Jul 12 2010
About
Robert Buckland was elected Member of Parliament for South Swindon at the General Election of 6th May 2010. Robert was born in Llanelli in 1968. After an eventful few years on the tarmac playgrounds of Old Road Primary School, Robert went to St. Michael’s School, Bryn. Robert went on to Hatfield College, Durham, where he became Secretary of the Junior Common Room and President of the Union Society (Michaelmas 1989), graduating in Law in 1990.
Robert attended the Inns of Court School of Law, where he was a prize winner for Advocacy and was Called to the Bar at Inner Temple in October 1991. He returned to practise in Wales, and became a tenant of Iscoed Chambers, Swansea. In 1999, Robert moved to 30 Park Place, Cardiff, where he practised in criminal law and planning. In 2007, Robert joined the newly-formed Apex Chambers at 33-35 Cathedral Road Cardiff. Apex is the first specialist chambers in Wales, with a team of criminal practitioners. Robert is a door tenant at 23 Essex Street Chambers, London.
In 2009, Robert was appointed as a Recorder of the Crown Court, sitting on the Midland Circuit.
In 1997, Robert had the good sense to marry Sian, whom he met at University. In 2002, their twin children Millicent and George, were born. They live in Wroughton.
Robert was selected as the Conservative Candidate for South Swindon in July 2004. The constituency comprises most parts of Swindon lying south of the main railway line, West Swindon, Wroughton, Chiseldon, Wanborough and the surrounding villages to the East. He was a Governor of The Ridgeway School, Wroughton from 2005 to 2009 and is the co-ordinator of the Swindon Special Educational Needs Network. At the 2005 General Election, he and a dedicated team of Councillors and volunteers managed to cut the Labour majority from over 7000 to just 1353, with one of the largest swings in the country. Robert was unanimously re-selected in January 2006. At the 2010 General Election, Robert secured a majority of over 3500, overturning Labour’s majority with a swing of 5.5%.
Robert’s interests include music, wine, political history and watching rugby and cricket.
Hi Rob,
I’ve been interested wheil reading your website, and I thought I’d ask a question:
In light of the fact that in the floor of Central Lobby in our parliament are written the words of Psalm 127 “unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain” how important do you believe that the Bible is for reforming politics and good government?
Yours,
Neil Boulton
Hi Robert
Congratulations on your prospective win in the elections. There would have been one more vote for you from Mary but we were denied a vote by Swindon Borough Council who sent out the voting papers too late to vote. Mary took the time to register to vote as an expat now living in Australia and formally living in York Road Swindon. We intend to complain to the electoral Commission about this but we are relieved that Mary’s vote was not needed for you in the end.
We will make sure Mary is able to vote in the next election even if we have to do it by proxy
We would be eternally grateful to you if you could take up the fight for pension parity on our behalf. Already after only 5 years after retiring out here in Australia Mary’s UK Pension has dropped by alamost 25% compared to what it would be if she had remained in the UK. And she has taken away any liability for aged care from the UK Government by moving out here. We have previously corresponded to you and you were kind enough to reply regarding this matter. For an update on the latest developments please go to http://www.bpia.org.au/
Kind Regards
Chris & Mary Durie
This may seem irrevelant to politics, but I am currently creating a Wikipedia page for you to make sure you are well known in the political-internet world. If I could have your full date of birth (as I can’t find a full date on this site), the page will be more official. Thank you.
Also, congradulations on your win in South Swindon. I’m glad to see the back of Snelgrove.
Congratulations on your prospective win in the elections. There would have been one more vote for you from Mary but we were denied a vote by Swindon Borough Council who sent out the voting papers too late to vote. Mary took the time to register to vote as an expat now living in Australia and formally living in York Road Swindon. We intend to complain to the electoral Commission about this but we are relieved that Mary’s vote was not needed for you in the end.
+1
Thanks Mark – think that a page has been done already on Wikipedia.
I realise that I did not answer Neil Boulton’s question at the top of this roll. The message of the New Testament is of importance to me in all the things I do or try to do and that the vision of Good Government is still worth aiming for. The allegorical reliefs of Good and Bad Government that are inside the Town Hall in Siena left a real mark on me.