Sir John Whittingdale | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Official portrait, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 19 July 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of State for Data and Digital Infrastructure | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 9 May 2023 – 20 December 2023[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Julia Lopez | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Julia Lopez | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries[b] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 9 May 2023 – 20 December 2023[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Julia Lopez | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Julia Lopez | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 14 February 2020 – 16 September 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Nigel Adams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Julia Lopez | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 11 May 2015 – 13 July 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Sajid Javid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Karen Bradley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 14 July 2005 – 11 May 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Gerald Kaufman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Jesse Norman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of Parliament for Maldon Maldon and East Chelmsford (1997–2010) South Colchester and Maldon (1992–1997) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 9 April 1992 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John Wakeham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Majority | 6,906 (13.9%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1988–1990 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Stephen Sherbourne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Judith Chaplin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Sherborne, Dorset, England | 16 October 1959||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse |
Ancilla Murfitt
(m. 1990, divorced) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | Sandroyd School and Winchester College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University College London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sir John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale OBE (born 16 October 1959) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Maldon (and its predecessors) since 1992 and Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care since July 2024.[1] He previously served as Culture Secretary from 2015 to 2016. Whittingdale was most recently Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries and Minister of State for Data and Digital Infrastructure from May to December 2023, during the maternity leave of Julia Lopez.[2]
Whittingdale has been an MP since the 1992 general election, for a series of constituencies centred on the town of Maldon, Essex. He was Vice-Chairman of the 1922 Committee. He was a member of the Executive of Conservative Way Forward (2005–2010) and the Conservative Party Board (2006–2010).
Whittingdale served as Chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee from 2005 to 2015. He was appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by Prime Minister David Cameron in May 2015. He was one of the six Cabinet ministers to come out in favour of Brexit during the 2016 EU referendum and was afterwards a supporter of the Eurosceptic campaign Leave Means Leave. He was dismissed in July 2016 by incoming-Prime Minister Theresa May.
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