412:
Squire consistently expressed misgivings over the personal leadership style of
Margaret Thatcher, describing her as "a good wartime leader, but ...." This, combined with his status as a "dripping" or "oceanic" wet meant that promotion was slow in coming. The only significant office he held during the
485:
schools inspection regime, published league tables for school performance, the ability of state sector schools to opt out of local authority control as "grant-maintained" schools, nursery education vouchers and the introduction of the first state funded Muslim schools. Many of these reforms survived
355:
Upon entering
Parliament, Squire was soon established as one of the "wet" group of Conservative MPs who opposed many aspects of the economic, employment and social policies of the Thatcher government. For example, in 1981 Squire was one of 18 Conservative rebels who opposed referendum provisions for
520:
Around 150 Conservative MPs lost their seats in the 1997 general election. Many of them struggled to find gainful employment and a new role in life for themselves. This was particularly difficult for former ministers who had become accustomed to the status, emoluments and perks that went with their
346:
Squire married Susan Fey, a Labour Party activist, in 1981. Questioned about the marriage, Fey stated that she was on the right wing of the Labour Party and her husband was on the left of the
Conservative Party. As such, she considered that there was no great political difference between them. The
342:
Squire was elected to
Parliament as the member for Hornchurch on 3 May 1979. Labour-held Hornchurch had not been a marginal seat and Squire had not expected to win it. However, he was elected with a 769-vote majority on a "freak" 8.5% swing. At this point, he stood down as leader of Sutton Borough
447:, Squire was appointed Under Secretary of State for the Environment. In this capacity he was variously described as the "inner cities minister" or the "local government minister". His background as a council leader made him an obvious choice for this role and he appeared to work harmoniously with
508:, Squire was defending a 9,165 majority in his constituency at Hornchurch. His personal popularity plus his prominence as a Minister led him to believe that he would hold the seat, saying "This was the one time when I thought my seat was safe...". However, he lost the seat to Labour's
466:. In this capacity he was generally known as the "schools minister" and occasionally as the "school discipline minister". He held this post until the Conservative government fell in May 1997. The official reason given for the move was that one of the other education ministers (
563:(salary £6,200) and he was later appointed as a schools adjudicator by the Department of Education. It is believed that he took up a number of other such posts in the voluntary and NGO sectors. He also acted, until March 2000, as a Parliamentary lobbyist.
214:, Squire struggled initially to find a new career. His difficulties in this regard were widely reported on in the media. Since 2002, he has been the Trust Secretary/Chief Executive for the Veolia ES Cleanaway Trusts, based in
496:
During the final months of the Major government, Squire was identified with the "Conservative
Mainstream" group of MPs. This group was composed of centrist, one-nation members who sided with Major in his confrontations with
288:
At an early stage, he demonstrated a political position on the left of the
Conservative Party. At the Conservative Party Conference in 1973 he was booed when he opposed a motion calling on the Government to recognise the
524:
Squire initially considered a return to accountancy but he had difficulty in this regard because he had not updated his skills since leaving the profession in 1979. For example, he was initially unable to use a computer
881:
172:
Squire was born and raised in South West London. After qualifying as an accountant he was employed by a finance company while being a
Conservative Party activist. He became a member of
327:
pressed for an end to selective education in the
Borough by 1980. This resulted in a stand-off and Squire threatened legal action against the government to prevent an earlier move to
688:
807:
188:", opposed to the Conservative government's economic and employment policies. After Thatcher left office in 1990, Squire's political position strengthened, and he held
380:, legislation which sought to prevent local authorities from promoting awareness of gay issues. He became particularly well known for his regular contributions to
278:
321:
320:. As Leader of Sutton Council, Squire advocated a move to comprehensive education in the Borough that would be phased in by 1984. However, in 1978 Labour
393:
He appeared to be comfortable as a member of the 'Parliamentary club'. He was reported to be a prominent and popular member of the Guy Fawkes club – a
886:
547:"His only independent income in the first four months of his enforced leisure came when he won 20 pounds on a Sunday Times brain-teaser competition"
843:
162:
40:
364:') and in 1988 he was one of 20 Conservative rebels to vote against the freezing of child benefits. During the 1980s, he sponsored a successful '
475:
452:
406:
309:
system. Squire warned that abolition of the rating system without a widely accepted alternative to put in its place might be highly damaging.
158:
571:
505:
444:
211:
297:. At the Conservative Local Government Conference in 1977, Squire was one of five council leaders who spoke against plans advanced by
481:
During his four years as
Schools Minister, Squire was involved in many high-profile issues. These included the introduction of the
826:
418:
812:
777:
414:
489:
He is reported to have "barked down" some of the more extreme proposals to deal with the threat of school shootings after the
458:
However, on 28 May 1993 he was moved to the post of Under
Secretary of State for Education, serving under Secretary of State
906:
901:
896:
891:
467:
258:
practice. He joined the accounting department of Lombard Banking in 1968 (a finance company that became a member of the
560:
431:
However, his prospects suddenly improved when Major became Prime Minister in 1990 and early in 1991, he became PPS to
302:
559:
skills. Squire gradually developed a portfolio of part-time appointments. In 1999, he served for a short period as a
493:
in 1996, in which a crazed individual with a gun entered a primary school, shooting a number of pupils and teachers.
552:
541:
at a salary of £30,000 but was turned down, albeit as the runner-up for the post. He applied for the position of
459:
259:
35:
274:
173:
331:. The advent of a new Conservative government in May 1979 allowed Sutton to remain as an isolated pocket of
154:
122:
876:
556:
365:
530:
317:
243:
219:
871:
369:
347:
couple had two children (one son and one daughter) by Fey's previous marriage, and divorced in 2007.
328:
251:
247:
797:
339:. After the Liberal Democrats took control of the Council in 1986 selective education was retained.
332:
290:
397:
composed of Conservative MPs first elected in 1979. Other members of the Guy Fawkes club included
817:
574:, but lost again by a significant majority. He has not been politically active since that time.
533:– essential tools for an accountant by 1997. He applied for the post of general manager of the
835:
490:
313:
181:
63:
802:
555:. He was given counselling and directed to courses on interview technique, assertiveness and
269:
During this period he was a Conservative activist. Notably, he held various positions in the
711:
463:
357:
324:
732:
538:
402:
373:
215:
207:
as "a minister who wears pebble glasses and always looks as though he lives in a bedsit."
189:
185:
424:
between 1983 and 1985. In 1980 he was ousted from the Secretaryship of the Conservative
534:
471:
448:
336:
306:
282:
281:
although he lost the election by a 7,000 vote margin. In 1976, he became the Leader of
270:
263:
255:
865:
421:
381:
675:
616:
593:
498:
432:
361:
273:
Young Conservatives including that of chairman in 1973. He was elected a member of
231:
197:
486:
the change of government in 1997 and became features of Labour education policy.
526:
394:
298:
184:'s years (1979 to 1990) in government, Squire was considered to be a prominent "
853:
567:
509:
398:
377:
262:
group in 1970) and was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief Accountant at
177:
166:
75:
425:
386:
203:
356:
local council rate increases. In 1987 he opposed the introduction of the
294:
227:
223:
818:
Robin Squire: Electoral history and profile – Politics – guardian.co.uk
689:
Cheers ring out as David Cameron lays Tory history of homophobia to rest
792:
478:
operator like Squire was needed to front government policy on schools.
266:
in 1972. He held this post until he was elected to Parliament in 1979.
542:
482:
277:
in 1968. Squire was the Conservative candidate for Hornchurch in the
545:
at several independent schools but was rejected by all of them.
376:. In 1988 Squire was the only Conservative MP to vote against
372:
and participated in cross-party pressure groups involved with
754:
752:
750:
653:
651:
192:
positions until the Conservative government fell in 1997.
512:
with a 16% swing and a 5,680 majority for his opponent.
409:
bridge team and acquitted himself well in tournaments.
882:
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
312:
During the period 1970 to 1979, both Conservative and
666:
The Wallington and Carshalton Advertiser, 4 June 1982
813:
BBC guide to candidates in the 1997 General Election
443:
On 14 April 1992, in the immediate aftermath of the
384:'s "Party Pieces" programme and he was described in
136:
128:
118:
110:
90:
85:
69:
57:
34:
23:
588:
586:
405:. He was rated as a highly capable member of the
707:
705:
343:Council and gave up his Council seat in 1982.
