28 Facts About Eric Pickles

Eric Pickles served in David Cameron's Cabinet as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2010 to 2015.

Eric Pickles previously served as Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2009 to 2010 and was later the United Kingdom Anti-Corruption Champion from 2015 to 2017.

Eric Pickles stood down as an MP at the 2017 general election, but has continued in his role as Special Envoy under Prime Ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

Eric Pickles is currently the chairman of Conservative Friends of Israel in the House of Lords.

Eric Jack Pickles was born on 20 April 1952, the son of Jack and Constance Pickles.

Eric Pickles soon became the chairman of the local Young Conservatives association.

Eric Pickles moved against right-wingers in Bradford, expelling the Young Conservative, Yorkshire Chairman of the Monday Club who had stood for the Bradford Wyke Ward on an anti-immigrant platform from the Bradford area constituencies.

Eric Pickles was first elected to Bradford Council in 1979, representing the Worth Valley ward.

Eric Pickles was elected as Member of Parliament for Brentwood and Ongar in 1992.

Eric Pickles served as Shadow Minister for Transport and Shadow Minister for London from September 2001 to June 2002, then as Shadow Minister for Local Government from June 2002.

On 30 December 2008, according to reports in The Times, Eric Pickles unveiled plans to "purge town hall 'fat cats'".

Eric Pickles was the campaign manager for the successful Crewe and Nantwich by-election in May 2008.

Eric Pickles defended the first-past-the-post system as resulting in stable government and attacked Brown, claiming he "now wants to fiddle the electoral system" by wanting to change the voting system.

Eric Pickles was the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the coalition government headed by Prime Minister David Cameron from 12 May 2010 to May 2015.

Eric Pickles was appointed as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government as part of David Cameron's new coalition Government on 12 May 2010, and sworn as a Privy Counsellor on 13 May 2010.

Eric Pickles said he was determined to reverse the presumption that Whitehall knows best by making local councils directly accountable to the local taxpayer.

Eric Pickles was responsible for the Localism Act 2011 that changed the powers of local government in England.

The bill was introduced by Eric Pickles, and given its first reading on 13 December 2010.

One of the claims made for it is that it would "give local communities real control over housing and planning decisions", but on the same day, Eric Pickles issued a decision in a planning appeal.

Eric Pickles brought forward his Localism Act, due to become law in April 2012, and made it law on 17 February 2012 claiming he is 'effectively reversing' the High Court decision.

Eric Pickles has written to all local government councils encouraging them to continue with prayers in council meetings.

Eric Pickles is a self-proclaimed flag enthusiast, and took a personal interest in ensuring that English county flags be regularly flown from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Eric Pickles has urged people to fly the St George Cross of England more widely for St George's Day and encouraged public bodies to adopt a common-sense approach to flying the flag.

On 14 May 2011, at the Flag Institute spring meeting, Eric Pickles announced a consultation aimed at "Making it easier for people to celebrate an identity or an organisation that means something to them".

On 26 March 2009, Eric Pickles appeared on the political debate programme Question Time in Newcastle.

Eric Pickles went on to say that it was "no fun" commuting into London from where he lived.

On 7 April 2022, Eric Pickles was giving evidence to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry based on his experience as Secretary of State for Housing from 2010 to 2015.

Eric Pickles married Irene Coates in 1976 in Staincliffe, a district of Batley in West Yorkshire.