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David Wilshire

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David Wilshire
Wilshire as an MP
Member of Parliament
for Spelthorne
In office
11 June 1987 – 12 April 2010
Preceded byHumphrey Atkins
Succeeded byKwasi Kwarteng
Personal details
Born(1943-09-16)16 September 1943
Bristol, England
Died31 October 2023(2023-10-31) (aged 80)
Somerset, England
Political partyConservative
Children2
Alma materFitzwilliam College, Cambridge

David Wilshire (16 September 1943 – 31 October 2023) was a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Spelthorne in Surrey from 1987 to 2010. Wilshire was considered to be to the right of the party's mainstream.

Wilshire introduced Section 28 legislation in 1988. In 2009 he was implicated in the parliamentary expenses scandal.

Outside Parliament

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Wilshire was educated at Kingswood School, Bath, and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he received an MA in Geography in 1965. He was a councillor on Wansdyke District Council from 1976 to 1987 and served as leader from 1981 to 1987. He was elected as councillor on Avon County Council from 1977 to 1981. He also worked for Conservative MEPs from 1979 to 1985.

As well as building up his own group of small businesses and working as a personnel officer and a schoolteacher, he was a partner with Western Political Research Services (1979–2000), the co-director of Political Management Programme, Brunel University (1985–1990), and became a partner of Moorlands Research Service in 2000.

Wilshire was separated with one son. In 1982 his daughter died, aged 12, after choking at school. His main home was in Somerset, where he lived with his partner Ann Palmer.[1]

Parliamentary career

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Section 28 and sexual orientation issues

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Shortly after being elected as an MP in 1987, Wilshire saw a copy of the book Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin, about two gay men and their daughter, a copy of which was stocked in an Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) teachers' resource centre. Wilshire said of it: "[The book] portrays a child living with two men ... [and] clearly shows that as an acceptable family relationship."[2] As a result, with the support of Jill Knight, Wilshire introduced Section 28 as an amendment to the Local Government Bill at the committee stage. The amendment made it illegal for local authorities to "promote homosexuality or ... promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality".[3]

Section 28 became a major political issue. In April 1988, a national demonstration of more than 30,000 was held in London. "Stop the Clause" groups sprang up in most cities, which organised local protests to complement national action. One evening, the BBC's Six O'Clock News headlines were disrupted by shouts of "Stop Clause 28!" and when the clause was debated in the Lords, protesting lesbians abseiled from the public gallery down to the floor of the House.[2] The actor Ian McKellen described Wilshire and Knight as the "ugly sisters" of a political pantomime.[4] In 2003, in a rare public speech about his role in Section 28, Wilshire stated: "Little did I realise what I was unleashing ... I got a fair amount of hate mail and a fair amount of publicity, most of it unflattering." He claimed that the bill had always been about misuse of taxpayers' money, and not bigotry.[5]

The ban was eventually reversed by Parliament in 2003. Wilshire was one of 76 MPs to vote against the repeal.[6]

In 2000 Wilshire voted to prohibit teachers from introducing steps to prevent bullying on the grounds of homosexuality in a later Local Government Bill.[7] Wilshire voted against homosexual couples being allowed to adopt children in 2002,[8] against the Civil Partnership Bill of 2004, which granted a legal relationship for same-sex couples,[9] and against Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) in 2007, which outlawed discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services, education and public functions on the grounds of sexual orientation.[10] In each case Wilshire's vote was in the minority.

