Jonathan Evans (politician)

Jonathan Evans FRSA
Member of Parliament for Cardiff North
In office 6 May 2010 – 7 May 2015
Preceded by	Julie Morgan
Succeeded by	Craig Williams
Member of European Parliament for Wales
In office 10 June 1999 – 4 June 2009
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Kay Swinburne
Under-Secretary of State for Wales
In office 2 June 1996 – 1 May 1997
Preceded by	Rod Richards
Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office 25 October 1994 – 29 November 1995
Preceded by	Neil Hamilton
Succeeded by	John Mark Taylor
Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire
In office 9 April 1992 – 1 May 1997
Preceded by	Richard Livsey
Succeeded by	Richard Livsey
Personal details
Born	(1950-06-02) 2 June 1950 Tredegar, Monmouthshire
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Margaret
Children	3
Profession	Solicitor
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	jonathanevans.org.uk

Jonathan Peter Evans FRSA (born 2 June 1950) is a Welsh Conservative Party politician and Chairman of the Welsh Conservative Party. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff North from the 2010 general election and the dissolution of the 55th Parliament on 30 March 2015 . In April 2015 he became non-executive chairman of Allied World Managing Agency, which manages Allied World Syndicate 2232 and also non-executive chairman of the UK subsidiary of Phoenix Group.

After training as a solicitor, he was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire between 1992 and 1997, and then Member of the European Parliament for Wales between 1999 and 2009.

Professional career

Born in Tredegar, Evans was educated at Lewis School, Pengam, Howardian High School, Cardiff and the Law Society's College of Law in Guildford and London. He trained with solicitors Leo Abse and Cohen in Cardiff from 1968 and joined the firm upon qualification in 1973 rising to Managing Partner in 1987. In 1997, he was appointed Director of Insurance in the City of London office of Eversheds, the major global law firm and remained a consultant to the practice until 2009.He has also acted as a consultant on London Insurance market issues to several major North American insurance corporations.

He is a former Deputy Chairman of the Welsh Housing Corporation (Tai Cymru). In 1995 he was appointed as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. From 1999 to 2009 he served on the Boards of NFU Mutual and Country Mutual Insurance Brokers. Between 2005 to 2009 he was Chairman of Pearl Group Limited, and from 2009 has been non-executive Chairman of the Phoenix Life insurance companies.

In April 2015 after stepping down as MP for Cardiff North, he became non-executive chairman of Allied World Managing Agency. He also joined the board of directors of Allied World Assurance Company Holdings.

In September 2015 he became a Freeman of the City of London.

Political career

Evans attempted to enter Parliament many times before getting elected. In February and October 1974 he stood for the ultra-safe Labour seat of Ebbw Vale, coming third to Michael Foot on each occasion. In 1979 he fought Wolverhampton North East, but was beaten by Renee Short. He contested the 1987 general election in the marginal Brecon and Radnorshire constituency, but lost by 56 votes to the sitting Liberal MP Richard Livsey.

At the 1992 general election, he defeated Livsey (who was now a Liberal Democrat) by 130 votes and took his seat in the House of Commons. He was a junior minister in the John Major government, serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor; Corporate Affairs Minister at the Department of Trade and Industry; and then serving under William Hague as Under Secretary of State for Wales from 1996 to 1997. However, at the 1997 general election Livsey retook the seat with a majority of over 5,000.

At the European Parliament election, 1999, Evans was elected as MEP for Wales, and he was re-elected at the 2004 Euro-elections. He was Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament from 2001 until 2004. From 2004 to 2009 he was President of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the U.S. Congress and Co Chairman of the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue. Following the decision of President Bush and Angela Merkel to set up the Transatlantic Economic Council, he became Chairman of the Council's Advisory Board. In August 2007, he was selected to fight the highly marginal seat of Cardiff North in the 2010 general election. Evans stood down from the European Parliament at the 2009 elections and was succeeded by Kay Swinburne, Evans subsequently won the Cardiff North seat with a majority of 194 votes. He became chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Wholesale Financial Markets and Services and of the All-Party Parliamentary group on Insurance and Financial services. He was also Chairman of the All Party Group for Mutuals and sponsored the Mutuals (Deferred Shares) Act 2015 through the House of Commons. He was MP for Cardiff North from May 2010 until March 2015. Between 2006 and 2015 he was Chairman of the Association of Conservative Clubs. He was also Chairman of the Political Committee of the Carlton Club between 2013 and 2015. In July 2014 he was elected as Chairman of the Welsh Conservative Party.

Personal life

Evans is married to Margaret, and has three children (Angharad, Rhianydd and Nicholas).

He is a supporter of Cardiff City Football Club and Cardiff Blues Rugby Club.

A Roman Catholic, he is a leading pro-life campaigner for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children and launched their Welsh office in Cardiff in the 1990s. He has been a Vice President of the Catholic Union of Great Britain since 2001.

External links

• Jonathan Evans MP official constituency website
• Jonathan Evans MP Conservative Party profile
• Jonathan Evans MP Welsh Conservative Party profile
• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
• Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Voting record at Public Whip
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
• Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
• Profile at BBC News Democracy Live

Offices held

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Richard Livsey	Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire 1992–1997	Succeeded by Richard Livsey
Preceded by Julie Morgan	Member of Parliament for Cardiff North 2010–2015	Succeeded by Craig Williams
European Parliament
Preceded by New constituency	Member of European Parliament for Wales 1999–2009	Succeeded by Kay Swinburne