Laura Sandys
Encyclopedia
Laura Jane Sandys is a British
Conservative Party
politician. She has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for South Thanet since the general election on 6 May 2010.
(through his second marriage to Marie-Claire), Sandys was born in 1964 and christened on 17 July 1964 in the Crypt Chapel of the Palace of Westminster
. Her father was a Member of Parliament, and later a life peer, who served as Defence Secretary in Harold Macmillan
's government and was also the son-in-law of Winston Churchill
(through his first marriage to Diana Churchill
).
. She moved on to lead the Parliamentary Unit at the Consumers' Association
. Sandys has also worked in public relations
; since 1992 she worked through Laura Sandys Associates, also known by its three letter acronym LSA. She later became Head of Communications at the Shopping Hours Reform Council, an organisation which promotes employees not having to work on Sundays. She is also a journalist
, also writing for newspapers, and a commentator appearing on television and radio on a wide range of issues, including urban development and the Iraq war. She contributed the opening chapter Paul Cornish's book The War in Iraq (October 2004).
Sandys completed an Open University
course on Environment and Development in 1993 and is currently a trustee
of the Open University Foundation, which was established in 1973 as an independent charitable trust to further the objects of the University. She is an executive director and chair of the board at openDemocracy
; her biography on that site describes her as: "having experience of political structures across Europe
, Turkey
, South America
and the US
". The site also states that she has worked as a journalist and policy strategist in Washington D.C. She was appointed a Trustee of the Civic Trust
on 18 July 2000 and is a member of its Policy Committee. and was also a Senior Research Associate for the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London
.
Before the 2005 general election
, Sandys applied to be selected as a Conservative candidate in fourteen parliamentary constituencies and was shortlisted in Surrey Heath
and Arundel and South Downs. She missed out, however, to Michael Gove
and Nick Herbert
respectively. With a group of other women Conservatives, Sandys signed a letter in support of David Cameron
's election as Conservative Party leader which was printed in The Daily Telegraph
in August 2005. Sandys nominated Christabel Flight in the May 2006 Westminster City Council
elections.
In 2006, Sandys was placed on the new 'A-list' of Conservative candidates ahead of the 2010 general election. In October of 2006, she was selected to stand as the Conservative candidate for Thanet South, defeating Mark MacGregor
, the party's previous candidate at the 2001 and 2005 elections. The constituency was then held by Stephen Ladyman
for the Labour Party
. She lives locally within the constituency in the town of Ramsgate
with her partner, Dr. Randolph Kent whom she married on 3 September 2007 in Ramsgate, Kent.
An article in The Sunday Telegraph in October 2009 reported "Some high-profile women are already installed in winnable seats: Louise Bagshawe, Annunziata Rees-Mogg
, Priti Patel
, Laura Sandys and Joanne Cash
will all make colourful additions to the Tory benches."
In the 2010 General Election, Sandys gained the South Thanet seat from Stephen Ladyman
with 48% of the popular vote.
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. She has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for South Thanet since the general election on 6 May 2010.
Early life
The daughter of Duncan SandysDuncan Sandys
Edwin Duncan Sandys, Baron Duncan-Sandys CH PC was a British politician and a minister in successive Conservative governments in the 1950s and 1960s...
(through his second marriage to Marie-Claire), Sandys was born in 1964 and christened on 17 July 1964 in the Crypt Chapel of the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. Her father was a Member of Parliament, and later a life peer, who served as Defence Secretary in Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
's government and was also the son-in-law of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
(through his first marriage to Diana Churchill
Diana Churchill
Diana Spencer-Churchill was the eldest daughter of Sir Winston Churchill and Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill .- Personal life :...
).
Career
In the 1980s Sandys was a Director of Barter Group, an organisation doing business by exchange of goods or services rather than cash in the former Eastern BlocEastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
. She moved on to lead the Parliamentary Unit at the Consumers' Association
Consumers' Association
The Consumers' Association is the umbrella organisation that houses the trading arm Which? Ltd. The Consumers' Association is a charity, registered in England and Wales No 296072. Which? Ltd is its wholly owned trading subsidiary....
