Anthony Edward Timpson is a British Conservative Party politician.
Background
Timpson was born in Knutsford, Cheshire, in 1973. His father, John, is the Chief Executive Officer and owner of the Timpson chain of shoe repair and key-cutting shops, which has been in the family for five generations and has over 550 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Timpson grew up with a brother, sister and over 80 children fostered by his parents.
Education
He was educated at Uppingham School before going on to Durham University (Hatfield College), where he studied politics before converting to law. Timpson has completed six marathons, including the New York marathon in 2007 and the London Marathon in 2008, raising over £4,500.
Career
Timpson was appointed to Minister of State for Children and Families after the 2015 general election, being promoted from his position as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education with similar portfolio responsibilities. He became a barrister in 1998. From 1999, he has practised in Chester as a family law barrister.
Outside politics Timpson is a fan of football, both watching and playing.
In July 2007, Timpson was selected as the Conservative candidate for the Crewe and Nantwich constituency, an area which had been represented by veteran Labour Member of Parliament Gwyneth Dunwoody since 1974. Following Dunwoody"s death in April 2008, a by-election was called for May 2008.
In the run up to the election, Timpson was the target of a "toff" campaign by Labour, trying to paint him as "a rich man" who wouldn"t "understand the problems that people face day-to-day" in contrast to their candidate, Gwyneth Dunwoody"s daughter Tamsin Dunwoody. The Conservative campaign focused on local issues, such as crime and antisocial behaviour, closure of post offices and problems at Leighton Hospital, where two women in labour were turned away, as well as national issues - referring to Dunwoody as "Gordon Brown"s candidate" and capitalising on dissatisfaction with the Labour Government, in particular the removal of the 10p tax rate.
On 22 May 2008 Timpson was elected Member of Parliament, gaining 20,539 votes (49% of the vote), a swing from Labour of 17.6%.
This was the first Conservative gain in a by-election since 1982. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 16 June 2008. Edward Timpson was re-elected on 7 May 2010 for the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich.
Following his re-election, Timpson was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary of Theresa May, the Home Secretary.
In September 2012, he was appointed as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families at the Department for Education. Timpson was named "Minister of the Year" in 2014 for pushing through reforms increasing the age of leaving foster care from 18 to 21, an initiative he had originally championed as a backbench committee chairman
Timpson credited his childhood experiences of living with a large family of fostered children. Edward Timpson was re-elected on 8 May 2015 for the constituency of Crewe and Nantwich.
lieutenant was announced by David Cameron on 11 May 2015 that Edward Timpson will become Minister of State for Children and Families at Department for Education.
Membership
54th United Kingdom Parliament. 55th United Kingdom Parliament. 56th United Kingdom Parliament]
He has been the (Member of Parliament) for Crewe and Nantwich since the 2008 by-election.