Nick de Bois MP answers ConHome's Twenty Questions for the Class of 2010

Here is the latest in our series of Twenty Questions with members of the Class of 2010...

Nick de Bois was elected MP for Enfield North with a majority of 1,692.

1. What is your earliest political memory? Aged 15 - The two general elections of 1974 and the 3 day week.

2. Complete the sentence: “I’m a Conservative because… I believe the individual should be bigger than  the State, and that personal choice is matched by individual responsibility."

3. Who is your political hero and why? Margaret Thatcher:sShe liberated the economy and empowered less privileged people to go for it - I was one of them.

4. When did you decide you wanted to become an MP?  1997 - I thought it was time to stop being an armchair critic and 'put up or shut up'.

5. What is your reading material of choice? Biogs, the Telegraph and the Times, ConHome and trashy political thrillers.

6. Who is your favourite political interviewer/presenter on TV or radio? Andrew Marr.

7. If you could run any government department, which would it be and why? Business - I want to liberate the small and medium sized companies from massive over-government, and empower the individual once again to set up and run their own companies.

8. Which non-Conservative politician do you most admire? Tony Benn

9. Who would you least want to get stuck with in a House of Commons lift? The Chief Whip, if I had ever failed to attend a vote.

10. If you were in the US, would you be a Republican or a Democrat? Reagan Republican.

11. What do you enjoy doing to unwind and relax? Gym, walking, watching black and white films like Casablanca.

12. What is your favourite book? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré.

13. What is your favourite film? Casablanca closely followed by It's a Wonderful Life.

14. What is your favourite music? I am nostalgic for 60's and 70's rock and pop.

15. What would be your ideal meal and where would you eat it? Dinner with my wife at the same place where we were married last year.

16. What is your favourite holiday destination? Annapolis, Maryland.

17. What do you most want to achieve during your first term in Parliament? Demonstrate to my constituents that a local politician can make a difference, is accessible, and represents the constituency first and foremost.

18. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about yourself. I wrote a children's storybook years ago but no one wanted to publish it and I am currently teaching myself the Sax.

19. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about your constituency. Barclay's Bank in Enfield Market Place was home to the world's first ATM.

20. Share with us your most amusing story or favourite anecdote from the campaign trail. Making progress down a street canvassing, I stopped at a house where there was a Conservative poster in one of the bedroom windows. The owner of the house, a man in his late forties, came to the door, took one look at my rosette and said: “You're wasting your time here, not the right colour - hop it!” Confused, I mentioned the poster in the window, suggesting someone else in the house might take a different view. He stepped out of the house, looked up at the window and said “why, that little so and so”, shut the door and I heard him rushing up the stairs. A second later, a young teenager was seen taking the poster down - clearly he had only put it up to wind up his Dad!

> Previously: Alun Cairns MP

Here is the latest in our series of Twenty Questions with members of the Class of 2010...

Nick de Bois was elected MP for Enfield North with a majority of 1,692.

1. What is your earliest political memory? Aged 15 - The two general elections of 1974 and the 3 day week.

2. Complete the sentence: “I’m a Conservative because… I believe the individual should be bigger than  the State, and that personal choice is matched by individual responsibility."

3. Who is your political hero and why? Margaret Thatcher:sShe liberated the economy and empowered less privileged people to go for it - I was one of them.

4. When did you decide you wanted to become an MP?  1997 - I thought it was time to stop being an armchair critic and 'put up or shut up'.

5. What is your reading material of choice? Biogs, the Telegraph and the Times, ConHome and trashy political thrillers.

6. Who is your favourite political interviewer/presenter on TV or radio? Andrew Marr.

7. If you could run any government department, which would it be and why? Business - I want to liberate the small and medium sized companies from massive over-government, and empower the individual once again to set up and run their own companies.

8. Which non-Conservative politician do you most admire? Tony Benn

9. Who would you least want to get stuck with in a House of Commons lift? The Chief Whip, if I had ever failed to attend a vote.

10. If you were in the US, would you be a Republican or a Democrat? Reagan Republican.

11. What do you enjoy doing to unwind and relax? Gym, walking, watching black and white films like Casablanca.

12. What is your favourite book? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré.

13. What is your favourite film? Casablanca closely followed by It's a Wonderful Life.

14. What is your favourite music? I am nostalgic for 60's and 70's rock and pop.

15. What would be your ideal meal and where would you eat it? Dinner with my wife at the same place where we were married last year.

16. What is your favourite holiday destination? Annapolis, Maryland.

17. What do you most want to achieve during your first term in Parliament? Demonstrate to my constituents that a local politician can make a difference, is accessible, and represents the constituency first and foremost.

18. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about yourself. I wrote a children's storybook years ago but no one wanted to publish it and I am currently teaching myself the Sax.

19. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about your constituency. Barclay's Bank in Enfield Market Place was home to the world's first ATM.

20. Share with us your most amusing story or favourite anecdote from the campaign trail. Making progress down a street canvassing, I stopped at a house where there was a Conservative poster in one of the bedroom windows. The owner of the house, a man in his late forties, came to the door, took one look at my rosette and said: “You're wasting your time here, not the right colour - hop it!” Confused, I mentioned the poster in the window, suggesting someone else in the house might take a different view. He stepped out of the house, looked up at the window and said “why, that little so and so”, shut the door and I heard him rushing up the stairs. A second later, a young teenager was seen taking the poster down - clearly he had only put it up to wind up his Dad!

