41 Facts About Laurence Robertson

Laurence Anthony Robertson was born on 29 March 1958 and is a British Conservative Party politician.

Laurence Robertson has been Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury since 1997 and served as Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee for seven years, from 2010 to 2017.

Laurence Robertson's father was a miner, a postman, a delivery man then a milkman.

From 1988 to 1991, Laurence Robertson was Chairman of Governors of a primary school, a visitor for Victim Support Scheme, and the area chairman for the Campaign for Law and Order.

Laurence Robertson was an unsuccessful candidate when he stood for Bolton Council in the Derby ward in 1983 and in the Burnden ward in 1986.

Laurence Robertson was an unsuccessful candidate for Parliament in the Makerfield constituency at the 1987 general election and again in the Ashfield constituency at the 1992 general election.

In May 1997, Laurence Robertson was elected as the Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury, winning with a majority of 9,234.

On 21 May 1997, Laurence Robertson made his maiden speech during the Referendums Bill, in which he spoke out against devolution.

Laurence Robertson courted controversy in May 2001 by ignoring James Cran's advice not to publicly express support for John Townend.

Laurence Robertson was forced to apologise after being given an ultimatum to either apologise, retract his remarks and promise not to repeat them or to be stripped of the Conservative party whip.

Laurence Robertson was reported to have told colleagues that he received a lot of support, and was told by the Tewkesbury constituency chairman that he should not have backed down.

Since then, Laurence Robertson has used his platform to speak out against racism.

In 2019, Laurence Robertson brought attention to the matter of racism in football to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Minister, Nigel Adams, branding supporters who abuse people because of the colour of their skin as "absolutely shameful".

However, in October 2020, Laurence Robertson spoke out against IPSA proposed pay rise for Members of Parliament in a statement on his website.

Between 2004 and 2005, Laurence Robertson led a successful campaign to save Alderman Knight, a local special needs school for children additional learning difficulties, complex needs and Autistic Spectrum Disorders from closure.

On 8 September 2004, Laurence Robertson secured a debate in the House of Commons to discuss the schools closure.

An issue that Laurence Robertson raised to Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in February 2020 following heavy flooding in his constituency.

Laurence Robertson is Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Flood Prevention, and continues to lobby the government on the issue of flooding.

Laurence Robertson began a job at the Betting and Gaming Council in October 2020 as the parliamentary advisor on sport and safer gambling.

Laurence Robertson has said he will not advocate for the betting industry despite tougher regulations being set to be introduced.

Laurence Robertson has received donations in kind from sporting and other organisations for admittance to and entertainment at sporting events.

Laurence Robertson was not given a ministerial position in the 2010 Parliament, but served as chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee until July 2017 when Andrew Murrison succeeded Robertson as chair.

Laurence Robertson opposes gay marriage, and has consistently voted against equal rights for homosexual couples.

Laurence Robertson is against HS2 and has continued to vote against new high speed rail infrastructure.

In Parliament, Laurence Robertson was Chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee between 2010 and 2017.

Laurence Robertson was Chairman of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly between 2012 and 2016.

In 2017, Laurence Robertson received a Metropolitan Police shield for his work championing IRA bomb victims.

Laurence Robertson continues to lead calls for compensation to be given to victims of IRA attacks that used Libyan explosives.

Laurence Robertson created the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Union in September 2019 which seeks to "To promote the economic, social, cultural and constitutional benefits of the union of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; To foster good relations between the four countries of the UK and their devolved administrations; and for connected purposes".

Laurence Robertson is a member of the pressure group The Freedom Association.

Laurence Robertson opposes devolution and the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.

In mid-November 2018, following publication of the draft UK Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, Laurence Robertson submitted to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee of the Conservative Party a letter confirming he had no confidence in the Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Theresa May Laurence Robertson became the first of a long list to confirm his letter, after the government announced details of its draft Withdrawal Agreement with the EU.

Laurence Robertson is a member of multiple All Party Parliamentary groups for African nations, including: Chairman of the APPG for Ethiopia and Djibouti, Vice Chairman of the APPG for Angola and Vice Chairman of the APPG for Nigeria.

Whilst chairing a debate in 2019, Laurence Robertson spoke of his time in Ethiopia, noting:.

In October 2020, Laurence Robertson was appointed as the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Angola and Zambia.

Laurence Robertson is one of 29 trade envoys covering 67 markets who are appointed by the Prime Minister to promote trade and encourage investment within the UK.

Laurence Robertson was removed from this position in December 2021 after rebelling on new COVID-19 related restrictions, following the Omicron variant.

In July 2018, Laurence Robertson encouraged then Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt to offer better trade deals to developing countries in Africa once the UK had left the European Union.

Outside of Parliament, Laurence Robertson is chairman of the Westminster Africa Business Group, who bring together both business and political activities across Africa to encourage trade relationships.

In May 1989, Laurence Robertson married Susan Lees at All Saints Church in Farnworth.

On 7 February 2015, Laurence Robertson married Annie Adams, in St Mary Undercroft by the Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons.