Mark Field is the MP for Westminster.
Mark was born in October 1964 in the British Military Hospital
Hannover. His late father, Peter, was serving in the British Army and
his mother, Ulrike, hails from the part of Germany now in Poland.
Mark was educated in the state sector at Reading School and took a
degree in law at St Edmund Hall, Oxford in 1987. He went on to practise
as a solicitor with the leading international law firm, Freshfields. In
the mid 1990s he set up a successful publishing and recruitment
business in the City building the company up to have a staff of twelve
by 2001. Following his election as MP for the Cities of London and
Westminster in June 2001 he divested himself of his business interests
to a consortium led by his former business partner.
Mark's interests outside his political activities are local London
history, buying pictures, walking and pop/rock music. He is also a
lifelong sports fan. His first love is cricket and he occasionally
plays for the Lords and Commons team. Mark also follows soccer avidly,
especially Bury, the team he has supported since he was a young boy.
In June
2001 Mark won the Cities of London and Westminster seat with a majority
of 4499 in succession to Peter (now Lord) Brooke. At the 2005 election
his majority rose to 8095 on a 4.5% swing to the Conservatives from
second-placed Labour.
Mark was initially promoted to the Conservative Party frontbench in
June 2003 and served as an Opposition Whip until March 2004. In
November 2003 he was appointed Shadow Minister for London, where his
role included liaising with Greater London Assembly Conservative
members and our parliamentary candidates in the Capital where we
achieved the largest regional swing and secured eight MPs in seats
previously held by Labour.
Between May and December 2005, Mark was the Shadow Financial
Secretary to the Treasury. During a busy time in that position he
served on the Finance Act (No.2) 2005 and as the main Opposition
spokesman on the Floor of the House and in committee on the
Registration of Financial Services (Land Transactions) Bill 2005 and
National Insurance Contributions Bill 2005.
Between December 2005 and November 2006, Mark was Shadow Minister
for Culture and the Arts, with responsibilities including the Arts,
Heritage, Architecture and Design, Libraries, Museums and galleries,
the Royal Estates, Regional Policy and Local Government as well as
aspects of broadcasting and the National Lottery.
Currently, Mark is Secretary of the All-Party Group on
British-German Parliamentary Group and the All-Party Group on Venture
Capital & Private Equity.
Mark's previous political experience includes eight years as an
elected councillor in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
(1994-2002) and he stood as the Conservative candidate in Enfield North
in 1997. Prior to his involvement in Kensington & Chelsea, Mark
lived in Islington North where he spent two years (1989-91) as Deputy
Chairman of the local Conservatives.
Throughout his time in Parliament, Mark has initiated
debates on key local issues - Metropolitan police resourcing; Future of
St Bartholomew’s Hospital; Recycling household waste; Congestion
Charging; Commercialisation of Hyde Park and Implementation of the
Licensing Act 2003.
He has regularly contributed to debates on issues affecting the
Capital, including London’s role in the UK economy, the London
Underground, Crossrail, the London Olympics bid, ID cards, gun crime,
and various environmental and quality of life issues.
He has been regularly involved with the battle to secure the future
development of both Bart’s hospital and St Mary’s Paddington (the two
local hospitals) and is a champion for leaseholder rights over the
proposed changes in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill.
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