The Rt Hon Hugo Swire

Biography

The Rt Hon Hugo Swire served as Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from September 2012 until July 2016. He served as Minister of State for Northern Ireland from May 2010 until September 2012. In 2011, Mr Swire was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council. Mr Swire was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for East Devon in June 2001.

Political career

Mr Swire was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for East Devon in June 2001. He served in David Cameron’s first Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport between 2005 and 2007. He was appointed Minister of State for Northern Ireland in the coalition Government in May 2010. In 2011, Mr Swire was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council. His party and parliamentary roles prior to this included: Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Rt Hon Theresa May in her role as chairman of the Conservative Party in 2003; Opposition Whip between 2003 and 2004; and Shadow Minister for the Arts between 2004 and 2005.

Mr Swire was a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee between 2002 and 2005, and Chairman of the Speakers’ Advisory Committee on Works of Art between 2005 and 2010. He was previously a member of a number of All-Party Parliamentary Groups and Chairman of the Conservative Middle East Council.

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