Personal Beliefs
Field's political stance has been somewhat at odds with the rest of the Parliamentary Labour Party in recent years, and he has embraced more social conservative ideas. He is a member of the advisory board of the free-market think tank Reform, and of the new conservative magazine Standpoint. In May 2008, he said that Margaret Thatcher "is certainly a hero" and that "I still see Mrs T from time to time – I always call her 'Mrs T', when I talk to her." Although there have been attempts to get him to defect to the Conservatives, they have been without success. In 2008, Frank Field was named as the 100th most-influential right-winger in the United Kingdom by the Telegraph. Field supports the return of national service to tackle growing unemployment and instil “a sense of order and patriotism” in Britain’s young men and women. However, in May 2010, Field endorsed John McDonnell, the left-wing Chairman of the Socialist Campaign Group and Labour Representation Committee, in the Labour leadership election to replace Gordon Brown.
Field believes strongly in fighting climate change. He co-founded the charity Cool Earth with Johan Eliasch. Cool Earth protects endangered rainforest and works with the local communities to combat climate change.
Field is a practising Anglican, and is chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust, and a member of the Church of England General Synod. In October 2011 he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Merseyside.
Read more about this topic: Frank Field (politician)
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