Oliver Dowden

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The Right Honourable
Oliver Dowden
CBE MP
Official portrait of Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2020
Chairman of the Conservative Party
Assumed office
15 September 2021
Serving with Ben Elliot
LeaderBoris Johnson
Preceded byAmanda Milling
Minister without Portfolio
Assumed office
15 September 2021
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byAmanda Milling
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
In office
13 February 2020 – 15 September 2021
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byThe Baroness Morgan of Cotes
Succeeded byNadine Dorries
Minister for the Cabinet Office
In office
24 July 2019 – 13 February 2020
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byDavid Lidington
Succeeded byMichael Gove
Paymaster General
In office
24 July 2019 – 13 February 2020
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byJesse Norman
Succeeded byPenny Mordaunt
Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office
In office
9 January 2018 – 24 July 2019
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byCaroline Nokes
Succeeded byJohnny Mercer
Member of Parliament
for Hertsmere
Assumed office
7 May 2015
Preceded byJames Clappison
Majority21,313 (40.8%)
Personal details
Born
Oliver James Dowden

(1978-08-01) 1 August 1978 (age 43)
Park Street, Hertfordshire, England
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)Blythe
Children2
EducationParmiter's School
Alma materTrinity Hall, Cambridge

Oliver James Dowden CBE (born 1 August 1978) is a British politician serving as Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party alongside Ben Elliot since 2021. He also serves as Minister without Portfolio. He previously served as Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2019 to 2020 and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 2020 to 2021. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Hertsmere since 2015.

Early life and career[edit]

Dowden was born on 1 August 1978.[1] He grew up in Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire, being educated at Parmiter's School, a partially selective state comprehensive school in Garston, Watford. He said he had an "excellent state education",[2] before going to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he read law.[3]

Dowden joined the Conservative Research Department in 2004, moving to PR company Hill & Knowlton in 2007, before returning to the Conservative Party in 2009.[4]

He then worked as a special adviser and David Cameron's deputy chief of staff,[3] where he said most of his time was spent on "day-to-day crisis management".[5] Dowden was regarded as having expertise in the attacking form of political communications, leading to comparisons with Labour's Alastair Campbell.[4]

Political career[edit]

Member of UK Parliament[edit]

Dowden was elected MP for Hertsmere in the 2015 general election, with a majority of 18,461 votes.[6] While standing, among the policy priorities he highlighted in his campaign were improving transport infrastructure, preserving green belt land and improving education.[7] He made his maiden speech on 17 June 2015.[1]

Dowden was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 Dissolution Honours List on 27 August 2015.[8]

He opposed Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum,[9] though he has subsequently supported it citing his "respect" for the verdict of the British people.[10]

Dowden has campaigned in Hertfordshire against development of the local Green Belt, including opposing Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council's draft local plan.[11]

Dowden is a former officer of the Conservative Friends of Israel, and has twice chaired the APPG for British Jews. Dowden has claimed a "cultural affinity" with the Jewish community- his constituency of Hertsmere has the largest Jewish population outside of London.[12]

Junior ministerial roles[edit]

In January 2018, Dowden was promoted to parliamentary secretary to the Cabinet Office, as part of Theresa May's cabinet reshuffle.[13]

Appointed Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General by incoming Prime Minister Boris Johnson on 24 July 2019, Dowden was appointed a member of the Privy Council the next day.[14]

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport[edit]

On 13 February 2020, Dowden was appointed Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, succeeding Baroness Morgan of Cotes, who resigned from the cabinet.[15]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dowden introduced a £1.57 billion support package for the arts industry, which received praise from across the sector.[16]

In August 2021 Dowden announced new multi-billion pound data partnerships between the UK, Australia and the Republic of Korea, billed as an opportunity to reduce global barriers to international trade after Brexit.[17]

Dowden also intervened in the national debate over the so-called "cancellation" of controversial historical figures, advocating a "retain and explain" approach from museums and heritage institutions, which would be "moreist" rather than "Maoist".[18] Dowden had previously said that "woke culture runs contrary to the great liberal traditions of Western democracies".[19]

