Stephen Crabb

Vorlage:About Vorlage:Use dmy dates Vorlage:Infobox MP Stephen Crabb (born 20 January 1973) is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for Preseli Pembrokeshire since 2005 and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since March 2016. He had previously been a Government Whip, a junior Wales Minister and Secretary of State for Wales. On 19th March 2016, he became Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, replacing Iain Duncan Smith.

Early life

Crabb was born in Inverness, Scotland to Scottish and Welsh parents but was brought up in Pembrokeshire, Wales. His mother was a single parent who raised him and his two brothers on a council estate after separating from his violent father.

Education

Crabb was educated at local state schools the Fenton Infants School, Barn Street Junior School (now both called Fenton Community Primary School) on PortfieldVorlage:Citation needed and Tasker Milward V.C. School, a voluntary controlled state maintained school in the market town of Haverfordwest, in Pembrokeshire, from 1984–91, followed by the University of Bristol, graduating in 1995 with a BSc in Politics.

As a student, Crabb spent his summers working on building sites in different locations in England and Wales. For one job at a site on Newport Docks he reportedly lived in a tent during the week, returning to Pembrokeshire at weekends.

He met his future wife Béatrice whilst studying at Bristol University. Crabb then went to the London Business School, where he gained an MBA, and learnt French through the Open University. Crabb started his career in the youth and charity sector with the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services while working part-time as a youth worker in inner city south London. In 1998, Crabb started work at the London Chamber of Commerce and in 2002 he went on to become a marketing consultant.

In December 2012, Crabb was named ITV Wales 'Member to Watch' in the Welsh Political Awards 2012.

Political career

Researcher

From 1995 to 1996, Crabb was a Christian Action Research and Education parliamentary intern. Crabb is a former patron of the Burma Campaign UK, the London-based group campaigning for human rights and democracy in Burma.

International developments interests

In the House of Commons, Crabb served on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, International Development Select Committee and Treasury Select Committee. In 2009 he was appointed to the Conservative frontbench as Junior Whip (a post which only exists in the Conservative Party). In 2010, Crabb became Assistant Government Whip in the Coalition Government. Crabb takes an interest in international development, believing in the importance of UK aid. In 2006 he chaired the Conservative Party’s Human Rights Commission and from 2007-2009 he sat on the International Development Committee. From 2010 to 2012 he led Project Umubano, the Conservative Party’s project which works in Rwanda and Sierra Leone. He took a team of over 100 Party volunteers to Africa each year.

Work on Energy Intensive Industries

In 2012, Crabb was appointed as a Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales. At the Wales Office, Crabb led the work on maintaining the competitiveness of Wales’ energy intensive industries. In May 2013 he brought together some of the Welsh companies in highest intensity industries to Cardiff to focus on the impact of energy costs on the competitiveness of Welsh businesses and agree a course of action. In the 2014 Spring Budget, The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would compensate energy intensive industries being hit hard by high energy costs. This was described as a 'feather in the cap' for Crabb. Crabb was a whip and a minister at the same time which was described by the BBC as unusual.

Secretary of State for Wales

In July 2014, Crabb was appointed as Secretary of State for Wales. Reportedly, one of his first acts as Welsh Secretary was to abandon his taxpayer subidised car, in favour of public transport.

Food banks

Crabb was trustee of Pembrokeshire foodbank charity, Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship, based in his parliamentary constituency.

Expenses

In May 2009, it was revealed that Crabb claimed £8,049 on his second home expenses in order to refurbish a flat in London. After selling the flat for a profit, he "flipped" his expenses to cover a house that was being purchased for his family in Pembrokeshire. A room in another flat was then designated as his main home. At the time he said, "I haven’t claimed for things like plasma TVs, even though the rules allow it. My claims were always within the letter and the spirit of the rules."

ESA vote controversy

On 17 March 2016, following his vote in the House of commons to cut ESA for disabled people by £30 per week, a 38degrees petition was launched demanding that Crabb resign his post as patron of Mencap Pembrokeshire. Crabb's constituency offices in Pembrokeshire were also vandalised as a result of his vote. Graffiti saying: “Why do you hate the sick” was seen on the facade of Stephen Crabb MP’s building on 12 March 2016.

Election performance

In 1998, Crabb was elected as the chairman of the Southwark North and Bermondsey Conservative Association for two years and in the same year was an election monitor in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2004, Crabb returned to Pembrokeshire and in 2005 he was elected as the MP for the seat where he grew up – Preseli Pembrokeshire. He took the seat from Labour as one of only three Welsh Conservative MPs to end the 'Tory free zone’ that had existed in Wales since 1997. He made his maiden speech on 25 May 2005. He was the youngest member of the 2005 Conservative intake. In the 2010 elections on 6 May, Crabb retained his seat with a majority of 4,605 and 42.79% of the vote. In the government cabinet reshuffle in July 2014, Crabb was appointed Secretary of State for Wales He became the first bearded Conservative cabinet minister since 1905.

Crabb retained his seat in the United Kingdom general election, 2015 on 7 May 2015, winning with a majority of 4,969 and 40.4% of the vote. He also remained Secretary of State for Wales after the cabinet reshuffle on 11 May 2015.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

On 19 March 2016, Crabb was appointed to succeed Iain Duncan Smith as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Alun Cairns was appointed Secretary of State for Wales on the same day.

Personal life

Crabb is married to Béatrice Monnier and they have two children. He is vice-captain of the Commons and Lords RFC rugby team, and has run the London Marathon three times. He learnt to play the guitar as a teenager, practising with his band on the housing estate. He is a practising Christian and has spoken at meetings of the Conservative Christian Fellowship.

External links

• Stephen Crabb MP official constituency website
• Stephen Crabb MP Conservative Party profile
• Stephen Crabb MP Welsh Conservative Party profile
• Preseli Pembrokeshire Conservatives
• Vorlage:UK MP links
• Meet the MP: Stephen Crabb BBC News, 20 December 2005

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