Owen Paterson 

Owen Paterson MP
Owen Paterson

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Incumbent
Assumed office 
2 July 2007
Leader David Cameron
Preceded by David Lidington

Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1 May 1997
Preceded by John Biffen
Majority 11,020 (23.7%)

Born 24 June 1956 (1956-06-24) (age 52)
Whitchurch, England
Nationality British
Political party Conservative Party
Spouse Rose Ridley
Alma mater Radley College, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Profession Managing Director
Website Owen Paterson MP

Owen William Paterson (born 24 June 1956, Whitchurch) is a British Conservative Party politician, and Member of Parliament for North Shropshire and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Contents

Early life

He went to Abberley Hall School, Radley College, then studied at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, receiving a MA in History in 1978. He then went to the National Leathersellers College (now the British School of Leather Technology at the University of Northampton). He joined the British Leather Company in 1979, becoming Sales Director in 1983 and Managing Director from 1993-9. He was President of COTANCE, the European Tanners Confederation from 1996-8. He was a Director of Parsons and Sons leather company in Halesowen in the 1990s.

Parliamentary career

He contested the Wrexham seat in the 1992 general election. He is Member of Parliament for North Shropshire, and was first elected at the 1997 general election. He is a member of the Conservative Party. He was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 2 July 2007, succeeding David Lidington. He had previously served as Shadow Minister for Transport. He is a Eurosceptic, although has extensive knowledge of exporting to Europe from his career in business.

Personal life

He married the Hon. Rose Ridley in 1980. They have two sons and a daughter. He speaks fluent French and German.

External links

Offices held

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Biffen
Member of Parliament for North Shropshire
1997
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
David Lidington
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2007 – present
Incumbent
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