Parliament
At the 1987 general election, Kirkhope followed Sir Keith Joseph as the Member of Parliament for Leeds North East. He was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to David Trippier at the Department of the Environment in 1989. In the same year, he introduced and saw passed a private members' bill (the Parking Act 1989) which was designed to help motorists find better provision for their parking needs. He joined the Government as an Assistant Whip in 1990, becoming a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury in 1992, and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in 1995.
In October 1995 Kirkhope received a promotion to be Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department at the Home Office responsible for immigration, border controls, gambling and licensing policy, and horseracing. He was defeated for re-election at the 1997 general election, his constituency attracting some interest because its majority had placed it at the point where a Labour gain would indicate that the party was likely to win an overall majority. Kirkhope returned to legal practice and also went into business. He is currently a non-executive director of the Bournemouth and West Hants Water Company.
Read more about this topic: Timothy Kirkhope
Famous quotes containing the word parliament:
“At the ramparts on the cliff near the old Parliament House I counted twenty-four thirty-two-pounders in a row, pointed over the harbor, with their balls piled pyramid-wise between them,—there are said to be in all about one hundred and eighty guns mounted at Quebec,—all which were faithfully kept dusted by officials, in accordance with the motto, “In time of peace prepare for war”; but I saw no preparations for peace: she was plainly an uninvited guest.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“What is the historical function of Parliament in this country? It is to prevent the Government from governing.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)