a settlement." The Times reported that: "Mr Richard Fuller, YC Chairman and a member of the group which endorsed the infiltration report by 39 votes to one, pledged financial backing to Philip Pedley who announced he was fighting on."

Parliament

Fuller stood as the Conservative candidate for the Bedford constituency in the 2005 general election, losing to the incumbent Labour MP Patrick Hall. Fuller stood again for the Bedford constituency in the 2010 general election, and was elected to office on 6 May 2010, replacing Patrick Hall. He was re-elected in the 2015 general election.