Chris Skidmore

Chris Skidmore
Official portrait, 2017
Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation
In office
10 September 2019 – 13 February 2020
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byJo Johnson
Succeeded by
In office
5 December 2018 – 24 July 2019
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded bySam Gyimah
Succeeded byJo Johnson
Minister of State for Health
In office
24 July 2019 – 10 September 2019
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byStephen Hammond
Succeeded byEdward Argar
Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth
In office
20 May 2019 – 24 July 2019[c]
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byClaire Perry
Succeeded byKwasi Kwarteng
Parliamentary Secretary for the Constitution
In office
17 July 2016 – 8 January 2018
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byJohn Penrose
Succeeded byChloe Smith
Member of Parliament
for Kingswood
In office
6 May 2010 – 8 January 2024
Preceded byRoger Berry
Succeeded byDamien Egan
Personal details
Born (1981-05-17) 17 May 1981 (age 43)
Longwell Green, Avon, England
Political partyLabour (2024–) [3]
Other political
affiliations
Conservative (1996–2024)[4]
EducationBristol Grammar School
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford (BA)

Christopher James Skidmore OBE FRHistS FSA FRSA (born 17 May 1981) is a British former Conservative Party politician and author of popular history who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingswood in South Gloucestershire from 2010 to 2024.[5][6]

Skidmore was first elected at the 2010 general election. As a backbencher, he joined the Free Enterprise Group of Conservative MPs, founded by Liz Truss, and co-authored a number of papers and books, including After the Coalition (2011) and Britannia Unchained (2012). Following Theresa May's appointment as prime minister in July 2016, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Constitution; he was removed from this position in the January 2018 reshuffle, becoming the Conservative Party's policy vice chairman. He returned to government in 2018 as Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation following Sam Gyimah's resignation. He was interim Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth from May to July 2019, covering for Claire Perry. In this position, he signed the UK's Net Zero pledge into law.[7]

Skidmore became Minister of State for Health after Boris Johnson became prime minister in July 2019. He returned to his former position of universities minister in September 2019 following Jo Johnson's resignation, and was dismissed from government in the February 2020 reshuffle. Skidmore chaired a review of the government's net-zero strategy in 2022 and 2023. He resigned as an MP in January 2024 over the proposed introduction of the government's Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill.[8][9]


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  1. ^ "Energy Minister Claire Perry takes leave of absence". Energy Live News. 21 May 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ "The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP".
  3. ^ Crerar, Pippa (20 June 2024). "Former Tory minister vows to vote Labour over party's climate failures". The Guardian.
  4. ^ @CSkidmoreUK (5 January 2024). "A Statement" (Tweet) – via Twitter. [better source needed]
  5. ^ "By-election triggered by Chris Skidmore as Tory climate rebel quits parliament". The Independent. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Paul Waugh".
  7. ^ "UK becomes first major economy to pass net zero emissions law".
  8. ^ "Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill". Parliamentary Bills.
  9. ^ "Chris Skidmore: Tory MP quits over oil and gas licences". BBC News. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.