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Mark Harper MP - for the forest of Dean

Working for Gloucestershire West of the Severn

About Mark

Mark Harper: Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean.

I was elected as Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean on 5th May 2005 with a majority of 2,049. I had previously contested the seat in the 2001 election and had succeeded in cutting the Labour majority from 6,343 to 2,049.

Education and Career

I was born in 1970 and grew up in Swindon, where I attended Headlands School and Swindon College. I went on to Brasenose College, Oxford and graduated in 1991 with Upper Second-Class Honours in PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics).

In 1995 I qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG and, until 2002, worked for Intel Corporation in a variety of roles including finance, business operations and marketing before establishing my own chartered accountancy practice in the Forest of Dean.

I also served as a Governor at Newent Community School from November 2000 to July 2005.

Political Interests

I always had a long-standing fascination with politics dating back to my student days and held ambitions of one day becoming an MP and serving the public.

In December 2005 I was appointed Shadow Minister for Defence and was given special responsibility for the Forces’ Families Manifesto.

In July 2007, following David Cameron’s reshuffle of his frontbench team, I was appointed Shadow Minister for Disabled People as part of the Shadow Work and Pensions team.

Following the formation of the Coalition government after the 2010 General Election I was appointed minister for political and constitutional reform in the Cabinet Office.

Personal

I am married to Margaret and live in Newham Bottom in the constituency. We have two black Labradors, Cara and Darci, who help to keep me fit during our long weekend walks in the Forest.

Outside of work I enjoy travelling (recently venturing to Turkey), keeping fit and the cinema, and in particular I am supportive of the local cinema theatres in Coleford and Cinderford.

I believe that your MP should be your voice in Parliament – not the voice of Westminster telling you what you should think. I am working to make sure that the voices of my constituents are heard in the halls of Westminster, and the interests of the Forest of Dean, and the Severn and Wye and Leadon Valleys are fully represented.

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