Craig Williams (politician)

Alun Craig Williams[1] is a British Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff North from 2015 to 2017[2] and at the 2019 general election was elected as the MP for Montgomeryshire.

Craig Williams

MP
Williams in 2019
Member of Parliament
for Montgomeryshire
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byGlyn Davies
Majority12,138 (35.5%)
Member of Parliament
for Cardiff North
In office
7 May 2015 – 3 May 2017
Preceded byJonathan Evans
Succeeded byAnna McMorrin
Personal details
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)Claire Williams
Children2
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and Education

Craig was born in Welshpool, to David and Andrea Williams. He attended Gungrog Road school, Ysgol Maesydre and Welshpool High School.[3]

Parliamentary career

Craig Williams first stood for office in Cardiff West against First Minister Rhodri Morgan in the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election.[3]

Craig had represented Pentyrch ward on City of Cardiff Council from 2008, and had unsuccessfully contested the Cardiff South and Penarth by-election in 2012, coming second to Labour's Stephen Doughty. In May 2015, he was elected Member of Parliament for Cardiff North. In July 2015, he was elected as a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee,[4] a position which he held until October 2016.[5] Williams then served as a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee and the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.[5][6]

Craig was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum.[7] He consistently voted with the Government Whip.[8] He lost his seat in the June 2017 General Election to Labour's Anna McMorrin.[9]

Prior to the 2019 General Election, Craig was a Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, Stephen Barclay.[10]

In July 2019 Craig was announced as the Conservative candidate for the constituency of Montgomeryshire in the next general election, where the sitting Conservative MP Glyn Davies stood down.[11] In the general election held in December Craig won the seat with 59% of the vote to return to Westminster. Williams increased the Conservative majority in Montgomeryshire to over 12,000 votes.[12]

Craig was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Barclay.[13] Since becoming an MP in 2019, he also joined the International Trade Select Committee and European Statutory Instruments Committee.[14][15] He also Chairs the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Wales in the World and International Trade and Investment.[16]

It was alleged that Craig Williams was napping on the parliamentary benches in November 2020, and the social media clip suggested that he was not paying attention, or even sleeping.[17] While laughed off, it is known that Craig is in fact partially deaf in one ear, explaining the confusion.

References
  1. "No. 61230". The London Gazette. 18 May 2015. p. 9127.
  2. "Cardiff North parliamentary constituency – Election 2015". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. "Craig Williams named as the man to replace Glyn Davies". mynewtown. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  4. "Work and Pensions Committee – membership". UK Parliament. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  5. "Craig Williams MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  6. "Welsh Affairs Committee – membership". Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  7. Goodenough, Tom (16 February 2016). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". The Spectator. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  8. "Craig Williams MP, Cardiff North – TheyWorkForYou". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  9. "Cardiff North parliamentary constituency – Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. Robertson, Dominic. "Brexit: Former MP takes on key role as advisor". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  11. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/mid-wales/2019/07/20/tories-chose-next-prospective-parliamentary-candidate-for-montgomershire/
  12. "General election 2019: Tories re-take Brecon and Radnorshire". BBC News. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  13. "PARLIAMENTARY PRIVATE SECRETARIES – APRIL 2020" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  14. "International Trade Committee - Membership - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  15. "European Statutory Instruments Committee - Membership - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  16. "Register of All-Party Parliamentary Groups". www.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  17. "MP Craig Williams laughs off House of Commons sleeping claim". County Times. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Jonathan Evans		 Member of Parliament
for Cardiff North
2015–2017		 Succeeded by
Anna McMorrin
Preceded by
Glyn Davies		 Member of Parliament
for Montgomeryshire
2019–present		 Incumbent
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