28 Facts About Robert Goodwill

Sir Robert Goodwill was born on 31 December 1956 and is a British Conservative Party politician and farmer who served as a Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby from 2005 to 2024.

Robert Goodwill was previously a Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Robert Goodwill is a member of the Cornerstone Group of Conservative MPs.

Robert Goodwill describes himself as a "staunch Eurosceptic" but supported Remain in the EU referendum.

Robert Goodwill was born in Terrington, North Riding of Yorkshire, and was privately educated at the Quaker Bootham School in York and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture in 1979.

Robert Goodwill has been the managing director of Mowthorpe Ltd.

Robert Goodwill is a member of the Conservative Party and contested his first constituency, Redcar, at the 1992 general election, where he finished second, 11,577 votes behind the sitting Labour MP, Mo Mowlam.

Robert Goodwill unsuccessfully contested Cleveland and Richmond in the 1994 European election.

Robert Goodwill again attempted to enter the House of Commons at the 1997 general election when he was selected for the marginally held Conservative seat of North West Leicestershire following the deselection of the sitting MP David Ashby.

Robert Goodwill was defeated by Labour's David Taylor by 13,219 votes.

Robert Goodwill was elected as a Member of the European Parliament at the 1999 European Parliament election for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, serving in Brussels and Strasbourg until the 2004 European Parliament election.

Robert Goodwill was deputy leader of the Conservative MEPs during his term, and opposed the Conservative Party's membership of the European People's Party in the European Parliament.

Robert Goodwill made his maiden speech on 6 June 2005.

Robert Goodwill was re-elected with an increased majority of 8,130 at the 2010 general election and appointed to the government as a Whip with responsibility for Treasury and DEFRA business.

Robert Goodwill is secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Flag Group.

Robert Goodwill was given responsibility for aviation policy Robert Goodwill had previously established himself as a strong opponent of a third runway at Heathrow, inviting Greenpeace members to plant a tree in his constituency as a gesture of "solidarity" with opponents of Heathrow expansion.

Robert Goodwill was re-appointed to his position as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport following the 2015 general election and the election of a Conservative majority government.

Robert Goodwill was the minister responsible for cycling, aviation, road safety, walking and High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill was promoted to Minister of State at the Department of Transport in December 2015.

Robert Goodwill was dismissed from the post of Children's Minister on 9 January 2018.

Robert Goodwill joined the Environmental Audit Select Committee on 22 January 2018 and the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee on 5 March 2018.

In May 2022, Robert Goodwill was elected as chairman of the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Select Committee.

Robert Goodwill is a member of Conservative Friends of the Countryside, a right-wing group that advocates for the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, opposes the re-introduction of wild beavers to the UK, supports the burning of peatland and opposes a ban on imports of endangered animals killed for trophy hunting.

Robert Goodwill announced in April 2023 that he would retire at the 2024 general election.

Robert Goodwill was once the chairman of the cereals and livestock committee of the North Yorkshire National Farmers Union.

Robert Goodwill takes a keen interest in steam engines and owns several; he once brought an engine back from the former Czechoslovakia to restore it.

Robert Goodwill stepped in to save the Scarborough Pleasure Ship, Coronia, in January 2011 so that the historic Dunkirk-veteran vessel can continue to be based in the harbour there.

Robert Goodwill owns a 1900 De Dion Bouton Veteran Car that he races on the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.