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This article is about Kenneth Clarke the politician, not Kenneth Clark the art historian.
The Right Honourable Kenneth Harry Clarke (born July 2, 1940) is a pro-Europe Conservative Party MP for Rushcliffe, near Nottingham. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1993 until 1997. He is noted for his scruffy clothes, especially footwear; his love of jazz and for being a birdwatcher. He is president of the Tory Reform Group.
1 Early life
Born in Nottingham, Clarke was educated at the Nottingham High School (then a "direct grant" school) and went on to study law at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He had joined the Conservatives while at university, where he was chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association. He controversially invited the fascist leader Oswald Mosley to speak, leading some Jewish students (including his future succesor at the Home Office Michael HowardThe Right Honourable Michael Howard (born July 7, 1941) is the current Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. He became leader of the Conservative Party on November 6 2003, having been the only candidate for the job after Iain D) to resign in protest at the seeming acceptance of anti-semitism. Clarke was defeated for the presidency of the Cambridge Union SocietyThe Cambridge Union Society commonly referred to simply as the Cambridge Union is the largest student society at the University of Cambridge. It was founded on February 13th, 1815 as a union of three debating societies and quickly rose to prominence in Un by Howard, although he was eventually elected President of the Union a year later. On leaving Cambridge, Clarke was called to the barIn England and Wales, barristers (i. lawyers who are licensed to argue cases in court, as opposed to those licensed only for other forms of legal practice) are those who have been called to the bar or to have received a call to the bar . In Canada the sam in 1963. He married Gillian Edwards in November 1964.
2 Parliament and Cabinet
Clarke was an unsuccessful candidate in MansfieldThis page is about the town of Mansfield in England. For other place named Mansfield, see Mansfield (disambiguation). Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire. It lies on the River Maun, from which the name of the town (Maun's field) is derived. It is the m in the 1964The United Kingdom general election of 1964 result was a very slim majority for the Labour Party, of 4, and led to their first government since 1951. The Labour victory was largely due to the increased vote for the Liberals from 5. 9% in 1959 to 11. 2% wh and 1966The UK general election in 1966 was called by Harold Wilson because his government, elected in the 1964 election, had an unworkably small majority. Wilson's hope, that he would be returned to office with an increased majority, was excited by the governmen elections. In 1970 he was elected MP for the East MidlandsEast Midlands Admin HQ Nottingham Area Total 4th in England 15,627 kmē Population Total ( 2001) Density 8th in England4,172,179267/kmē NUTS 1:UKF The East Midlands is one of the regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the tradional constituency of Rushcliffe. He soon established himself, as a whip from 1972 to 1974 and as industry spokesman from 1976 to 1979. Despite his opposition during the election of Margaret Thatcher he did well under her premiership. His first post in government was as a junior transport minister and he was made a QC in 1980. He moved through a number of jobs, Minister for Health (1982-1985), Paymaster General and Employment Minister (1985-1987), and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister at the DTI (1987-1988) before snagging himself a decent post in 1988 as Health secretary, introducing the 'internal market' concept. He advised Thatcher to resign after her inadequate first round victory and supported Douglas Hurd in the next round.
Despite the victory of John Major he was kept in cabinet as Education secretary (1990-1992). After Major won the General Election in April 1992 he appointed Clarke Home Secretary. In May 1993, seven months after the impact of ' Black Wednesday' had terminally damaged the credibility of Norman Lamont as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Major insisted that Lamont resign that office and appointed Clarke in his place. Clarke had a moderately successful record as Chancellor as the economy recovered from the recession of the early 1990s, but found the government found that it received little credit after the defeat of its policy on Black Wednesday.
