Cheryl Gillan

Cheryl Gillan was born in Llandaff, a district of Cardiff, in 1952.[4] Her father was a former British Army officer and a director of a steel company whilst her mother was a Wren.[5] She was brought up in South Wales and her family farms near Usk. She was educated at Elm Tree House and Norfolk House primary schools in Cardiff before her family left Wales when she was aged 11.[6] Gillan attended the independent Cheltenham Ladies' College and the College of Law. She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.[7]

Gillan joined the International Management Group in 1977 before becoming a director with the British Film Year in 1984. In 1986 she was appointed senior marketing consultant at Ernst & Young, becoming marketing director with Kidsons Impey 1991–1993.[7] She became a Freeman of the City of London in 1991 and is a member of the Livery of the Worshipful Company of Marketors.

Gillan served as the chairman of the Bow Group in 1987–1988 and unsuccessfully contested the Greater Manchester Central seat in the 1989 European Parliament election.[7] She was elected to the House of Commons in the 1992 general election for the Buckinghamshire seat of Chesham and Amersham. She won the seat with a majority of 22,220 and has remained the MP there since. She made her maiden speech on 25 June 1992.[8]

In her early years in Parliament, Gillan served on the Select committees for Science and Technology (1992–1995) and for Procedure (1994–1995).[7] She was also the Secretary to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Space and a board member of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology in 1995. In 1994 she was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal Viscount Cranborne.[7]

In July 1995 Gillan joined the government as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Education and Employment.[7] In this role she expanded the specialist schools programme to include arts and sports colleges, something she considers to be one of her proudest achievements in politics.[5] After the 1997 general election—with the Conservatives now in Opposition—she became a spokesperson for Trade and Industry as well as for Education in June 1997 (with there being so few Conservative MP's left that several held more than one shadow post) and then, from June 1998, shadow minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and International Development.[9] From September 2001 until June 2003 she served in the whip's office. In December 2003 she became Shadow Minister for Home, Constitutional and Legal Affairs.[9]

Gillan represented the British Islands and the Mediterranean on the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) from 2000 until 2003 and was later elected treasurer of the CPA from 2003 until 2006.[7]

In 2009, Gillan was criticised in both The Daily Telegraph and local newspaper the Bucks Free Press for her expenses claims. The Telegraph revealed she had claimed for dog food on her second home allowance.[29] Gillan described the claim as a "mistake" and said she would be repaying it.[30] Gillan also claimed £305.50 to cure "noise problems" with her boiler. When questioned, Gillan said the boiler had broken down and that the claim was within the rules.[30] It was also revealed that Gillan had attempted to claim more money for her gas bill than it was actually worth; the Commons Fees Office refused to pay the full amount.[29]

Gillan was also the subject of criticism from the Bucks Free Press, which revealed Gillan had claimed £8,450 for food and £4,335 for cleaning. It was also revealed that Gillan employed her husband, aged 82, as an 'Office Manager/Researcher'.[31] Gillan wrote to the Bucks Free Press to complain that "insinuating language" had been used.[32]

Following a review of MPs expenses by Sir Thomas Legg, Gillan was also found to have claimed £1,884 more than her mortgage bill was actually worth. The mortgage was on a second home in Battersea, despite the fact that at the time she had a home in her constituency, which lies on the London Underground network.[32] Gillan was ordered to repay the money. On 30 March 2010, it was announced that future MPs from Gillan's constituency would not be allowed to claim for a second home after the 2010 election.[31]

Gillan was married to John Coates "Jack" Leeming from 1985 until his death, aged 91, on 23 March 2019.[33] Her husband was employed using parliamentary expenses.[31] Her interests include singing (she is a member of the Parliamentary Choir), gardening, golf and keeping chickens.[5] Gillan now lives in Epsom.[28]

• Miss Cheryl Gillan (1952–1985)
• Mrs Cheryl Gillan (1985–1992)
• Mrs Cheryl Gillan MP (1992–2010)
• Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan MP (2010–2017)
• Rt Hon Dame Cheryl Gillan DBE MP (2017–present)

• Cheryl Gillan MP official constituency website
• Cheryl Gillan MP Conservative Party profile
• Chesham & Amersham Conservatives
• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
• Voting record at Public Whip
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
• Debrett's People of Today
• Cheryl Gillan MP Welsh Conservative Party profile
• Appearances on C-SPAN