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Bill Wiggin

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Sir
Bill Wiggin
Chair of the Committee of Selection
In office
24 June 2015 – 7 July 2024
Preceded byGeoffrey Clifton-Brown
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
In office
11 November 2003 – 8 December 2005
LeaderMichael Howard
Preceded byNigel Evans
Succeeded byCheryl Gillan
Member of Parliament
for North Herefordshire
Leominster (2001–2010)
In office
7 June 2001 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byPeter Temple-Morris
Succeeded byEllie Chowns
Personal details
Born (1966-06-04) 4 June 1966 (age 58)
London, England
Political partyConservative
SpouseMilly Wiggin
Children3
Alma materBangor University
Websitebillwiggin.com
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Welch Fusiliers

Sir William David Wiggin (born 4 June 1966) is a former British Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Herefordshire, previously Leominster, from 2001 to 2024.

Early life and career

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Bill Wiggin was born on 4 June 1966 in London.[1] He attended Eton College, where he was an older contemporary of David Cameron,[2] and later read Economics at Bangor University, gaining a Bachelor of Arts in 1988.[3] He also served in the Royal Welch Fusiliers in the Territorial Army, being a platoon commander for Holyhead, Bangor and Caernarfon.

Following this, Wiggin worked as a Trader in Foreign Exchange Options for UBS from 1991 to 1993, then was an Associate Director of Kleinwort Benson from 1994 to 1998, then as a manager in the Foreign Exchange department of Commerzbank from 1998.[4]

Parliamentary career

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Wiggin stood as the Conservative candidate for Burnley at the 1997 general election, coming second with 20.2% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Peter Pike.[5]

At the 2001 general election, Wiggin was elected to Parliament as MP for Leominster with 49% of the vote and a majority of 10,367.[6]

Initially a backbencher, he became a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee in 2002. During 2003, Michael Howard appointed him to the position of Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales.

Wiggin was re-elected as MP for Leominster at the 2005 general election with an increased vote share of 52.1% and an increased majority of 13,187.[7]

During his time Shadow Secretary of State for Wales the Conservatives won three seats in Wales at the 2005 general election, the first time Conservatives had been elected as MPs for Wales since the party had lost all its MPs in Wales at the 1997 election.[8] Wiggin welcomed the gains, saying that "Never again will Wales be a Conservative-free zone", although he admitted that while the wins were "a good start" he would have liked the Conservatives to have gained more Welsh seats.[9][10] Wiggin also expressed regret at Howard's decision to stand down as Conservative leader after the election, adding that he thought Howard had "done a tremendous job" and was "a fantastic example to young Conservative MPs like myself".[10] Despite Wiggin's previous declaration, Wales has again been left without any Conservative MPs after the 2024 general election.

During parish council elections in Leominster during September 2009, Wiggin complained to the returning officer about the leaflets of a candidate who was standing to protest at Wiggin's parliamentary expenses. The candidate, Jim Miller, was disqualified by the returning officer, who was also the chief executive of the Conservative-run Herefordshire County Council. This left the Conservative candidate unopposed. According to The Daily Telegraph, Miller was disqualified over a technicality that the council previously told him had been resolved.[11] The Mayor of Leominster expressed his astonishment at Wiggin's intervention. "I was just stunned that Wiggin contacted the returning officer. It's not totally blatant, but what in god's name is an MP doing poking his nose into a little parish election? I can't understand what he thinks he's up to".[11]

Prior to the 2010 general election, Wiggin's constituency of Leominster was abolished, and replaced with North Herefordshire. At the election, Wiggin was elected to Parliament as MP for North Herefordshire with 51.8% of the vote and a majority of 9,887.[12][13]

In June 2013, Wiggin spoke in debate in favour of the badger cull, saying he supported the Government policy to "combat" bovine tuberculosis.[14]

In May 2014, Wiggin met with Dafydd Evans, Environment Agency Area Manager for the West Midlands, to press for action to enhance local flood defences.[15]

Wiggin renewed his call for more beds at Hereford County Hospital following a visit in September 2014, during which he toured one of the Canadian hutted units.[16]

In December 2014, Wiggin questioned the Prime Minister David Cameron during PMQs about Hereford County Hospital and sought his support for increasing the hospital's capacity.[17] Following Wiggin's question, the Prime Minister informed him that he would send a Minister to look at the Hospital. In February 2015 Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt paid a visit.[18]

At the 2015 general election, Wiggin was re-elected as MP for North Herefordshire with an increased vote share of 55.8% and an increased majority of 19,996.[19][20] Following the election, Wiggin was initially set to contest the Chairmanship of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Select Committee against eventual chair Neil Parish.[21] Instead Wiggin was subsequently appointed as Chair of the Committee of Selection.[22]

Wiggin was again re-elected at the snap 2017 general election with an increased vote share of 62% and an increased majority of 21,602.[23]

He is a member of the European Research Group and signed a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May on 16 February 2018 regarding Brexit negotiations.[24][25]

At the 2019 general election, Wiggin was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 63% and an increased majority of 24,856.[26][27]

In January 2020, Wiggin has described the trend away from eating meat as "a disaster for British agriculture." He has also advised MPs "not to be fooled" by arguments against chlorinated chicken.[28][29]

He was knighted in the 2022 New Year Honours for political and public service.[30]

In March 2022, Wiggin questioned Boris Johnson over his immigration record in the liaison committee and called on the prime minister to stop letting refugees ‘in rubber boats’ into the country ahead of Ukrainians and Qataris.[31]

Wiggin was one of just two MPs, along with Christopher Chope, to oppose a Bill which proposed to ban the import of Hunting Trophies to the UK from Africa, calling it a "racist" and "neocolonial" piece of legislation which actually does not protect animals. [32]

In March 2024, Wiggin was re-selected as the Conservative candidate for North Herefordshire at the 2024 general election.[33] He lost the election to the Green Party candidate, Dr Ellie Chowns, at 31.5% of the vote to Dr Chowns' 43.2%.[34]

Expenses claims

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During the parliamentary expenses scandal the Daily Telegraph reported that Wiggin had wrongly claimed more than £11,000 mortgage payments on his Herefordshire property.[35] This property had no mortgage and Wiggin who had made 23 declarations that it was his main home said the expenses were claimed in error.[35] The Committee found that Wiggin's mortgage claims were the result of "an unfortunate and unintended muddle" which should have been picked up much more quickly, though no cost to the public purse resulted because Wiggin was entitled to claim for the mortgage payments on his London home. The committee expressed disappointment that Wiggin had not been cooperative with the enquiry as required by the Code of Conduct.[36]

His claims for household bills were also investigated following a complaint.[37] Wiggin had routinely claimed £240 a month for household bills and whilst the Standards and Privileges Committee confirmed that he could claim up to £250 a month without a receipt, this was to cover costs actually incurred.[36]

Wiggin "chose not to" take up the committee's invitation to check his expenses with his bank and service providers and, on balance of probability they found he overclaimed expenses for council tax, telephone and workmen's bills.[36]

In October 2010, Wiggin apologised to the House and was ordered to repay £4,009 utility expenses.[38]

Personal life

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Wiggin is the son of the late Sir Jerry Wiggin, MP for Weston-super-Mare. He lives in Upton Bishop in South Herefordshire, with his wife Milly. She was previously the girlfriend of David Cameron.[2] They have three children.

In addition to acting as a Trustee of the Eveson Charitable Trust, which assigns funding to support medical research and the disadvantaged, Wiggin is patron to several local charities. His interests include motorbikes, DIY, shooting, fishing and Hereford cattle.[39]

Bibliography

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  • A Better Agenda for the Environment published by Exposure Publishing, an imprint of Diggory Press ISBN 1-84685-067-3

References

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  1. ^ General Register Office Births 1966 April–June vol 5D page 1460
  2. ^ a b "Sir Jerry Wiggin". The Times. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  3. ^ Robertson, David. "General Election 2005". The Times. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2006.
  4. ^ "Bill Wiggin MP profile". Conservative Party. Archived from the original on 5 October 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2006.
  5. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Labour loses safest seat in Wales". BBC Election 2005. BBC. 6 May 2005. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Tories back on the electoral map". BBC Election 2005. BBC. 6 May 2005. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Leaders assess election shake-up". BBC Election 2005. BBC. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  11. ^ a b Swaine, Jon (14 September 2009). "Bill Wiggin steps in to silence campaigning council candidate". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 20 October 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Six candidates to stand in North Herefordshire parliamentary election". Herefordshire Council. 21 April 2010. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  14. ^ "Ledbury's MP, Bill Wiggin, is in favour of badger cull". Ledbury Reporter. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Prepare for more floods". Hereford Times. Hereford. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  16. ^ Gary Bills-Geddes (29 September 2014). "New Wards and Beds needed at Hospital - MP". Hereford Times. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  17. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 03 Dec 2014 (pt 0001)". Publications.parliament.uk. 3 December 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Health Secretary uses Hereford hospital visit to take a shot at NHS Wales". Hereford Times. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Election 2015: Conservatives hold both seats in Herefordshire". Ledbury Reporter. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ^ Alistair Driver (5 June 2015). "Neil Parish and Bill Wiggin contest EFRA chairmanship". Fginsight.com. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  22. ^ "Selection Committee - Membership - UK Parliament". Parliament.uk. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  23. ^ "2017 general election candidates for Herefordshire confirmed". Worcester News. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  24. ^ "The European Research Group's Brexit letter, in full". Coffee House. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  25. ^ Chaplain, Chloe (16 November 2018). "What is the ERG and which Tory MPs are members of Jacob Rees-Mogg's Brexit group?". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  26. ^ "UK Election Results 2019: Herefordshire North". BBC.
  27. ^ "Herefordshire North Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  28. ^ "Vegetarians are "a disaster for British agriculture."". Daily Telegraph. 21 January 2020.
  29. ^ Taylor, Claire (24 January 2020). "Commons clash over chlorinated chicken". The Scottish Farmer.
  30. ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N2.
  31. ^ "Sir Bill Wiggin describes refugees 'in rubber boats' the 'wrong type' of asylum seeker". Politics.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  32. ^ "Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill Debate".
  33. ^ "NEWS | Sir Bill Wiggin to stand for North Herefordshire at forthcoming election after being re-selected by the North Herefordshire Conservatives". Your Herefordshire. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  34. ^ "BREAKING: Hereford and South Herefordshire election result revealed". Hereford Times. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  35. ^ a b Robert Winnett; Martin Beckford; Nick Allen (20 May 2009). "MPs' expenses: Bill Wiggin claimed £11,000 in phantom mortgage payments". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  36. ^ a b c "Bill Wiggin - Standards and Privileges Committee Contents". Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  37. ^ Swaine, Jon (17 November 2009). "MPs' expenses: Bill Wiggin questioned by parliamentary sleaze watchdog". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  38. ^ "MP Bill Wiggin investigated over expenses claim". BBC News. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  39. ^ "About Bill". Bill Wiggin. Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Leominster
2001–2010 		Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament
for North Herefordshire
2010–2024 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
2003–2005 		Succeeded by
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