Craig Whittaker was elected as Conservative MP for Calder Valley in 2010, being reelected in 2019 with a majority 5,774.
The constituency of Calder Valley is found following the banks of the River Calder on the western side of West Yorkshire. The electorate is largely found within the separate towns of Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, and Brighouse. Calder Valley is one of the UK’s ultra marginal seats which has supported the government of the day in every General Election since it was created in 1983.
Craig Whittaker was appointed Treasurer of HM Household and Deputy Chief Whip by Liz Truss in September 2022. He was not reappointed to the government when Rishi Suank became prime minister in October 2022.
He previously served in the government whips office between January 2018 and August 2019 under Theresa May, and 2021 and 2022 under Boris Johnson.
Craig Whittaker was born in 1962 in Lancashire, but emigrated to Australia at the age of five with his Parents. After completing his Higher School Certificate, he worked in retail management since leaving high school in Australia,
Whittaker returned to England in 1984. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, Craig Whittaker was a Retail General Manager at PC World.
Whittaker previously founded the charity, ‘Together for Looked after Children’ which focuses on improving educational opportunities for looked after children in Calderdale.
Whittaker served on Calderdale Council between 2003 and 2010.
Whittaker is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, and one of two Mormon MPs at Westminster.
He supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum, but had previously campaigned for the need to hold an EU referendum.
On the day after the police issued fines to both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, he told a Facebook “Q and A” that he thought the pair should both do the ‘right thing’ and resign. On 20th April, he told Sky News that, “I want the Prime Minister to take responsibility for his actions”.
Whittaker is a supporter of the HS2 rail project.
Craig Whittaker is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on ITV; and Cleaning on Hygiene.
He is married with 3 children.
Email: craig.whittaker.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: www.craigwhittakermp.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/craig_whittaker
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Craig-Whittaker/