Political views

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Wilshire voted against bans on hunting and smoking, and voted both for and against the Iraq War.[11]

Wilshire opposed the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland and was one of the first Conservative MPs to declare that he would never support UK entry into a single European currency.[12]

In 1995 Wilshire protested to the then prime minister, John Major, about the government's proposals to allow people from Hong Kong to live in the UK. He received criticism[13] for stating: "It's not acceptable to the British people to let in one more ... this country is full up."[14]

Wilshire voted against the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in 1999 by opposing the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. In 2009 he became one of 11 MPs to back the Employment Opportunities Bill, which aimed to abolish the minimum wage, but was defeated in Parliament.[15]

Wilshire opposed the idea that MPs should not have second jobs and stated that "state employed parliamentarians" would be something that "Stalin would applaud".[16] He combined being an MP with being the partner of Moorlands Research Service for eight years[17] and from 1987 to 1990 combined being an MP with two other jobs.[18] He was one of 21 Conservative MPs to vote in favour of keeping the additional costs allowance for MPs' second homes, despite the Conservative Party leader David Cameron's calls for it to be reformed.[19]

Wilshire went against the official Conservative Party line and supported the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport, which, although it lies just outside the Spelthorne constituency, nevertheless provides employment for a considerable number of people locally. Wilshire described those that opposed the expansion as the "anti-brigade", which included David Cameron, whom he accused of peddling a "lie" that transit passengers at Heathrow spent almost nothing.[20]

Expenses scandal

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In 2009, Wilshire was among a number of MPs exposed in the expenses scandal, and faced considerable hostility from his constituents.

Wilshire was originally questioned by his local newspaper, the Staines Informer, about why he had claimed the maximum allowance for a second home in London when his constituency home was in a commuter belt. During the interview he stated: "In 22 years of living in London, I have always furnished the flat out of my own pocket."[21] However, four days later The Daily Telegraph revealed that Wilshire had an unusual arrangement whereby he claimed thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money for monthly payments towards the cost of interior decoration for his London flat, even though he did not have to provide any receipts for the work.[22] Wilshire was questioned about this by his local newspaper again, in which he said he was "embarrassed, sad and sorry", but he revealed that he had not spent the money allocated to him for decoration on this yet, but would do in the future, and therefore he refused to pay the money back or resign.[23]

It later emerged that Wilshire had spent over £1,000 of taxpayers' money on furniture in 2004, which contradicted his previous claims. When challenged on this, he refused to give an interview but sent an email to the local press in which he stated that: "I obtained the cheapest self-assembly replacement available from MFI". However, even this email caused him more problems, as in it he stated that he had bought the flat in 1983 — four years before he had become an MP and four years before when he previously revealed he had bought it.[24] He later wrote a letter to the paper stating that he did buy the flat in 1987 and that the paper's journalists had been forgetful about facts he had told them, and had confused "furnishing a property with repairing it". The newspaper replied that it stood by what it had reported.[25] When local demands grew for Wilshire to meet his constituents over the claims, Wilshire expressed that he would only meet them one-to-one, and would not hold a public meeting.[26]

As a result, the Conservative Anti-Corruption Group was formed, which aimed to oust Wilshire at the 2010 general election.[27] One of its members included a former Conservative councillor and canvassing partner of Wilshire.[28] Shortly afterwards, at a Spelthorne Conservative Association meeting, six members of the Conservative Party announced they were prepared to stand against him at the 2010 general election.[29]

Following further investigation by The Daily Telegraph, on 14 October 2009, Wilshire asked the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner to investigate his office expenses.[30] Wilshire admitted using parliamentary expenses to pay £105,000 over three years to Moorlands Research Services, a company he set up and owned with his partner Ann Palmer to run his office, but insisted it was approved by the authorities. Parliamentary expenses rules forbid MPs from entering into arrangements which "may give rise to an accusation" of profiting from public funds. Wilshire told the BBC that he had referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner as the only way to answer the questions about his expenses, and that the company had never made a profit and had been wound up.[1] Moorlands Research Services was never registered with Companies House, and never filed public accounts.[30] The following day, Wilshire announced that he would stand down as an MP, saying that he was reluctant to do this, but accepted it was the "sensible" thing to do.[31][32] On 2 November 2009, when the Parliamentary Standards Commission ended its probe into him without producing any results, Wilshire apologised for equating his treatment over expenses to the Holocaust.[33]

2010 visit to Georgian separatist outpost

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On 20 April 2010, as Co-rapporteur of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) he held a meeting with a member of the Georgian separatist government of South Ossetia in the self-proclaimed Embassy of the Republic of South Ossetia in Moscow. The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that:

... Georgia expresses its strong protest over this deplorable fact. Georgia fully respects the liberty of a parliamentarian, however Mr. Wilshire, the member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was acting in his capacity of the Assembly's Co-rapporteur, hence representing the whole organisation. This is the first instance when an official representative of the international organisation holds the [sic] meeting in the premises of the "Embassy" of the proxy regimes [sic?].[34]

Other activities

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In 2000 Wilshire threatened to sue a Labour Party member for defamation who had written in the Heathrow Villager that Wilshire was scaremongering and misleading the public about the only hospital remaining in his seat. Wilshire received criticism as the author of the piece was a cancer-suffering pensioner who was being treated at the hospital. The Guardian, which had previously been compared to the Third Reich by Wilshire, described him as "Britain's stupidest MP" as a result.[35]

Wilshire was among opponents to the proposal that Princess Diana speak to MPs about outlawing landmines in 1997, following an invitation from the newly elected Labour government. She ultimately decided not to speak, following the opposition.[36]

In 2008 he was the subject of a parliamentary enquiry after it was claimed that he raised thousands of pounds for his local party by hosting constituents on visits to the House of Commons. The enquiry cleared him of any wrongdoing.[37]

Wilshire joined Margaret Thatcher in calling for the former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet to be released, when he was under house arrest in London in 1998.[38]

In 2003 he pushed successfully to have Council of Europe officials look into the UK to assess whether it is necessary to officially monitor the UK's voting procedures. He said the then government had failed to put its "house in order" to prevent fraudulent voting and accused the government of "systematically ignoring" pleas from the Electoral Commission. "If the British government won't put its own house in order, you mustn't be surprised if there are some of us who will try to find someone else who will make them put their house in order," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme. He also opposed the introduction of identity cards and called for the "removal of innocent children" from the United Kingdom National DNA Database.[39]

Wilshire was parliamentary private secretary to Alan Clark in 1991, the PPS to Peter Lloyd from 1992 to 1994, and was a Conservative whip in the House of Commons from 2001 to 2005.[40] He was a member of the Northern Ireland Select Committee (1994–1997), a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee (1997–2000) and became a member of the Transport Select Committee and of the Chairman's Panel in 2005. He was also elected on to the executive of the Conservatives' 1922 Committee in 2005.[41]

Death

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Wilshire died in Somerset,[42] on 31 October 2023, aged 80.[43]

