Simon Clarke (politician)

Clarke was born in North Tees Hospital and grew up in the village of Marton. His parents Richard and Jill Clarke were a solicitor and stay-at-home mother.[6][3] He was privately educated at Yarm School in North Yorkshire,[7] before going on to study History at University College, Oxford. After leaving university he moved to London and trained as a solicitor with Slaughter and May before going to work in 2010 for the Surrey-based Conservative MP Dominic Raab, and then the Yorkshire-based Conservative MP Graham Stuart.[8]

Clarke unsuccessfully stood as the Conservative candidate in the Middlesbrough constituency in the 2015 general election, coming third and suffering a swing against his party of 2.3%. Whilst being employed as a Policy Advisor to the Conservative MP Graham Stuart, he was selected as the candidate for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland in April 2017.[9] He was elected at the 2017 general election, winning the seat from Labour after the sitting MP Tom Blenkinsop stood down.

Clarke has served on the Treasury Committee, the Treasury Sub-Committee and the Regulatory Reform Committee.[10] He clashed with both the then-Labour MP for Redcar and the Labour-run Middlesbrough Council over plans for transport improvements in the local area,[11][12] while he argued against his own party's opposition to onshore windfarms.[13]

On 12 June 2019 the UK Government amended the Climate Change Act of 2008 by introducing a target for a 100% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 1990 levels) in the UK by 2050.[14] At the forefront of this change in policy was Clarke, who, in September 2018, organised a letter signed by more than 130 cross-party MPs which indicated their support for net-zero emissions and stressed opportunities for UK businesses, including in the North-East.[15][16]

Clarke has been a strong advocate of regeneration both locally and nationally. In his role as Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Clarke was attentive to towns and coastal communities that had not shared the benefits of the economic growth experienced in other parts of the UK.[17] Clarke supported regenerative measures in his constituency such as the reopening and expanding of the Teesside International Airport, alongside the Tees Valley Mayor's plans to redevelop the SSI steelworks site.[18][19][20]

On 27 July 2019 he was appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury in Boris Johnson's administration.[21] On 13 February 2020 he had his portfolio changed to a Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, a role he remained in until 8 September 2020, when he resigned for personal reasons.[5]

Clarke is a strong supporter of Brexit, having voted for the UK to leave the European Union, and is a supporter of the Eurosceptic campaign Leave Means Leave.[22] He called the new Brexit deal secured by Boris Johnson "marvellous news", stating that the "anti-democratic backstop" had been abolished.[23] He was critical of the negotiating approach taken by Theresa May[24] and had submitted a call for a vote of no confidence in her leadership.[25] Clarke has said that teaching about slavery in the history of Britain is "21st century centre-left sensibilities and morality that is unhelpful and often ahistorical".[26]

Clarke lives in the market town of Guisborough and London. He is married to Hannah and they have a young son.[27][28] His height, 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m), makes him Britain's second-tallest MP and earned him the nickname 'Stilts' at school.[29]

• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Voting record at Public Whip
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou