About Richard Spring

I have been the Member of Parliament for West Suffolk since 1997, and before that for the old Bury St Edmunds constituency, 1992-1997, two thirds of which was incorporated into the new West Suffolk constituency. It is a rural area of considerable diversity. The largest town is Haverhill, which is expanding and prospering, with its close connections to the new technology industries around Cambridge. Second largest is Newmarket, famous as the world headquarters of horseracing. There are two major US Airforce bases - RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. The constituency is far flung and includes some of the best farmland in England. After leaving Cambridge with an economics degree, I joined the international financial services company, Merrill Lynch, where I spent 15 years, becoming a Vice-President. In 1986, I joined E F Hutton International Associates as joint Managing Director - they were taken over by Lehman Brothers, where as an Executive Director, I ran their US equities division. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, I was Managing Director of Furman Selz, a Xerox subsidiary, running their European operations. I have always been actively interested in politics, doing a considerable amount of local constituency work, and was Chairman of the Westminster Conservative Political Centre. In 1983 I was the Conservative candidate at Ashton-under-Lyne; in 1990 I was selected to succeed Sir Eldon Griffiths, MP for Bury St Edmunds, After entering Parliament, I served on the Employment Select Committee, chairing a committee of inquiry into the structure of horseracing - our recommendations were accepted and widely welcomed by the horseracing industry. I also served on the Health Select Committee, taking a particular interest in mental health, and starting a drugs task force in West Suffolk. I was a Parliamentary Private Secretary in three Government departments - Northern Ireland, Trade & Industry and Defence. I have done much to promote the interests of small businesses in Parliament as Deputy Chairman of the Small Business Bureau. After the 1997 General Election, I was appointed Opposition Spokesman on Culture, Media & Sport, and early in 2000 was promoted to being Opposition Spokesman for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, with responsibility for Europe, Sub Saharan Africa and the Far East. In 2003, I became a Governor of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy which works to support, promote and encourage democratic practices and institutions in the developing world. In 2004 I became the Shadow Minister for Financial Services working within the Shadow Treasury Team. Following the General Election in May 2005, I was appointed Shadow Paymaster General. In December 2005, I was appointed Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party with special responsibility for business and entrepreneurship. I am particularly supportive of the rural way of life and rural support services. I have led the campaigns on the health crisis in Suffolk, against mobile phone masts, to secure a better transport infrastructure for Suffolk and against the increasing regionalisation of our public services such as ambulance, fire and police services. In January 2006, I became a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Promoted by Dorothy Whittaker on behalf of West Suffolk Conservatives 6 Kings Court Willie Snaith Road Newmarket Suffolk CB8 7SG