David is a strong believer in face to face meetings with his counterparts. As Minister for Europe he is responsible for Britain’s relations with more than 50 countries. He has visited 39 countries (figure accurate as of April 2012) since becoming a Minister, many of them more than once.
He has a long standing passion for history, and thinks that Tudor court politics is a pretty good guide to life in Whitehall and Westminster today. David’s historical knowledge contributed to his double success in University Challenge. He has twice captained a champion team, first in 1979 and then in 2002 when the Sidney Sussex team became "champion of champions" in University Challenge Reunited
David worked for BP and for RTZ before spending three years as Special Advisor to Douglas Hurd in the Home Office and Foreign Office.
In dealing with constituency casework, David believes that every constituent has the right to expect his or views to be represented to the appropriate Minister, government agency or local authority. During his time as MP for Aylesbury David has dealt with many thousands of individual problems raised in correspondence or at his regular constituency. Casework includes subjects as diverse as housing, welfare benefits, immigration and asylum, tax, child support payments, the allocation of school places, anti social behaviour, HS2, planning, the local NHS and social care.
POSITIONS HELD: Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Michael Howard QC MP, 1994 to 1997
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, Rt Hon William Hague MP, June 1997
Shadow Opposition Spokesman at the Home Office, June 1999
Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury, September 2001
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, May 2002
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, November 2003
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, July 2007 - May 2010
Minister for Europe, May 2010 -
PROUDEST POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT: As a backbencher, David successfully promoted a Private Members Bill which became the Chiropractors Act 1994, making a real difference to thousands of people.
In Government, the European Union Act 2011 which requires a referendum before any British government can agree to a new change to EU Treaties which transfers more power from the United Kingdom to Brussels.
INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF POLITICS:Family of four children leaves little time, but enjoys history and choral music (listening and singing).
FAMILY LIFE: Married to Helen whom with he has four sons.
You can contact David's Parliamentary office on 0207 2193432, david.lidington.mp@parliament.uk or you can follow him on Twitter @dlidington
For more information please visit www.davidlidington.com
