Bernard Jenkin

Biography

Bernard Jenkin was born in 1959. He is the son of the pro-nuclear former Conservative energy minister Lord Jenkin.

Bernard was educated at Highgate School, William Ellis School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he studied English Literature.

Like his father, he has combined a political career with business interests. Jenkin junior has worked for Legal and General Ventures Ltd, the Ford Motor Co Ltd and 3i Plc.

He was MP for North Colchester from 1992 to 1997 and has been the member for North Essex since 1997.

In August 1998, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Transport, and then Shadow Minister for London in December 1999. In September 2001, he became Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, and in November 2003, became Shadow Secretary of State for the Regions. In May 2005, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Trade & Industry.

Links to nuclear industry

Jenkin has called for “early decisions to be made on the future of nuclear power� and was part of an ‘Expert Panel’ convened under the auspices of The Geological Society of London, which produced a report on future energy needs. It stated that nuclear energy is a proven and reliable technology that will inevitably have a key role in a future clean energy mix. [1] [2]

The Nuclear Industry Association reports that Jenkin has ‘conveyed an interest in the industry’. He was the sole speaker at a fringe meeting of the Conservative Party Conference in October 2005. It was entitled ‘Energy choices: Nuclear, Part of the solution’ and was organized by the NIA. [3] [4]

Jenkin visited the Bradwell nuclear power station, in Essex, in November 2004. [5].