165:from 1979 until 1997 when he lost the seat to
778:Squire quits from Lottery body to stand as MP
8:
615:October 1974 General Election results :
435:MP, the Chairman of the Conservative Party.
798:contributions in Parliament by Robin Squire
390:diary as being "pleasingly unsycophantic".
822:
176:in 1968, and the Member of Parliament for
20:
582:
453:Secretary of State for the Environment
428:European Committee by a Eurosceptic.
316:administrations promoted the move to
201:as "a user-friendly Tory wet" and in
7:
506:1997 United Kingdom general election
474:and it was felt that an experienced
445:1992 United Kingdom general election
53:3 May 1979 – 8 April 1997
14:
413:Thatcher governments was that of
153:(born 12 July 1944) is a British
887:People from Kingston upon Thames
827:Parliament of the United Kingdom
415:Parliamentary Private Secretary
16:British Conservative politician
551:He eventually "signed on" for
1:
687:Daily Telegraph, 2 July 2009
561:National Lottery Commissioner
279:October 1974 general election
210:After losing his seat in the
803:Guardian Unlimited Politics
636:The Times, 28 February 1977
923:
723:The Times, 9 December 1990
627:The Times, 12 October 1973
305:spokesman) to abolish the
850:
842:Member of Parliament for
840:
832:
825:
260:National Westminster Bank
254:while working in a small
144:
81:
46:
30:
758:The Times, 28 April 1998
744:The Guardian, 3 May 1997
657:The Guardian, 3 May 1999
250:and then qualified as a
195:Squire was described in
808:Parliamentary questions
537:residential complex in
318:comprehensive education
242:Squire was educated at
220:environmental charities
123:Conservative Party (UK)
699:The Times, 1 July 1983
553:Job Seeker's Allowance
366:freedom of information
275:Sutton Borough Council
174:Sutton Borough Council
645:The Times, 2 May 1978
572:2001 general election
570:at Hornchurch in the
566:Squire stood against
531:scientific calculator
291:white minority regime
264:Lombard North Central
244:Tiffin Grammar School
218:, a group of several
212:1997 general election
151:Robin Clifford Squire
767:Guardian, 3 May 1999
370:private members bill
351:Parliamentary career
252:Chartered Accountant
248:Kingston upon Thames
159:Member of Parliament
36:Member of Parliament
606:Times, 18 June 1992
501:and right-wingers.
419:Transport Secretary
333:selective education
322:Education Secretary
301:(then Conservative
157:politician. He was
735:, 12 December 1996
439:Ministerial career
190:junior ministerial
860:
859:
851:Succeeded by
836:Alan Lee Williams
776:PR Week, 12/1999
491:Dunblane massacre
182:Margaret Thatcher
148:
147:
64:Alan Lee Williams
914:
907:UK MPs 1992–1997
902:UK MPs 1987–1992
897:UK MPs 1983–1987
892:UK MPs 1979–1983
833:Preceded by
823:
780:
774:
768:
765:
759:
756:
745:
742:
736:
730:
724:
721:
715:
712:The Sunday Times
709:
700:
697:
691:
685:
679:
673:
667:
664:
658:
655:
646:
643:
637:
634:
628:
625:
619:
613:
607:
604:
598:
590:
516:After Parliament
476:House of Commons
464:Gillian Shephard
407:House of Commons
358:community charge
325:Shirley Williams
303:local government
180:in 1979. During
104:
100:
98:
86:Personal details
72:
60:
51:
21:
922:
921:
917:
916:
915:
913:
912:
911:
862:
861:
856:
847:
838:
788:
783:
775:
771:
766:
762:
757:
748:
743:
739:
733:The Independent
731:
727:
722:
718:
714:, 15 April 1992
710:
703:
698:
694:
686:
682:
678:, 15 April 1992
674:
670:
665:
661:
656:
649:
644:
640:
635:
631:
626:
622:
614:
610:
605:
601:
591:
584:
580:
539:Pimlico, London
518:
468:Baroness Blatch
441:
403:Brian Mawhinney
374:homeless people
