List of military veterans in British politics

Summary

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This is a list of currently serving members House of Commons, House of Lords, Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales, Northern Ireland Assembly, Police and Crime Commissioner who are military veterans.

House of Commons edit

Name Constituency Party Service & Branch Years Rank Notes
Leo Docherty Aldershot Conservative Scots Guards (2002 - 2006) 4 Captain
Dan Jarvis MBE Barnsley Central Labour Parachute Regiment (9 July 1994 - 3 March 2011) 16 Major
John Baron Basildon and Billericay Conservative The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1984 – 1987) 3 Captain
Bob Stewart Beckenham Conservative Cheshire Regiment (25 July 1969 - 1 February 1996) 27 Colonel He was awarded the DSO in 1993
Chris Green Bolton West Conservative Territorial Army
Tobias Ellwood Bournemouth East Conservative Royal Green Jackets (1991 – 1996) 5 Captain
James Sunderland Bracknell Conservative Royal Logistics Corps (1993 – 2019) 26 Colonel
James Cleverly Braintree Conservative Royal Artillery (1991–present) 30 Lieutenant Colonel He was awarded the Territorial Decoration (TD)
Ian Liddell-Grainger Bridgwater and West Somerset Conservative Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1980 – 1997) 17 Major
Darren Henry Broxtowe Conservative Royal Air Force (Logistics officer - 26 years) 26 Squadron Leader
Simon Hart Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Conservative Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (five years) 5
Sir Iain Duncan Smith Chingford and Woodford Green Conservative Scots Guards (1975 – 1981) 6 Lieutenant
Jason McCartney Colne Valley Conservative Royal Air Force (1988 – 1997) 9 Flight Lieutenant
Gregory Campbell East Londonderry DUP Ulster Defence Regiment (1981 – 1985) 4
Jack Lopresti Filton and Bradley Stoke Conservative Territorial Army (2007 – present) 14 Corporal
Sir Edward Leigh Gainsborough Conservative Honourable Artillery Company Trooper[1]
Adam Holloway Gravesham Conservative Grenadier Guards (1991 – 1997) 6 Captain
David Davis Haltemprice and Howden Conservative Artists Rifles (1966 – 1967) 1
Mike Penning Hemel Hempstead Conservative Grenadier Guards (1974 – 1980) 6
Robert Seeley MBE Isle of Wight Conservative UKSF (Reserve) (2008 - 2017) 9 Captain
Philip Hollobone Kettering Conservative Parachute Regiment (1989 – 1997) 8 Corporal
Jeffrey Donaldson Lagan Valley DUP Ulster Defence Regiment (1981 – 1985) 4
Flick Drummond Meon Valley Conservative British Army Intelligence Corps
David Davies Monmouth Conservative Royal Artillery (1988 – 1989) 1 Gunner
Desmond Swayne New Forest West Conservative Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry (1987 – present) 34 Major He was awarded the Territorial Decoration (TD) in 2000
Dr. Julian Lewis New Forest East Conservative Royal Naval Reserve (1979 - 1982) 3 Seaman
Steve Barclay North East Cambridgeshire Conservative Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Lieutenant
Bill Wiggin North Herefordshire Conservative Royal Welch Fusiliers Lieutenant
Andrew Bridgen North West Leicestershire Conservative 0 During Training Lieutenant Underwent some training with the Royal Marines did not pass out
James Gray North Wiltshire Conservative Honourable Artillery Company (1977–84) 7 Lance Corporal[2]
Clive Lewis Norwich South Labour Territorial Army (2000 - 2009) 9 Lieutenant Fr[3]
Johnny Mercer Plymouth Moor View Conservative Royal Artillery (2002 - 2013) 11 Captain [3]
Penny Mordaunt Portsmouth North Conservative Royal Naval Reserve (2010–2019) 11 Sub-lieutenant (honorary Captain)
Mark Francois Rayleigh and Wickford Conservative Royal Anglian Regiment (1985 - 1991) 6 Lieutenant
Crispin Blunt Reigate Conservative 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) (1979 - 1990) 11 Captain
Royston Smith Southampton Itchen Conservative Royal Air Force (1980 - 1990) 10 Airman (Engineer)[4] [3]
Richard Drax South Dorset Conservative Coldstream Guards (1978 - 1987) 9 Captain
Andrew Selous South West Bedfordshire Conservative Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1981 - 1994) 13 Major
Dr. Andrew Murrison South West Wiltshire Conservative Royal Navy (1989–present) 32 Surgeon Commander
Andrew Mitchell Sutton Coldfield Conservative Royal Navy (February 1975 - 9 February 1977) 2 Lieutenant
Tom Tugendhat MBE Tonbridge and Malling Conservative Educational and Training Services Branch of the Adjutant General's Corps (2000 - 2013) 13 Lieutenant Colonel
James Heappey Wells Conservative Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and then The Rifles (2004 - 2012) 8 Major
Andrew Bowie West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Conservative Royal Navy (2007 - 2010) 3 Sub Lieutenant
Stuart Anderson Wolverhampton South West Conservative Royal Green Jackets (1993 - 2001) 8
Sarah Atherton Wrexham Conservative British Army Intelligence Corps
Steve Baker Wycombe Conservative Royal Air Force (1989 - 1999) 10 Flight Lieutenant.[5]
Ben Wallace Wyre and Preston North Conservative Scots Guards (1991 - 1998) 7 Captain

