Caroline Nokes has been the Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton North since 2010. She was reelected in 2019 with a majority of 10,872.
The constituency of Romsey and Southampton North includes the districts of Basset and Swaythling from north of the city of Southampton before spreading out to rural areas in the Test Valley in the south of Hampshire. It includes the towns of Dunbridge, Mottisfont and Romsey. This area was represented in Parliament by the Liberal Democrats for ten years between 2000 and 2010. However in the last three elections, this area has become safer Conservative territory in which the party has polled between 55% and 57% of the vote.
Nokes served as the Minister of State for Immigration at the Home Office between 2018 and 2019. She was sacked by Boris Johnson when he became Prime Minister in July 2019.
She had previously served as Under Secretary at the Cabinet Office between 2017 and 2018, and Under Secretary for Work and Pensions between 2016 and 2017.
Born in 1972, Nokes was educated at Sussex University. After initially working in politics, Nokes served as Chief Executive of the National Pony Society before being elected to Westminster. She was elected to Test Valley Borough Council between 1999 and 2011.
Nokes sit on the left of the Conservative Party and is considered pro European. She had the Conservative whip removed in September 2019 after voting against the government’s Brexit plans, but this was restored prior to the 2019 General Election.
Her father was a former Conservative Member of the European Parliament.
She supported Sajid Javid in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election.
She has previously been active in campaigning around Special Educational Needs and autism, as well as on the issue of dangerous dogs.
In November 2021, Nokes made allegations of ‘inappropriate touching’ against the Prime Minister’s father, Stanley Johnson, dating back to the 2003 Conservative Party Conference. Ms Nokes, who was the Conservative candidate for Romsey at the time, told Sky News said that Stanley Johnson had smacked her “on the backside about as hard as he could” . She claimed he remarked, “Oh, Romsey, you’ve got a lovely seat”. Following the allegations, Stanley Johnson told Sky he had “no recollection” of Ms Nokes.
In early 2022, Nokes confirmed that she has submitted a letter to the 1922 committee, arguing that it was up to the party to decide whether Boris Johnson goes now or at a general election
Nokes is divorced with a daughter.
Email: caroline.nokes.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://www.carolinenokes.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/carolinenokes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caroline.nokes?fref=ts
