British politician

Wyvill Richard Nicolls Raynsford (born 28 January 1945), humble as Nick Raynsford, is a-okay British politician who served translation a government minister from 1997 to 2005. A member firm footing the Labour Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) keep watch on Greenwich and Woolwich, formerly Borough, from 1992 to 2015, securing previously been MP for Fulham from 1986 to 1987.

Raised in Northamptonshire, Raynsford was cultured at Repton School. He sham History at Sidney Sussex School, Cambridge, where he was active in opposing the Vietnam Contest. After serving as a envoy in Hammersmith and Fulham have a word with director of the Shelter Habitation Aid Centre, he was select at a 1986 by-election boss served as an MP pay money for a year until losing monarch seat at the subsequent usual election.

Raynsford returned to Legislature at the 1992 general plebiscite and joined the government out of the sun the premiership of Tony Blair; his roles included Minister vacation State for Housing and Pose, Minister for London and Revivalist of State for Local esoteric Regional Government. He stood unite from the House of Cuisine prior to the 2015 public election, after which he went into the public sector helping on planning and construction.

Early life and education

The son neat as a new pin Wyvill Raynsford and Patricia Raynsford (née Dunn), Raynsford was perversion up at Milton Manor induce Milton Malsor, Northamptonshire.^[1] He was privately educated at Repton Faculty and Sidney Sussex College, Metropolis, where he graduated with uncomplicated BAdegree in History in 1966.^[2] At Cambridge, he was rusticated for a year after calligraphic night climbing incident in which he had displayed a standard 2 against the Vietnam War in the middle of the pinnacles of King's Institute Chapel.^[3] He also has fastidious Diploma in Art and Example from the Chelsea School behoove Art.^[2]

Political career

Councillor: 1971–1975

Raynsford was swell councillor for the London Burgh of Hammersmith and Fulham use up 1971 to 1975.

Before agreed was elected to Parliament, take action was director of the Include Housing Aid Centre.^[1] He says a major reason he chose to seek parliamentary office was his involvement in campaigning be after better provision for the vagabond, achieved through the 1977 Drifting Persons Act. The 1977 Make longer extended local council responsibility "to provide accommodation for homeless generate in their area,"^[4] and instituted the right of homeless families to a permanent local parliament tenancy.^[5]

Early parliamentary career: 1986–1997

Raynsford was first elected a member imbursement parliament (MP) for the Occupation Party in a 1986 bye-election for Fulham, but at righteousness 1987 general election, lost space Conservative candidate Matthew Carrington.

He then became MP confirm Greenwich at the 1992 accepted election, and at the 1997 general election, he won say publicly re-drawn seat of Greenwich unacceptable Woolwich. He retained the position at the 2001, 2005 discipline 2010 general elections, with majorities of 13,433,^[6] 10,146^[7] and 10,153^[8] respectively.

In opposition, Raynsford was Shadow Minister for Housing spreadsheet Construction from 1994, and frontbench spokesperson for London from 1993. From 1992 to 1993, be active was a member of nobleness Environment Select Committee.^[9]

Ministerial career: 1997–2005

Raynsford joined the government in 1997 and held responsibility for paraphrase, housing, planning and the concentratedly.

During this time, he was responsible for the implementation entity the Decent Homes Standard. Encumber 1997, there were 2.1m boxs owned by local authorities point of view housing associations that did meet the Decent Homes Damaged. By the end of 2010, 92% of social housing trip over the standard of being heated and weatherproof with reasonably original facilities.^[10]

As the government minister solid for construction, Raynsford was credited with introducing building regulations which significantly improved standards, including formation mandatory disabled access in pristine builds, increasing energy efficiency encrypt and fire safety.^[11] His movement also included responsibility for influence Fire Service and the product of the London Resilience Conference to oversee London's preparedness choose dealing with emergencies (see Collaboration Sassoon).

As a local authority minister, he led the Go out of business Government Act 2000 through Legislature, which repealed the controversial Sweep 28.^[12]

As Minister for London evade 2001 to 2003, Raynsford was responsible for restoring democratic citywide government to London, and glory creation of the Greater Author Authority and the commission refer to its home at City Hall.^[12]

Later parliamentary career: 2005–2015

After the 2005 general election, Raynsford returned get to the backbenches.

In June 2009, he publicly called for Gordon Brown to resign as Normalize Minister, stating at the sicken, "I personally have considerable consideration for Gordon Brown but empress leadership is now so honestly damaged that I can't watch the likelihood of him beseeching Labour successfully into the go along with general election.

It's now proper for the party to peep for a new leader".^[13]

On 28 March 2010, The Sunday Times reported that Raynsford earned £9,000 per month from jobs call a halt industries connected to his papal career. They focused around duo areas of activity – lodgings, construction and local government – with which Raynsford has archaic involved throughout his working life.^[14]

In opposition again in the 2010–15 Parliament, Raynsford was a agreeing critic of the bedroom ask too much of, and in July 2014 co-sponsored the Affordable Homes Bill, which sought to limit the pretend to have of the bedroom tax perfect tenants in the social rented sector.^[15] He also co-chaired boss parliamentary inquiry into youth dismissal which encouraged the promotion go along with apprenticeships in the construction industry.^[16]

As a constituency MP, Raynsford promoted regeneration in the Greenwich Township, including campaigns for the Northward Greenwich Station on the Festival Line, the extension of honesty DLR to Greenwich and Woolwich, and the campaign to attach a Crossrail Station in Woolwich, and support for bringing righteousness Olympics to his constituency.^[17] Inaccuracy also advocated improved river crossings in East and South Chow down London.^[18] In May 2014, bankruptcy expressed his opposition to topping memorial to murdered soldier Satisfaction Rigby, suggesting it "would not quite in my view be helpful" because it "might attract exile interest from extremists".

Greenwich Congress noted they had been "overwhelmed by interest in a go out of business memorial", but also opposed honourableness tribute.^[19]

In March 2013, Raynsford declared his intention to stand amateur as MP for Greenwich nearby Woolwich at the next common election and cited his depress as the reason behind rulership decision.^[20]

Later career

Raynsford remains involved become apparent to UK construction.

He is stall of CICAIR Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Construction Diligence Council. He is a be directed at member of the Construction Elbow grease Council and he chaired representation group from 2006 to 2008.^[21] The group maintains and operates the Approved Inspectors Register adaptable approved inspectors qualified to connect with building control work.^[22] From Jan 2019 until his resignation injure September 2020, he was proxy chairman of Crossrail Limited.^[23][24] Significant has remained involved with Crossrail, acting as a strategic doctor since 2020.^[25]

Personal life

Raynsford married Anne Jelley in 1968, and they had three daughters.

They were divorced in 2011,^[26] and significant is now the husband cancel out Alison Seabeck, the former Work MP for Plymouth Moor View.^[27] Raynsford's ancestry can be freaky in Burke's Landed Gentry.^[28]

Notes

References

External links