Mark Harper | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Secretary of State for Transport | |
| In office 25 October 2022 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Anne-Marie Trevelyan |
| Succeeded by | Louise Haigh |
| Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 9 May 2015 – 14 July 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Michael Gove |
| Succeeded by | Gavin Williamson |
| Minister of State for Disabled People | |
| In office 15 July 2014 – 8 May 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Mike Penning |
| Succeeded by | Justin Tomlinson |
| Minister of State for Immigration | |
| In office 4 September 2012 – 8 February 2014 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Damian Green |
| Succeeded by | James Brokenshire |
| Parliamentary Secretary for Political and Constitutional Reform | |
| In office 11 May 2010 – 4 September 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Chloe Smith |
| Shadow Minister for Disabled People | |
| In office 3 July 2007 – 11 May 2010 | |
| Leader | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Jeremy Hunt |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Curran |
| Member of Parliament for Forest of Dean | |
| In office 5 May 2005 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Diana Organ |
| Succeeded by | Matt Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mark James Harper 26 February 1970 Swindon, Wiltshire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Margaret Harper |
| Alma mater | Brasenose College, Oxford |
Mark James Harper (born 26 February 1970) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet as Chief Whip of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016 and as Secretary of State for Transport from 2022 to 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire from 2005 until his defeat in 2024.
Harper was born in Swindon and studied philosophy, politics and economics at Brasenose College, Oxford. He was a chartered accountant before his election to Parliament. Under the coalition government of David Cameron he served as Parliamentary Secretary for Political and Constitutional Reform before being promoted to Minister of State for Immigration in the 2012 reshuffle. During his tenure at the Home Office, he devised a controversial campaign in which advertising vans told illegal migrants to "go home".[1] He resigned as Immigration Minister in February 2014, but quickly returned to government as Minister of State for Disabled People in the July 2014 reshuffle.
Harper was promoted to Cameron's cabinet as Chief Whip of the House of Commons following the 2015 general election; he served in the role for a year before being sacked by incoming Prime Minister Theresa May in 2016. Harper was a candidate for leader of the Conservative Party in the 2019 leadership contest, finishing ninth out of 10 candidates with 10 votes.[2] During the Johnson premiership, he was the chair of the COVID Recovery Group of Conservative MPs advocating for looser COVID-19 restrictions. After Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister, Harper was appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Transport.[3]
- ^ "Immigration minister Mark Harper resigns over illegal immigrant cleaner". The Guardian. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ "Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey out of race to be Tory leader". The Guardian. 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Rishi Sunak reshuffle: Braverman named home secretary, Gove returns as levelling up secretary, Mordaunt not promoted – live". The Guardian. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.