27 Facts About Greg Clark

Gregory David Clark was born on 28 August 1967 and is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 2016 to 2019.

Greg Clark was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2015 to 2016 and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities from July to September 2022.

Greg Clark then gained his PhD from the London School of Economics.

Greg Clark worked as a business consultant before becoming the BBC's Controller for Commercial Policy and then Director of Policy for the Conservative Party under Conservative leaders Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard from 2001 until his election to parliament in 2005.

Greg Clark served in the Cameron-Clegg coalition as Minister of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government from 2010 to 2012, Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 2012 to 2013, and Minister of State for Cities and Constitution at the Cabinet Office from 2013 to 2014.

Greg Clark had the whip removed on 3 September 2019, for voting against the government, before it was restored on 29 October.

Greg Clark ceased to be an MP in May 2024, when Parliament was dissolved for the 2024 general election, in which he decided not to stand.

Gregory Clark was born in Middlesbrough on 28 August 1967 and attended St Peter's Roman Catholic School in South Bank.

Greg Clark joined the Social Democratic Party while at Cambridge and was an executive member of its national student wing, Social Democrat Youth and Students and, in 1987, president of Cambridge University Social Democrats.

Greg Clark then studied at the London School of Economics, where he was awarded his PhD in 1992 with a thesis entitled, The effectiveness of incentive payment systems: an empirical test of individualism as a boundary condition.

Greg Clark was selected as the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Tunbridge Wells in December 2004.

Greg Clark made his maiden speech on 9 June 2005, in which he spoke of the forthcoming 400th anniversary of Dudley, Lord North's discovery of the Chalybeate spring and the foundation of Royal Tunbridge Wells, a town to which the royal prefix was added in 1909 by King Edward VII.

Greg Clark was appointed to the front bench in a minor reshuffle in November 2006 by David Cameron, becoming Shadow Minister for Charities, Voluntary Bodies and Social Enterprise.

In October 2007, Greg Clark campaigned to save Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital.

In October 2008, Greg Clark was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet, shadowing the new government position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

Greg Clark was accused of hypocrisy, having staunchly opposed house-building while in opposition, while promising to impose it as a government minister.

On 15 July 2014 Greg Clark was appointed to the role of Minister for Universities, Science and Cities, replacing David Willetts.

Greg Clark's appointment was met with concerns about securing future funding for universities and questions over his public support for homoeopathic treatments.

Greg Clark returned to the Department of Communities and Local Government as Secretary of State on 11 May 2015.

Greg Clark was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 14 July 2016, in Theresa May's first cabinet.

In February 2017, Greg Clark travelled to Paris, in order to meet executives from Peugeot and the French Government, due to the proposed takeover of Vauxhall Motors.

In May 2018, Greg Clark suggested that 3,500 UK domestic jobs could be lost as a direct and explicit result of Brexit.

On 6 February 2019, Greg Clark said to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that Theresa May had until 15 February to conclude Brexit negotiations in order to provide certainty to exporters to countries such as Japan because of the length of time that goods take to arrive.

Under the tenure of Greg Clark, who was responsible for workers' rights nationally, his department in London reportedly did not ensure that its staff, many of whom had been outsourced, were paid at least the London living wage.

On 3 September 2019 Greg Clark voted against the government on taking control of the House of Commons order paper to allow a bill to be debated in parliament which would stop a no-deal Brexit without explicit approval of parliament.

Greg Clark became an independent as the Conservative whip was withdrawn from him.

Greg Clark is a member of the Roman Catholic church.