26 Facts About Guto Bebb

Guto ap Owain Bebb was born on 9 October 1968 and is a Welsh politician and former business consultant who served as Member of Parliament for Aberconwy from 2010 to 2019, having previously lost elections to the Welsh Assembly and the House of Commons.

Guto Bebb was born in Wrexham on 9 October 1968 to a family originating from Bangor and Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Guto Bebb studied at Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen in Caernarfon, then graduated in 1990 from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, with a BA in history.

Guto Bebb went on to run an economic development consultancy and work as business development director of Innovas Wales.

Guto Bebb is a former Plaid Cymru activist and chaired the party in Caernarfon.

Guto Bebb defected to the Conservatives after failing to gain the party's candidacy for a seat on long-serving incumbent Dafydd Wigley's retirement.

Guto Bebb first stood for the Conservatives in 2002, contesting the safe Labour seat of Ogmore in a 2002 by-election caused by the death of the Labour MP Sir Raymond Powell.

Guto Bebb finished a poor fourth behind the successful Huw Irranca-Davies.

Guto Bebb stood again in the 2003 Welsh Assembly election, as a candidate in the now-abolished constituency of Conwy.

Guto Bebb was selected as Conservative candidate and returned as MP for Aberconwy with a majority of 3,398.

Guto Bebb has joined several delegations of the Conservative Friends of Israel group, including one during the Operation Defensive Shield conflict, when he visited for an Israeli military briefing on the Iron Dome defence system.

In 2013, Guto Bebb voted against same-sex marriage, but changed his view in 2019, voting in favour of it in Northern Ireland.

In March 2016, Guto Bebb became the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, after Stephen Crabb's move to the Department for Work and Pensions, and Alun Cairns's subsequent promotion to Secretary of State for Wales.

Guto Bebb stood down at the 2019 general election, citing concerns about the direction the Conservatives were taking.

In January 2012, after a complaint by a constituent, Guto Bebb raised the issue of the sale of Interest Rate Swap Agreements in Parliament.

Guto Bebb asked the Leader of the House for a debate on potential mis-selling of these complex interest-rate hedging products by UK high street banks to over 40,000 small and medium-sized businesses throughout the UK.

Guto Bebb asked the Financial Services Authority to look into the issue urgently and in detail.

Guto Bebb responded that all his claims were within the revised expenses regulations.

Guto Bebb attracted media notice for using controversial language against critical constituents.

Guto Bebb was accused of lack of loyalty and support to the Welsh Conservatives, for not living in the constituency and for being egocentric.

Guto Bebb replied that the chairman was a "disgrace" and his own work was in line with advice from the national Conservative Party.

Guto Bebb was opposed to Brexit before the 2016 EU membership referendum.

Guto Bebb retained Aberconwy in the 2017 general election with a small majority of 635 votes.

On 16 July 2018, Guto Bebb voted against the government on the Taxation Bill, so resigning as Minister for Defence Procurement by convention of the payroll vote.

Guto Bebb backed the People's Vote campaign for a public vote on the final Brexit deal, co-founding the Right to Vote group in early 2019.

Guto Bebb is the grandson of Ambrose Bebb, co-founder of Plaid Cymru, the nephew of Welsh rugby international Dewi Bebb and the first cousin of professional golfer Sion Bebb.