> Previously: Alun Cairns MP

Here is the latest in our series of Twenty Questions with members of the Class of 2010...

Nick de Bois was elected MP for Enfield North with a majority of 1,692.

1. What is your earliest political memory? Aged 15 - The two general elections of 1974 and the 3 day week.

2. Complete the sentence: “I’m a Conservative because… I believe the individual should be bigger than  the State, and that personal choice is matched by individual responsibility."

3. Who is your political hero and why? Margaret Thatcher:sShe liberated the economy and empowered less privileged people to go for it - I was one of them.

4. When did you decide you wanted to become an MP?  1997 - I thought it was time to stop being an armchair critic and 'put up or shut up'.

5. What is your reading material of choice? Biogs, the Telegraph and the Times, ConHome and trashy political thrillers.

6. Who is your favourite political interviewer/presenter on TV or radio? Andrew Marr.

7. If you could run any government department, which would it be and why? Business - I want to liberate the small and medium sized companies from massive over-government, and empower the individual once again to set up and run their own companies.

8. Which non-Conservative politician do you most admire? Tony Benn

9. Who would you least want to get stuck with in a House of Commons lift? The Chief Whip, if I had ever failed to attend a vote.

10. If you were in the US, would you be a Republican or a Democrat? Reagan Republican.

11. What do you enjoy doing to unwind and relax? Gym, walking, watching black and white films like Casablanca.

12. What is your favourite book? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré.

13. What is your favourite film? Casablanca closely followed by It's a Wonderful Life.

14. What is your favourite music? I am nostalgic for 60's and 70's rock and pop.

15. What would be your ideal meal and where would you eat it? Dinner with my wife at the same place where we were married last year.

16. What is your favourite holiday destination? Annapolis, Maryland.

17. What do you most want to achieve during your first term in Parliament? Demonstrate to my constituents that a local politician can make a difference, is accessible, and represents the constituency first and foremost.

18. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about yourself. I wrote a children's storybook years ago but no one wanted to publish it and I am currently teaching myself the Sax.

19. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about your constituency. Barclay's Bank in Enfield Market Place was home to the world's first ATM.

20. Share with us your most amusing story or favourite anecdote from the campaign trail. Making progress down a street canvassing, I stopped at a house where there was a Conservative poster in one of the bedroom windows. The owner of the house, a man in his late forties, came to the door, took one look at my rosette and said: “You're wasting your time here, not the right colour - hop it!” Confused, I mentioned the poster in the window, suggesting someone else in the house might take a different view. He stepped out of the house, looked up at the window and said “why, that little so and so”, shut the door and I heard him rushing up the stairs. A second later, a young teenager was seen taking the poster down - clearly he had only put it up to wind up his Dad!

> Previously: Alun Cairns MP

Here is the latest in our series of Twenty Questions with members of the Class of 2010...

Nick de Bois was elected MP for Enfield North with a majority of 1,692.

1. What is your earliest political memory? Aged 15 - The two general elections of 1974 and the 3 day week.

2. Complete the sentence: “I’m a Conservative because… I believe the individual should be bigger than  the State, and that personal choice is matched by individual responsibility."

3. Who is your political hero and why? Margaret Thatcher:sShe liberated the economy and empowered less privileged people to go for it - I was one of them.

4. When did you decide you wanted to become an MP?  1997 - I thought it was time to stop being an armchair critic and 'put up or shut up'.

5. What is your reading material of choice? Biogs, the Telegraph and the Times, ConHome and trashy political thrillers.

6. Who is your favourite political interviewer/presenter on TV or radio? Andrew Marr.

7. If you could run any government department, which would it be and why? Business - I want to liberate the small and medium sized companies from massive over-government, and empower the individual once again to set up and run their own companies.

8. Which non-Conservative politician do you most admire? Tony Benn

9. Who would you least want to get stuck with in a House of Commons lift? The Chief Whip, if I had ever failed to attend a vote.

10. If you were in the US, would you be a Republican or a Democrat? Reagan Republican.

11. What do you enjoy doing to unwind and relax? Gym, walking, watching black and white films like Casablanca.

12. What is your favourite book? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré.

13. What is your favourite film? Casablanca closely followed by It's a Wonderful Life.

14. What is your favourite music? I am nostalgic for 60's and 70's rock and pop.

15. What would be your ideal meal and where would you eat it? Dinner with my wife at the same place where we were married last year.

16. What is your favourite holiday destination? Annapolis, Maryland.

17. What do you most want to achieve during your first term in Parliament? Demonstrate to my constituents that a local politician can make a difference, is accessible, and represents the constituency first and foremost.

18. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about yourself. I wrote a children's storybook years ago but no one wanted to publish it and I am currently teaching myself the Sax.

19. Tell us one interesting, unusual or surprising fact about your constituency. Barclay's Bank in Enfield Market Place was home to the world's first ATM.

20. Share with us your most amusing story or favourite anecdote from the campaign trail. Making progress down a street canvassing, I stopped at a house where there was a Conservative poster in one of the bedroom windows. The owner of the house, a man in his late forties, came to the door, took one look at my rosette and said: “You're wasting your time here, not the right colour - hop it!” Confused, I mentioned the poster in the window, suggesting someone else in the house might take a different view. He stepped out of the house, looked up at the window and said “why, that little so and so”, shut the door and I heard him rushing up the stairs. A second later, a young teenager was seen taking the poster down - clearly he had only put it up to wind up his Dad!

> Previously: Alun Cairns MP