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Liam Fox
British politician (born 1961) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sir Liam Fox (born 22 September 1961) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for International Trade from 2016 to 2019 and Secretary of State for Defence from 2010 to 2011. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Somerset, formerly Woodspring, from 1992 to 2024.
Sir Liam Fox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Official portrait, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for International Trade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 13 July 2016 – 24 July 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Liz Truss | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
President of the Board of Trade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 19 July 2016 – 24 July 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Greg Clark | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Liz Truss | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secretary of State for Defence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 12 May 2010 – 14 October 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Bob Ainsworth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Philip Hammond | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman of the Conservative Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 6 November 2003 – 4 May 2005 Serving with The Lord Saatchi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Michael Howard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Francis Maude | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 23 July 1996 – 1 May 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | John Major | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Mark Lennox-Boyd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | The Baroness Symons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 28 November 1995 – 23 July 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | John Major | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | David Willetts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Patrick McLoughlin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of Parliament for North Somerset Woodspring (1992–2010) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 9 April 1992 – 30 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Sir Paul Dean | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Sadik Al-Hassan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1961-09-22) 22 September 1961 (age 62) East Kilbride, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse |
Jesme Baird (m. 2005) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence(s) | Tickenham, Somerset, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Glasgow (MB ChB) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | Official website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medical career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Profession | General practitioner Civilian army general practitioner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fox studied medicine at the University of Glasgow and worked as a GP and civilian army medical GP before being elected as an MP. After holding several ministerial roles under John Major, Fox served as Constitutional Affairs Spokesman from 1998 to 1999, Shadow Health Secretary from 1999 to 2003, Chair of the Conservative Party from 2003 to 2005, Shadow Foreign Secretary in 2005 and Shadow Defence Secretary from 2005 to 2010.
In the 2009 expenses scandal, he was the Shadow Cabinet minister found to have the largest over-claim on expenses and, as a result, was forced to repay the most money. In 2010, he was appointed Defence Secretary by Prime Minister David Cameron, a position from which he resigned on 14 October 2011 over allegations that he had given a close friend, lobbyist Adam Werritty, inappropriate access to the Ministry of Defence and allowed him to join official trips overseas.
In July 2016, in the wake of the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union, Fox was appointed the first Secretary of State for International Trade by new Prime Minister Theresa May. He was also made President of the Board of Trade. Fox has twice stood unsuccessfully for the leadership of the Conservative Party, in 2005 and 2016. In July 2019, he lost his cabinet position when new Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed his cabinet.
He was knighted in the 2023 Political Honours for public and political service.[1]