. Sandys has also worked in public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
; since 1992 she worked through Laura Sandys Associates, also known by its three letter acronym LSA. She later became Head of Communications at the Shopping Hours Reform Council, an organisation which promotes employees not having to work on Sundays. She is also a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, also writing for newspapers, and a commentator appearing on television and radio on a wide range of issues, including urban development and the Iraq war. She contributed the opening chapter Paul Cornish's book The War in Iraq (October 2004).
Sandys completed an Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
course on Environment and Development in 1993 and is currently a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the Open University Foundation, which was established in 1973 as an independent charitable trust to further the objects of the University. She is an executive director and chair of the board at openDemocracy
OpenDemocracy
openDemocracy is a website for debate about international politics and culture, offering news and opinion articles from established academics, journalists and policymakers covering current issues in world affairs. openDemocracy was founded in 2000 by Anthony Barnett, David Hayes, Susan Richards and...
; her biography on that site describes her as: "having experience of political structures across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
". The site also states that she has worked as a journalist and policy strategist in Washington D.C. She was appointed a Trustee of the Civic Trust
Civic Trust
The Civic Trust of England was a charitable organisation founded in 1957. It ceased operations in 2009 and went into administration due to lack of funds/...
on 18 July 2000 and is a member of its Policy Committee. and was also a Senior Research Associate for the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
.
Before the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, Sandys applied to be selected as a Conservative candidate in fourteen parliamentary constituencies and was shortlisted in Surrey Heath
Surrey Heath (UK Parliament constituency)
Surrey Heath is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. Since the 2005 general election the MP has been Michael Gove, a senior figure in the Conservative Party...
and Arundel and South Downs. She missed out, however, to Michael Gove
Michael Gove
Michael Andrew Gove, MP is a British politician, who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Education and as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the Surrey Heath constituency. He is also a published author and former journalist.Born in Edinburgh, Gove was raised in Aberdeen...
and Nick Herbert
Nick Herbert
Nicholas Le Quesne "Nick" Herbert is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Arundel and South Downs...
respectively. With a group of other women Conservatives, Sandys signed a letter in support of David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
's election as Conservative Party leader which was printed in The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
in August 2005. Sandys nominated Christabel Flight in the May 2006 Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council and is entitled to be known as a city council, which is a rare distinction in the United Kingdom. The city is divided into 20 wards, each electing three councillors...
elections.
In 2006, Sandys was placed on the new 'A-list' of Conservative candidates ahead of the 2010 general election. In October of 2006, she was selected to stand as the Conservative candidate for Thanet South, defeating Mark MacGregor
Mark MacGregor
Mark MacGregor is a British Conservative Party politician. As a student, he was Chairman of the Federation of Conservative Students...
, the party's previous candidate at the 2001 and 2005 elections. The constituency was then held by Stephen Ladyman
Stephen Ladyman
Stephen John Ladyman is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for South Thanet from 1997 until 2010.-Early life:...
for the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. She lives locally within the constituency in the town of Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
with her partner, Dr. Randolph Kent whom she married on 3 September 2007 in Ramsgate, Kent.
An article in The Sunday Telegraph in October 2009 reported "Some high-profile women are already installed in winnable seats: Louise Bagshawe, Annunziata Rees-Mogg
Annunziata Rees-Mogg
Annunziata Mary Glanville née Rees-Mogg is an English freelance journalist, focusing on finance, economics, and European politics....
, Priti Patel
Priti Patel
Priti Patel is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. First elected in the 2010 general election, she is the Member of Parliament for the Witham constituency, and an officer of the Conservative Friends of Israel group....
, Laura Sandys and Joanne Cash
Joanne Cash
Joanne Cash is a media barrister. She was the unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate for Westminster North in the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
will all make colourful additions to the Tory benches."
In the 2010 General Election, Sandys gained the South Thanet seat from Stephen Ladyman
Stephen Ladyman
Stephen John Ladyman is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for South Thanet from 1997 until 2010.-Early life:...
with 48% of the popular vote.
Business Interests
From 9 November 2006 to 22 March 2010, Laura Sandys was a director of Security Futures, together with Adam WerrittyAdam Werritty
Adam Werritty is a Scottish businessman. Werritty is a close friend of the former UK Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox: he resided for a period in 2002 and 2003 at Fox's London apartment and was best man at his wedding in 2005. The two were also business associates who once held joint...
.