Chris Grayling
Christopher Stephen Grayling (born 1 April 1962) is a British politician and author who served as Secretary of State for Justice from 2012 to 2015, Leader of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016 and Secretary of State for Transport from 2016 until 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Epsom and Ewell from 2001 to 2024. Grayling previously worked in the television and film industry.
Chris Grayling
TBC
1 April 1962
London, England
Conservative (1988–present)
SDP (before 1988)
Susan Dillistone
2
Grayling was born in London and studied History at Cambridge University. He wrote a number of books as well as working for the BBC and Channel 4 before going into politics. A member of the Social Democratic Party until 1988, he then joined the Conservatives. First elected to Parliament in the 2001 general election for Epsom and Ewell, he was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron in 2005 as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. In 2007, he became the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and in 2009 he was appointed Shadow Home Secretary.
Following the 2010 general election and the formation of the Cameron–Clegg coalition, Grayling was made Minister of State for Employment. In September 2012, he was appointed to the Cabinet as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and served until 2015. He was the first non-lawyer to have served as Lord Chancellor for at least 440 years. He was Leader of the House of Commons and the Lord President of the Council from 2015 to 2016. In the majority and minority May governments, Grayling served as Secretary of State for Transport.
Grayling stood down from the Cabinet when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in July 2019. Johnson hoped for Grayling to become Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee by being voted in by the Conservative majority on the committee. However, fellow Conservative Julian Lewis defeated Grayling in the ballot by using opposition votes to secure a majority, in what was seen as a blow to Johnson and his adviser Dominic Cummings. Six weeks later, Grayling resigned from the committee apparently due to his failure to become chair. He stood down at the 2024 general election.
Early life and career[edit]
Grayling was born in London and grew up in Buckinghamshire, where he was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe. He then went to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he graduated with an upper-second class Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1984.[1]
Grayling joined BBC News in 1985 as a trainee, becoming a producer in 1986. He left the BBC in 1988 to join Channel 4 as an editor on its Business Daily television programme. He rejoined the BBC in 1991 as a business development manager on BBC Select. On leaving the BBC again in 1993, he briefly joined Charterhouse Productions as managing director before leaving several months later as it was wound up for failing to pay VAT.[2] He ran several television production companies from late 1993, including managing the corporate communications division of Workhouse Ltd from 1992 to 1995 and SSVC Group in Gerrards Cross from 1995 to 1997.
Grayling became a public relations consultant in 1997 with Burson Marsteller, where he remained until his election to Parliament. Prior to joining the Conservative Party, Grayling was a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).[3]
Early political career[edit]
Borough councillor: 1998–2002[edit]
Grayling was selected to contest the Labour-held marginal seat of Warrington South at the 1997 general election, but was defeated by Labour candidate Helen Southworth by 10,807 votes.[4] He was elected as a councillor for the Hillside ward in the London Borough of Merton in 1998 and remained on the council until 2002.[5]
Elected Member of Parliament: 2001[edit]
Grayling was elected to the House of Commons to represent the Surrey seat of Epsom and Ewell at the 2001 general election following the retirement of the veteran Tory MP Archie Hamilton. Grayling held the seat with a majority of 10,080 and has been returned as MP there since. He made his maiden speech on 25 June 2001.[6] In 2019, Grayling announced that Stoneleigh train station was to be given step-free access.
Post-ministerial career[edit]
Boris Johnson reportedly hoped for Grayling to be voted in as Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee by the narrow Conservative majority sitting on the committee.[128][129][130][131] The possible appointment prompted criticism from fellow Conservative MPs, acting Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Shadow Defence Secretary Nia Griffith, who said his appointment would "make a mockery" of the committee.[128][129][130] There were fears it would be a "power grab" by Johnson and his senior adviser Dominic Cummings designed to avoid accountability over their links to Russia outlined in a suppressed report.[128][129][130] On 15 July 2020, opposition committee members voted for independently minded Conservative Julian Lewis as chair which, together with his vote, secured a majority for him.[132]
In May 2020, Grayling alongside Mark Cecil were appointed trustees of the National Portrait Gallery by Johnson.[133][134] Both were reappointed as trustees by prime minister Rishi Sunak in December 2023 for another four year term.[135]
After Grayling's failure to be elected as Intelligence and Security Committee chair, he was criticised by colleagues who referred back to his previous track record as a minister, and who The Spectator reported as saying "only Grayling could lose a rigged election".[136] Julian Lewis had the party whip withdrawn by Boris Johnson.[137] On 21 July 2020, the committee released the previously repressed report which outlined how the government had failed to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 EU referendum.[138] On 28 August, it was reported Grayling had resigned from the committee.[139][140] The Guardian commented that sources familiar with the matter had indicated he had "gone off in a sulk" and had no desire to serve on the committee as an ordinary member.[141]
On 17 September 2020, it was announced that Grayling had been appointed to a £100,000-per-annum 7-hour-per-week job advising the British Virgin Islands-domiciled Hutchison Port Holdings Limited "on its environmental strategy and its engagement with local enterprise bodies".[142]
In October 2023, Grayling announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and would therefore not seek re-election at the 2024 general election.[143] He said: "Earlier this year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and although the treatment has been successful, it has prompted me to think that after 22 years it is time for a change".[143] In March 2024, he appealed to South Western Railway to increase train services in his constituency during morning rush hours due to most trains being full.[144] In May 2024, the Conservative Environment Network awarded Grayling the annual Sam Barker Memorial Prize for his efforts to reduce deforestation and maintain British wildlife habitats.[145] On 30 May, Parliament was dissolved so he stopped being an MP.