References

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  1. ^ a b "MP paid his company with expenses". BBC News. 14 October 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  2. ^ a b Booth, Janine (1 January 2004). "The story of Section 28". Workers' Liberty. Archived from the original on 7 January 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  3. ^ Thorp, Arabella; Allen, Gillian (6 April 2000). "The Local Government Bill [HL]: the 'Section 28' debate [Bill 87 of 1999–2000]" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Research Paper 00/47. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 November 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2007.
  4. ^ "Section 28 | A Speech by Ian McKellen". mckellen.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  5. ^ "Repeal of Section 2A of Local Government Act 1986". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 10 March 2003. col. 73. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  6. ^ "The Public Whip — Local Government Bill — Maintain Prohibition on Promotion of Homosexuality (Section 28) – 10 Mar 2003 at 19:29". Public Whip. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  7. ^ "The Public Whip — Local Government Bill [Lords] — Prohibition on promotion of homosexuality: bullying – 5 Jul 2000". Public Whip. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ "The Public Whip — Adoption and Children Bill — [2nd Allotted Day] — Applications for adoption – 16 May 2002 at 17:45". Public Whip. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  9. ^ "The Public Whip — Civil Partnership Bill [Lords] – 12 Oct 2004 at 18:42". Public Whip. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  10. ^ "The Public Whip — Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations – 19 Mar 2007 at 19:25". Public Whip. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Voting record – David Wilshire, former MP, Spelthorne". TheyWorkForYou. Archived from the original on 20 April 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  12. ^ "David Wilshire". BBC News. 16 October 2002. Archived from the original on 4 June 2006. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  13. ^ "Leading Article: Patten's cat among pigeons". The Independent. 24 September 1995. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  14. ^ Castle, Stephen; Vines, Stephen (23 September 1995). "UK should let in 3.3 million from Hong Kong, says Patten". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  15. ^ "You've made the Tories pull the Bill!". Wage Concern. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  16. ^ Wilshire, David (30 June 2009). "Full-time politicians; good for Stalin, bad for democracy". Staines News. Archived from the original on 5 January 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  17. ^ "Changes to the Register of Members' Interests". TheyWorkForYou. Archived from the original on 6 December 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  18. ^ "Members of Parliament for Staines". Staines Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 September 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  19. ^ "MPs who rejected expenses reform". BBC News. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  20. ^ Murphy, Joe (19 June 2008). "Supporters of third Heathrow runway blast Cameron's 'lie'". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  21. ^ Courtney, Adam (27 May 2009). "Spelthorne MP's Nixon-style expenses defence". Staines News. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  22. ^ Sawer, Patrick (31 May 2009). "MP's expenses: David Wilshire made monthly claims for curtains and carpets". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 June 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  23. ^ Courtney, Adam (3 June 2009). "Spelthorne MP: 'I'm embarrassed, sad and sorry'". Staines News. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  24. ^ Courtney, Adam (24 June 2009). "MP Wilshire faces calls to meet constituents". Staines News. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  25. ^ "Expenses report 'grossly biased'". Surrey Herald. 8 July 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  26. ^ Courtney, Adam (9 June 2009). "Wilshire defiant over decorations expenses". Staines News. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  27. ^ Courtney, Adam (24 June 2009). "Tory activists plot to remove Spelthorne MP". Staines News. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  28. ^ Courtney, Adam (30 June 2009). "David Wilshire 'not fit to be an MP' says ex-pal". Staines News. Archived from the original on 29 September 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  29. ^ "Six Tories 'ready to challenge Wilshire'". Staines News. 10 July 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2009.[dead link‍]
  30. ^ a b Swaine, Jon; Winnett, Robert (14 October 2009). "MPs' expenses: Tory David Wilshire pays £100,000 to company he owns with girlfriend". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 October 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  31. ^ "Expenses probe MP to stand down". BBC News. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
  32. ^ Braidwood, Joe (15 October 2009). "Tory MP To Stand Down Over Expenses Claims". Sky News. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
  33. ^ "MP sorry for Nazi analogy e-mail". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  34. ^ "Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on the visit of CoE, PACE co–rapporteur to Moscow". Tbilisi: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. 22 April 2010. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  35. ^ Norman, Matthew (29 December 2000). "Diary". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  36. ^ "Government Backs Diana in Landmines Row". BBC Politics 97. 25 June 1997. Archived from the original on 14 December 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  37. ^ Woolf, Marie (20 January 2008). "Tory MP faces inquiry over fundraising Commons tours". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
  38. ^ "Thatcher demands Pinochet's release". BBC News. 22 October 1998. Archived from the original on 14 June 2004. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  39. ^ "David Wilshire MP". Open Rights Group. Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  40. ^ "David Wilshire: Electoral history and profile". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 November 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  41. ^ Bennett, Rosemary (20 May 2005). "New look for the Tories: white, male and middle aged". The Times. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  42. ^ "DOR Q4/2023 in SOMERSET (722-1C)". GRO Online Indexes. General Register Office for England and Wales. Entry Number 526459757. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  43. ^ [Telegraph Obituaries] (5 December 2023). "David Wilshire, Tory MP who devised the controversial Section 28 and defended the poll tax – obituary". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
[edit]
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Spelthorne
1987–2010 		Succeeded by
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