House of Lords edit

Name Party Service & Branch Rank Notes
Euan Geddes, 3rd Baron Geddes Conservative Royal Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander
John Eccles, 2nd Viscount Eccles Conservative King's Royal Rifle Corps Lieutenant
Simon Arthur, 4th Baron Glenarthur Conservative The Royal Hussars (1976 – 1980) Major
Robin Bridgeman, 3rd Viscount Bridgeman Conservative Royal Green Jackets (1950 – 1953) Lieutenant
Arthur Gore, 9th Earl of Arran Conservative Grenadier Guards Lieutenant
Rupert Ponsonby, 7th Baron de Mauley Conservative Royal Wessex Yeomanry (1976 – 2005) Lieutenant Colonel TD (1988)
Hugh Trenchard, 3rd Viscount Trenchard Conservative Household Cavalry (1973 – 1983) Captain
Charles Cathcart, 7th Earl Cathcart Conservative Scots Guards (1973 – 1975) Lieutenant
Thomas Ashton, 4th Baron Ashton of Hyde Conservative Royal Wessex Yeomanry Lieutenant
Alan Brooke, 3rd Viscount Brookeborough Crossbench 17th/21st Lancers (1971 – 1977)
Ulster Defence Regiment /
Royal Irish Regiment (1977 – 1997)
Colonel
Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll Crossbench Atholl Highlanders (1974 – 1997) Colonel
Patrick Boyle, 10th Earl of Glasgow Liberal Democrats Royal Naval Reserve (1960 – 1963) Sub-Lieutenant
Jeffrey Sterling, Baron Sterling of Plaistow Conservative Royal Naval Reserve Rear Admiral
David Hope, Baron Hope of Craighead Crossbench Seaforth Highlanders (1957 – 1959) Lieutenant
Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking Conservative British Army Lieutenant
Tony Christopher, Baron Christopher Labour Royal Air Force (1944 – 1948)
Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater Conservative King's African Rifles Lieutenant
Michael Heseltine, Baron Heseltine Non-affiliated Welsh Guards (1959) Lieutenant
Ken Maginnis, Baron Maginnis of Drumglass Independent Ulster Unionist Ulster Defence Regiment (1971 – 1981) Major
John Burnett, Baron Burnett Liberal Democrats Royal Marines Commando
Richard Harries, Baron Harries of Pentregarth Crossbench Royal Corps of Signals (1955 – 1958) Lieutenant
Michael Walker, Baron Walker of Aldringham Crossbench British Army (1966 – 2006) Field Marshal Chief of the Defence Staff (2003 – 2006)
Alan West, Baron West of Spithead Labour Royal Navy (1965 – 2006) Admiral DSC (1983)
First Sea Lord (2002 – 2006)
Robin Janvrin, Baron Janvrin Crossbench Royal Navy (1964 – 1975) Lieutenant
Richard Dannatt, Baron Dannatt Crossbench British Army (1971 – 2009) General MC (1972)
Chief of the General Staff (2006 – 2009)
Jock Stirrup, Baron Stirrup Crossbench Royal Air Force (1968 – 2011) Marshal of the Royal Air Force Chief of the Defence Staff (2006 – 2010)
John Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork Crossbench Royal Navy (1963 – 1978) Lieutenant Commander
Mark Lancaster, Baron Lancaster of Kimbolton Conservative Royal Engineers (1988 – present) Major General TD (2002)
VRSM (2012)
Andrew Robathan, Baron Robathan Conservative Coldstream Guards
Special Air Service (1974 – 1989)
Major
Richard Benyon, Baron Benyon Conservative Royal Green Jackets (1980 – 1985)
Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester Conservative Scots Guards (1987 – 1991)
Ruth Davidson, Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links Conservative Territorial Army (2003 – 2006) Signaller
David Hacking, 3rd Baron Hacking Labour Royal Naval Reserve (1954 – 1964) Lieutenant
Clifton Wrottesley, 6th Baron Wrottesley Conservative Grenadier Guards Captain
Nicholas Soames, Baron Soames of Fletching Conservative 11th Hussars / Royal Hussars
Regular Army Reserve (1970 – 1975)
2nd Lieutenant
Hugo Swire, Baron Swire Conservative Grenadier Guards (1980 – 1983)
Michael Hintze, Baron Hintze Conservative Australian Army Captain
Stuart Peach, Baron Peach Crossbench Royal Air Force (1974 – 2022) Air Chief Marshall Chief of the Defence Staff (2016 – 2018)
Chair of the NATO Military Committee (2018 – 2021)