353:
337:grammar schools
307:domestic rating
240:
119:Political party
105:
102:
96:
94:
70:
58:
52:
47:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
920:
918:
910:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
864:
863:
858:
857:
852:
849:
839:
834:
830:
829:
821:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
787:
786:External links
784:
782:
781:
769:
760:
746:
737:
725:
716:
701:
692:
680:
668:
659:
647:
638:
629:
620:
617:see Hornchurch
608:
599:
581:
579:
576:
535:Dolphin Square
517:
514:
472:House of Lords
449:Michael Howard
440:
437:
352:
349:
329:comprehensives
283:Sutton Council
271:Greater London
239:
236:
146:
145:
142:
141:
138:
134:
133:
130:
126:
125:
120:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
92:
88:
87:
83:
82:
79:
78:
73:
67:
66:
61:
55:
54:
44:
43:
32:
31:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
919:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
877:Living people
875:
873:
870:
869:
867:
855:
846:
845:
837:
831:
828:
824:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
795:
794:
790:
789:
785:
779:
773:
770:
764:
761:
755:
753:
751:
747:
741:
738:
734:
729:
726:
720:
717:
713:
708:
706:
702:
696:
693:
690:
684:
681:
677:
672:
669:
663:
660:
654:
652:
648:
642:
639:
633:
630:
624:
621:
618:
612:
609:
603:
600:
597:, 9 June 1993
596:
595:
589:
587:
583:
577:
575:
573:
569:
564:
562:
558:
554:
549:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
528:
522:
515:
513:
511:
507:
502:
500:
494:
492:
487:
484:
479:
477:
473:
470:) sat in the
469:
465:
461:
456:
454:
450:
446:
438:
436:
434:
429:
427:
423:
422:Lynda Chalker
420:
416:
410:
408:
404:
400:
396:
391:
389:
388:
383:
382:Capital Radio
379:
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
350:
348:
344:
340:
338:
334:
330:
326:
323:
319:
315:
310:
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
286:
284:
280:
276:
272:
267:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
237:
235:
233:
229:
225:
222:operating in
221:
217:
213:
208:
206:
205:
200:
199:
193:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
170:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
124:
121:
117:
113:
109:
103:(age 80)
93:
89:
84:
80:
77:
74:
68:
65:
62:
56:
50:
45:
42:
37:
33:
29:
22:
19:
841:
791:
772:
763:
740:
728:
719:
695:
683:
676:The Guardian
671:
662:
641:
632:
623:
611:
602:
594:The Guardian
592:
565:
550:
546:
523:
519:
503:
499:Eurosceptics
495:
488:
480:
457:
442:
433:Chris Patten
430:
411:
392:
385:
354:
345:
341:
311:
287:
268:
241:
238:Early career
232:Castle Point
209:
202:
198:The Guardian
196:
194:
171:
155:Conservative
150:
149:
101:12 July 1944
71:Succeeded by
48:
25:Robin Squire
18:
872:1944 births
796:1803–2005:
527:spreadsheet
460:John Patten
451:, the then
395:dining club
299:Keith Speed
111:Nationality
59:Preceded by
866:Categories
854:John Cryer
848:1979–1997
844:Hornchurch
578:References
568:John Cryer
521:old jobs.
510:John Cryer
462:and later
399:John Major
378:Section 28
178:Hornchurch
167:John Cryer
163:Hornchurch
140:Accountant
137:Occupation
97:1944-07-12
76:John Cryer
41:Hornchurch
426:backbench
387:The Times
234:, Essex.
204:The Times
132:Susan Fey
49:In office
362:poll tax
295:Rhodesia
228:Basildon
224:Havering
793:Hansard
504:In the
216:Rainham
114:British
543:bursar
483:OFSTED
314:Labour
129:Spouse
106:London
529:or a
360:(or '
401:and
335:and
256:City
230:and
161:for
91:Born
39:for
417:to
293:in
186:wet
868::
749:^
704:^
650:^
585:^
557:IT
455:.
368:'
285:.
246:,
226:,
169:.
99:)
95:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.