In April 2021, Dowden led government opposition to the controversial European Super League proposals, describing the planned breakaway by six Premier League clubs as 'appalling' and 'tone-deaf'.[20]

Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party[edit]

On 15 September 2021, Johnson appointed Dowden as an unpaid Minister without Portfolio and Conservative Party Co-Chairman during a cabinet reshuffle.[21] In a speech at party headquarters following his appointment, Dowden told Conservative staff to "prepare for the next election".[22]

On 14 February 2022, Dowden gave a speech in USA to The Heritage Foundation in which he criticised cancel culture, calling it a "painful woke psychodrama" which is sweeping the West and sapping its confidence, further saying that woke ideology is a "dangerous form of decadence". He had made similar remarks to the Conservative Party Conference in October 2021.[23][24][25]

Personal life[edit]

Dowden is married and has two children.[2][3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Watson, Chris; Fawcett, Mark (13 March 2018). "Members of the House of Commons since 1979" (PDF). House of Commons Library. p. 62. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b "About Oliver Dowden". Oliverdowden.com. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Oliphant, Victoria (8 October 2014). "'This is like coming home' – Oliver Dowden announced as Conservative candidate for Hertsmere". Borehamwood Times. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  4. ^ a b Merrick, Jane (14 October 2012). "'Olive' in charge after No 10 shake-up". The Independent. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  5. ^ "David Cameron's special adviser in US television gaffe". The Telegraph. 22 October 2012. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Hertsmere (Constituency) 2015 results - General election results - UK Parliament". electionresults.parliament.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Meet the MPs: Profiling the Conservative 2015 intake | Dehavilland". www1.dehavilland.co.uk.
  8. ^ "Dissolution Honours 2015". GOV.UK (Press release). 27 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  9. ^ Goodenough, Tom (16 February 2016). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". The Spectator. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  10. ^ "'You campaigned for Remain!' Sky host skewers Tory MP talking tough on Brexit deal". Daily Express. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  11. ^ Suslak, Anne (25 November 2016). "Hertsmere MP has 'deep concerns' about Welwyn Hatfield's Local Plan". Welwyn Hatfield Times.
  12. ^ Buchanan, Kirsty (28 February 2022). "This is the beginning of end for BDS, vows Tory chairman". Jewish Chronicle.
  13. ^ Flanagan, Chris (10 January 2018). "Potters Bar's MP 'delighted' after scooping promotion". Welwyn Hatfield Times.
  14. ^ "ORDERS APPROVED AND BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE QUEEN AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON 25TH JULY 2019" (PDF). Privy Council Office. 2019.
  15. ^ "The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP". GOV.UK.
  16. ^ "Arts industry welcomes £1.57bn support package". BBC News. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  17. ^ "UK unveils post-Brexit global data plans to boost growth, increase trade and improve healthcare". Gov.uk. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  18. ^ "We won't allow Britain's history to be cancelled". Daily Telegraph. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Oliver Dowden interview: 'Don't let Britain get carried away in this moment of wokery'". Evening Standard. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  20. ^ "Statement by Oliver Dowden on the European Super League". Gov.uk. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  21. ^ UK Prime Minister [@10DowningStreet] (15 September 2021). "The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden @OliverDowden has been appointed Minister without Portfolio, Cabinet Office" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 September 2021 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "Exclusive: Get ready for a general election, says Oliver Dowden". 15 September 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  23. ^ Mason, Rowena (14 February 2022). "Tory party chairman says 'painful woke psychodrama' weakening the west". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  24. ^ Dathan, Matt (15 February 2022). "Woke ideology emboldens the West's enemies, says Oliver Dowden". The Times. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  25. ^ Forrest, Adam (16 February 2022). "Decadent 'woke' ideology putting west in danger, claims Tory party chair". The Independent. Retrieved 3 March 2022.

External links[edit]

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Hertsmere
2015–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office
2018–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for the Cabinet Office
2019–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Paymaster General
2019–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
2020–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister without Portfolio
2021–present 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Conservative Party
Serving with Ben Elliot
2021–present 		Incumbent
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