Police and Crime Commissioner edit

Name Police area Party Service & Branch Rank Notes
Tony Hogg Devon and Cornwall Police Conservative Royal Navy (1975 - 2000) Commodore He was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1978
Nick Alston Essex Police Conservative Royal Navy Commander He was awarded the CBE in 1997
Sir Clive Loader Leicestershire Constabulary Conservative Royal Air Force (1973 - 2009) Air Chief Marshal He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) whilst Commander-in-Chief Air Command, awarded the OBE, South Atlantic Medal, NATO Medal, General Service Medal
Kevin Hurley Surrey Police Independent Royal Military Police (1971 -2011) Major Originally stood for the Conservative nomination but was unsuccessful
Anthony Stansfield Thames Valley Police Conservative British Army Brigadier
Christopher Salmon Dyfed-Powys Police Conservative The Rifles (2003-2007) Captain
Peter McCall Cumbria Constabulary Conservative Royal Logistic Corps (1982-2015) Colonel

London Assembly edit

Name Constituency Party Service & Branch Rank Notes
Conservative

Scottish Parliament edit

Name Constituency Party Service & Branch Rank Notes
Keith Brown Clackmannanshire and Dunblane SNP Royal Marines (1980 – 1983) Marine
Mark Griffin Central Scotland Labour Territorial Army Private
Paul Sweeney Glasgow Labour Royal Corps of Signals / Royal Regiment of Scotland (2006 – 2018) (Reserve) Volunteer Reserves Service Medal

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Defence Reforms - Thursday 17 October 2013 - Hansard - UK Parliament".
  2. ^ "About James".
  3. ^ a b c "Meet The MPs With Military Careers". Forces Network. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Royston Smith MP - Who is he?".
  5. ^ "No. 55601". The London Gazette. 7 September 1999. p. 9595.