Difference between revisions of "Andrea Leadsom"

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:'There’s the ridiculous argument that somehow we don’t need gas, we can just do it with windfarms and solar. Of course that’s absolutely implausible. [...] Don’t be brow beaten by very scaremongering accusations into failing to take a decision or making a negative decision.' <ref> Kevin Schofield, [https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/energy/house/73121/andrea-leadsom-dont-be-browbeaten-fracking-scaremongering Andrea Leadsom: 'Don’t be browbeaten by fracking scaremongering'], ''PoliticsHome'', 24 March 2016, accessed 1 December 2016. </ref>
 
:'There’s the ridiculous argument that somehow we don’t need gas, we can just do it with windfarms and solar. Of course that’s absolutely implausible. [...] Don’t be brow beaten by very scaremongering accusations into failing to take a decision or making a negative decision.' <ref> Kevin Schofield, [https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/energy/house/73121/andrea-leadsom-dont-be-browbeaten-fracking-scaremongering Andrea Leadsom: 'Don’t be browbeaten by fracking scaremongering'], ''PoliticsHome'', 24 March 2016, accessed 1 December 2016. </ref>
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===Report on fracking impact scandal===
  
 
===Voting record===
 
===Voting record===

Revision as of 11:46, 1 December 2016

<youtube size="medium" align="right" caption="Andrea Leadsom visiting the IGas site in Doe Green, 6 August 2015">C2Fa5KIGBvc</youtube>

Andrea Leadsom, Minister of state for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, with John Blaymires Chief Operating Officer at IGas

Andrea Leadsom is the UK Conservative Party MP for South Northamptonshire,[1]

She was appointed as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by incoming Prime Minister Theresa May on 14 July 2016. [2]

Leadsom entered government as economic secretary to the HM Treasury in April 2014, as part of a reshuffle prompted by the resignation of Maria Miller from the cabinet.[3]

Previously, Leadsom was appointed minister of state at the Department for Energy and Climate Change, following the 2015 general election.

Background

Before entering politics Leadsom worked in the banking and finance industry for 25 years. Her most recent role was head of corporate governance and senior investment officer at Invesco Perpetual. [3]

From 1997-99 Leadsom was managing director of De Putron Fund Management. She then became a senior investment officer at Invesco Perpetual from 1999 until 2009.[4]

Advocacy for fracking

Leadsom has consistently expressed support for fracking. In an article in the Yorkshire Post in May 2016, Leadsom wrote:

'We need a system fit for the 21st century, replacing coal with gas, nuclear, and renewables, and fracking is a key part of those plans. A shale gas industry will not only boost our economy and create thousands of jobs across the supply chain – it will help to guarantee a secure energy supply which is an absolute must for this government [...] I really believe that this is an opportunity we can’t afford to miss.' [5]

In an interview with the press, she said:

'There’s the ridiculous argument that somehow we don’t need gas, we can just do it with windfarms and solar. Of course that’s absolutely implausible. [...] Don’t be brow beaten by very scaremongering accusations into failing to take a decision or making a negative decision.' [6]

Report on fracking impact scandal

Voting record

Leadsom has generally voted against increased regulation on fracking. [7]

  • 26 January 2015: voted against making fracking companies apply for an environmental permit before conducting exploratory drilling. She voted against an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill to include an 18 month moratorium on fracking.
  • 11 February 2015: voted in favour of requiring more pre-conditions for where fracking can take place.
  • 16 December 2015: voted in favour of weakening regulations on fracking in protected areas and national parks.

Controversy

Using data gathered by the Washington-based organisation the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a July 2014 report by The Guardian found that Peter de Putron - brother-in-law of Andrea Leadsom and founder of De Putron Fund Management - had donated £816,000 to the Conservative Party since 2010, and £680,000 to the Open Europe think tank since its foundation in 2005.[8] The donations to both the Conservatives and to Open Europe were channelled through the company Gloucester Research (now called G-Research), at which Andrea’s husband, Ben Leadsom, is a director.[8]

The Fresh Start Project and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for European Reform

The Fresh Start Project is a parliamentary grouping of Conservative MPs concerned by EU issues, and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for European Reform. It was co-founded in October 2011 by Leadsom and George Eustice MP, ex-CEO of Business for Sterling.[9] According to the minutes of their meetings, the group bases their discussions on the right wing think tank Open Europe's reports.[10]

The APPG for European Reform was founded at a similar time to the Fresh Start Project, holding its inaugural meeting on 10 November 2011.[11] At this meeting, Leadsom was elected co-chair of the group, and Eustice an officer. Open Europe was instituted as secretariat to the group, giving them very close proximity to MPs.

Leadsom’s connections to Open Europe however predate her involvement in the founding of the APPG and the Fresh Start Project.

Education

After attending Tonbridge Girls Grammar School in Kent, Leadsom read political science at Warwick University.

Select committees

Articles

Affiliations

FrackWell.png This article is part of the Spinwatch Fracking Portal and project

Notes

  1. Andrea Leadsom, www.parliament.uk, accessed 15 May 2013.
  2. 'Whos in and Who's Out? May's new cabinet', 14 July 2016, BBC News, accessed 15 July 2016
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ministerial appointments: April 2014, gov.uk, 9 April 2014.
  4. ‘LEADSOM, Andrea Jacqueline’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn., Oxford University Press 2013, accessed 9 July 2014.
  5. Andrea Leadsom, Andrea Leadsom: Fracking is an opportunity not to be missed – or feared, The Yorkshire Post, 27 May 2016, accessed 1 December 2016.
  6. Kevin Schofield, Andrea Leadsom: 'Don’t be browbeaten by fracking scaremongering', PoliticsHome, 24 March 2016, accessed 1 December 2016.
  7. Andrea Leadsom, TheyWorkForYou, accessed 1 December 2016.
  8. 8.0 8.1 David Leigh, James Ball and Leila Haddou, Top Tory has family link with offshore banker who gave party £800,000, The Guardian, 8 July 2014, acc 16 July 2014
  9. Andrea Leadsom; George Eustice, We must make progress on the EU sooner rather than later, Fresh Start Blog, 31 October 2011.
  10. See the minutes of their inaugural meeting, Fresh Start Project, 14 November 2011.
  11. APPG on European Reform, 10 November 2011; UK Parliament registration information for APPG on European Reform.