Rebecca Harris

Early life and career

Elizabeth Harris was born on 22 December 1967 in Windsor, Berkshire and was privately educated at the boarding school Bedales, in Hampshire. She then went to university at the London School of Economics, graduating with a BSc. After university, Harris worked with Phillimore & Co publishers, working in warehousing as a delivery driver and sales rep. She eventually joined the board as marketing director. Harris was a Conservative head office campaign co-ordinator during 2000-2001 and Conservative North West London area officer during 2007–2008.

Parliamentary career

At the 2010 general election, Harris was elected to Parliament as MP for Castle Point with 44% of the vote and a majority of 7,632.

In 2012, Harris was named by Conservative Home as one of a minority of loyal Conservative backbench MPs not to have voted against the government in any significant rebellions.

She was a member of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and championed the Daylight Saving Bill which would have moved Britain onto Central European Time. On 20 January 2012, the legislation ran out of time to progress, meaning that the United Kingdom would remain on Western European Time.

In March 2015, Harris and her entourage recorded video footage of allegedly speeding motorbikers and handed them to the police, after spotting them whilst canvassing. Local residents had complained of the street being used for road racing.

At the 2015 general election, Harris was re-elected as MP for Castle Point with an increased vote share of 50.9% and an increased majority of 8,934.

Prior to the 2016 Brexit referendum, Harris stated her support for Britain to leave the European Union.

Harris was re-elected at the snap 2017 general election with an increased vote share of 67.3% and an increased majority of 18,872.

At the 2019 general election, Harris was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 76.7% and an increased majority of 26,634. This was the largest Conservative vote share of the entire election.

Harris was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2024 Birthday Honours List for Political and Public Service.

Harris was again re-elected at the 2024 general election, with a decreased vote share of 38.1% and a decreased majority of 3,251.

Following the victory of Kemi Badenoch in the 2024 leadership election, Harris was appointed Chief Whip of the Conservative Party.

Electoral history

References

References

1. "Rebecca Harris MP". BBC.
2. "Who's Who". Ukwhoswho.com.
3. {{London Gazette. (18 May 2015)
4. "Ministerial Appointments: September 2022".
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6. (5 May 2023). "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News.
7. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
8. "Archived copy".
9. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Castle Point". BBC News.
10. (14 September 2012). "The 24 Conservative MPs who are still on the backbenches and have never rebelled".
11. Winterman, Denise. (24 February 2011). "Could the UK work with two different time zones?". BBC News Magazine.
12. Staff writer. (20 January 2012). "Clock change bill runs out of time in Commons". BBC News.
13. (12 March 2015). "MP films bikers she accuses of speeding". Southend Echo.
14. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
15. "Castle Point parliamentary constituency - Election 2017".
16. (22 June 2016). "EU vote: Where the cabinet and other MPs stand". BBC News.
17. "Castle Point". BBC News.
18. (29 January 2019). "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
19. "Castle Point Parliamentary constituency".
20. (28 January 2020). "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
21. (28 January 2020). "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis". [[House of Commons Library]].
22. "King's Birthday Honours: Castle Point Rebecca Harris made Dame". Southend Echo.
23. (5 July 2024). "General Election 2024: Rebecca Harris re-elected for Castle Point but huge gain for Reform UK". Essex Live.
24. (3 November 2024). "Kemi Badenoch appoints Rebecca Harris as Conservative chief whip, says predecessor".
25. (3 November 2024). "Kemi Badenoch makes first appointment to shadow cabinet". BBC News.
26. "UK Parliamentary election: Castle Point Constituency (2024)".