Michael Tomlinson
Michael James Tomlinson-Mynors[1] KC (born 1 October 1977) is a British politician serving as Minister of State for Countering Illegal Migration since December 2023. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Dorset and North Poole since the 2015 general election. He previously served as Solicitor General for England and Wales from September 2022 to December 2023 and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household from July to September 2022.
Michael Tomlinson | |
|---|---|
| Minister of State for Countering Illegal Migration | |
| Assumed office 7 December 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Robert Jenrick[a] |
| Solicitor General for England and Wales | |
| In office 7 September 2022 – 7 December 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Liz Truss Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Edward Timpson |
| Succeeded by | Robert Courts |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | |
| In office 8 July 2022 – 7 September 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | James Morris |
| Succeeded by | Jo Churchill |
| Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | |
| In office 14 February 2020 – 8 July 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Succeeded by | James Duddridge |
| Deputy Chairman of the European Research Group | |
| In office 20 November 2016 – 19 March 2018 Serving with Suella Braverman | |
| Leader | Theresa May |
| Chairman | Steve Baker Suella Braverman Jacob Rees-Mogg |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Mark Francois |
| Member of Parliament for Mid Dorset and North Poole | |
| Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Annette Brooke |
| Majority | 14,898 (30.4%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael James Tomlinson 1 October 1977 Wokingham, Berkshire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Frances Mynors |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | King's College London |
| Website | Official website |
Early life and career edit
Michael Tomlinson was born in Wokingham, Berkshire on 1 October 1977 and attended Hereford Cathedral School, a private school in Hereford. His father Howard was the headmaster of the school between 1987 and 2005.[2][3]
He studied Classics at King's College London before obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Law at the College of Law. Tomlinson was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 2002. He worked as a door tenant at 3 Paper Buildings (3PB) specialising in commercial, contract, and personal injury law. While working for 3PB, Tomlinson undertook pro bono legal work and led mediation training sessions in Rwanda and Sierra Leone as part of the Conservative Party's Umubano project. He was appointed to the Attorney General's Civil Panel Counsel in 2007 and served till 2012.[4]
Parliamentary career edit
Tomlinson was selected as the Conservative candidate for Mid Dorset and North Poole in March 2013. He had previously been the campaign manager for the constituency in the 2010 general election.[5] He was elected at the 2015 general election with 23,639 votes, a majority of 10,530 (22.6%).[6] He made his maiden speech on 22 June 2015 during a debate on the Education and Adoption Bill.[7]
Tomlinson supported Brexit in the 2016 Brexit referendum as he felt that it would restore the country's sovereignty.[8] Tomlinson was a member of the European Scrutiny Committee between November 2016 and May 2017 and then again between October 2017 and November 2019.[9] He was the deputy chair of the European Research Group between 2016 and 2018.[10]
At the 2017 general election, Tomlinson was re-elected with a majority of 15,339 and 59.2% of the vote and 14,898 (30.5%).[11]
Tomlinson was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) at the Department of International Development in July 2017[12][13] and was promoted to PPS to the Secretary of State, Penny Mordaunt, in January 2018.[14] He was appointed PPS to Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on 13 November 2018.[15] Two days later Raab resigned.[16] Tomlinson wrote an article in The Daily Telegraph on 16 November 2018, in which he expressed reservations about the then Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal.[17][18]
At the 2019 general election, Tomlinson was again re-elected, winning a majority of 14,898 with 60.4% of the vote.[19]
In February 2020, Tomlinson was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and then became Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in July 2022.[20] In September 2022, he was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales by Liz Truss and in October 2022 he was reappointed by Rishi Sunak.[21][22] On 4 November 2022, he was appointed King's Counsel.[23]
On 7 December 2023, Tomlinson was appointed as the Minister of State for Illegal Migration.[24]
He was sworn of the Privy Council on 21 February 2024, entitling him to the style The Right Honourable for life.[25][26]
Personal life edit
Tomlinson is married to Frances Mynors and they have three children.[27] She is the daughter of Sir Richard Mynors, 2nd Baronet of Treago Castle in Herefordshire.[3] Frances works as his principal secretary in his parliamentary office.[28]
In 1997, he was selected to play for Herefordshire County Cricket Club in a Minor Counties Cricket Championship match against Dorset County Cricket Club.[2]
Tomlinson has two sisters Sarah and Clare, and had one younger brother Edward who died in 2006 at the age of 24 of carbon monoxide poisoning while on a gap year in Beirut, Lebanon.[29][30]
Notes edit
- ^ As Minister of State for Immigration
References edit
- ^ "No. 61230". The London Gazette. 18 May 2015. p. 9121.
- ^ a b "Michael Tomlinson". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ a b McEwan, Gavin (12 December 2023). "Immigration role for Former Hereford pupil Michael Tomlinson MP". Hereford Times. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ . 3PB Barristers' Chambers. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016.
- ^ "Barrister is Tory choice for Mid Dorset". Bournemouth Echo. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Election result for Mid Dorset and North Poole". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Education and Adoption Bill". Hansard. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Tomlinson says no to European Union". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "Parliamentary career for Michael Tomlinson – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament". members.parliament.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Rwanda: The main Conservative Party factions jostling for influence". BBC News. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "General election 8 June 2017". Dorsetforyou.com. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ "Michael joins Department of International Development". Michael Tomlinson MP. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "Parliamentary Private Secretaries – July 2017" (PDF). www.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "Parliamentary Private Secretaries – January 2018" (PDF). www.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "Dorset MP takes on new Brexit-role". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ Crerar, Pippa; Weaver, Matthew (15 November 2018). "McVey and Raab quit as May addresses MPs over Brexit deal". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ Durkin, Jim (17 November 2018). "Michael Tomlinson says the Prime Minister's Brexit deal "may be even worse than we had been led to expect."". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ Tomlinson, Michael (16 November 2018). "This deal is worse than we expected. It's time for a clean, global exit". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF).
- ^ "Michael Tomlinson KC MP". gov.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Ministerial Appointments: September – October 2022". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ "Ministerial Appointments commencing: 25 October 2022". gov.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ "Crown Office". www.thegazette.co.uk.
- ^ Geiger, Chas (7 December 2023). "Robert Jenrick immigration minister job divided in two". BBC News. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Court Circular: February 21, 2024". The Times. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ "List of Business - 21st February 2024" (PDF). Privy Council Office. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ "About Me". Michael Tomlinson. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Register of Members' Financial Interests as at 11 December 2023" (PDF). UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Edward A Tomlinson (Eddie) (OH 1981–2006)". Old Herefordians Club. 5 April 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ Hymas, Charles (15 September 2023). "'A silent killer took my brother's life – don't let it claim yours'". The Telegraph.(subscription required)
External links edit
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou