Theresa May

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The Right Honourable
 Theresa May MP
Theresa May

In office
6 December 2005 – present
Leader David Cameron
Preceded by Oliver Heald

In office
6 May 2005 – 6 December 2005
Leader Michael Howard
Preceded by Julie Kirkbride
Succeeded by Hugo Swire

In office
6 November 2003 – 6 May 2005
Leader Michael Howard
Preceded by Tim Collins (Transport)
David Lidington (Environment)
Succeeded by Alan Duncan

In office
23 July 2002 – 6 November 2003
Preceded by David Davis
Succeeded by Liam Fox

In office
18 September 2001 – 23 July 2002
Leader Iain Duncan Smith
Preceded by Archie Norman
Succeeded by Tim Collins

In office
2 December 1998 – 18 September 2001
Preceded by David Willetts
Succeeded by Damian Green

Born 1 October 1956 (1956-10-01) (age 51)
Flag of England Eastbourne, Sussex, England
Political party Conservative

Theresa Mary May (born in Eastbourne, Sussex, England, on 1 October 1956 as Theresa Mary Brasier) is a British politician, former chairman of the Conservative Party, and Member of Parliament for Maidenhead.

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[edit] Early life

May studied at St Hugh's College, Oxford and obtained a Geography MA. From 1985 to 1997, she worked as a financial consultant, and was also a councillor in the London Borough of Merton from 1986 to 1994, where she was Chairman of Education (1988–1990) and Deputy Group Leader and Housing Spokesman (1992–1994). In the 1992 general election she stood (and lost) in the safe Labour seat of North West Durham and then unsuccessfully contested the 1994 Barking by-election. In the 1997 general election she was elected the Conservative MP for Maidenhead.

[edit] Member of Parliament

Having entered parliament she soon became a member of William Hague's front-bench team as Shadow Spokesman for Schools, Disabled People and Women (1998 – June 1999). May became the first of the 1997 MPs to enter the Shadow Cabinet when in 1999 she was appointed Shadow Education and Employment Secretary. After the 2001 election the new Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith retained her services in the Shadow Cabinet, moving her to the Transport portfolio. In this role she opposed then Transport Secretary Stephen Byers in the period leading up to his resignation.

May was appointed the first female chairman in July 2002. During her speech at the 2002 Conservative Party Conference while making a point about why her party must change, she controversially stated that the Conservatives were currently perceived as the "nasty party". After Michael Howard became Conservative leader in 2003 he made May Shadow Secretary of State for Transport and the Environment. However in June 2004 she was moved to the new position of Shadow Secretary of State for the Family. After the 2005 election her portfolio was expanded and she became Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whilst remaining Shadow Secretary of State for the Family. David Cameron appointed her Shadow Leader of the House in December 2005 after his accession to the leadership.

[edit] Personal Life

May is known for her love of shoes; in the register of members interests she declared that she had '[received a] discount card on the purchase of shoes from Russell & Bromley which has the potential to be of registrable value.' She is married to Philip May and lives in Sonning, Berkshire.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Audio clips

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
new constituency
Member of Parliament for Maidenhead
1997present
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
David Davis
Chairman of the Conservative Party
2002–2003
Succeeded by
Liam Fox
Political offices
Preceded by
Damian Green
Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
1998–2001
Succeeded by
David Willetts
Preceded by
Archie Norman
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
2001–2002
Succeeded by
Tim Collins
Preceded by
Julie Kirkbride
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
2004–2005
Succeeded by
Hugo Swire
Preceded by
Oliver Heald
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
2005 – present
Incumbent
Languages