Theresa Villiers was first elected as the Conservative MP for Chipping Barnet in 2005, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of just 1,212.
The constituency of Chipping Barnet is found on the outer northern edge of Greater London along the Hertfordshire border. The seat contains the communities of High Barnet, East Barnet, as well as those of Whestone, Colney Hatch, and Brunswick Park. Found at the end of the Northern underground line, this is a suburban constituency which was once represented in the by the Conservative Chancellor and Home Secretary, Reginald Maudling.
Although this seat has been held by the Conservatives continuously since 1950, the electoral politics in this part of London have been changing dramatically in recent years. Despite their national landslide, the Conservatives were only just able to cling on here in 2019. This is now one of Labour’s prime target seats.
Villiers previously served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs between 2019 and 2020. She was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the Cameron government between 2012 and 2016. She was Minister of State for Transport between 2010 and 2012, and Shadow Transport Secretary between 2007 and 2010.
Villiers was born in 1968 and grew up in north London near St John’s Wood.
She obtained a first class law degree from the University of Bristol and a BCL from Jesus College, Oxford. She is a former barrister and lecturer in law at King’s College, London.
From 1999 to 2005, Villiers was a Member of the European Parliament for London. She was briefly Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group in the European Parliament.
Villiers supported Leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum. She was one of just 27 Eurosceptic Conservative MPs to vote against Theresa May’s EU Withdrawal Agreement three times.
She backed Boris Johnson in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election.
Villiers supports animal welfare and is opposed to fox hunting. She has also campaigned against antisemitism and is Vice Chair of the Conservative Friends of Israel.
Theresa Villiers is Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Events. She is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Woods and Trees; Canada; British Hindus; Dark Skies; Nursery Schools; Rail; and Tamils.
Email: theresa@theresavilliers.co.uk
Personal Website: http://www.theresavilliers.co.uk
Facebook Page: http://www.theresavilliers.co.uk/www.facebook.com/theresavillierscb
