Welcome to my website.
I am proud to be the Member of Parliament for Dartford and to have the honour of representing my constituents in the House of Commons. The Dartford Constituency is one which comprises not only the town itself but also the surrounding villages of Joydens Wood, Wilmington, Stone, Greenhithe, Swanscombe, Ebbsfleet, Bean, Darenth, Sutton-at-Hone, Hawley, Longfield, Southfleet, New Barn, Hartley, Betsham and Hodsoll Street.
I was first elected to represent Dartford at the 2010 General Election with a majority of 10,628. I was re-elected in 2015 with a majority of 12,345 and then again in June 2017 with an increased majority of 13,186. At the last election in 2019, I increased my majority further to 19,160.
I consider myself to be Dartford’s representative in Westminster and not Westminster’s representative in Dartford. This is my hometown and I have a great deal of affection for it. I spent my childhood living locally and attended Dartford Grammar School. I was a Councillor in a neighbouring borough and worked in Dartford and the surrounding villages as a solicitor.
I live in Dartford Constituency with my wife Wendy. My children attended schools in the constituency and are both now at university.
When time allows, I still like to play cricket in Kent and I hosted annual charity cricket events for several years in Dartford. I am also proud to be President of Dartford Sea Cadets.
I have held a variety of Parliamentary Private Secretary roles over the years, including in the Home Office, Treasury and Cabinet Office. In 2017 I was appointed as PPS to David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU.
In 2018, Theresa May, the Prime Minister, appointed me as an Assistant Government Whip, a position I resigned from in 2019 as I did not believe her Brexit deal adequately represented why we voted to leave the EU.
After the General Election in 2019 I became PPS to Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary.
In 2021 I was appointed as an Assistant Government Whip by Boris Johnson and in February 2022 I became a Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury).
In September 2022, I was pleased to accept the position of a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice.
Transport is an important issue for Dartford residents and I have tirelessly lobbied for improvements to the Dartford Crossing. I also fought a long, hard, campaign to prevent the new Lower Thames Crossing being located in Dartford. The decision to locate it at Option C, east of Gravesend has saved us from eight years of road works.
Whilst existing problems at the Dartford Crossing will not be fully relieved until the new Lower Thames Crossing is built, I will continue to lobby the Government and its agencies to ensure everything possible is done to reduce congestion.
I continue to campaign against the London Mayor’s proposed expansion of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone to Greater London. If introduced, this expansion would see my constituents who live close to the London border having to either pay this levy daily or buy a new car, which many people will not be able to afford. Many streets in Dartford border London and if the ULEZ is extended, it will mean people in Dartford who have to cross into London to simply leave their homes, will be charged.
I believe Dartford is an area to be proud of and one with huge economic potential. Unemployment in the area is low and we have an excellent range of schools, both selective and non-selective, in a mixture of rural and urban areas. Darent Valley is a good hospital and I regularly engage with the Chief Executive and staff based there.
I am always happy to meet constituents at my surgeries. Please contact my office on 0207 219 7047 as these are strictly by appointment.
