{"id":47,"date":"2014-01-20T19:48:11","date_gmt":"2014-01-20T19:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/?page_id=47"},"modified":"2025-06-20T12:30:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T12:30:11","slug":"about-michael","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/?page_id=47","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_102\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-102\" style=\"width: 274px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/?attachment_id=102\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-102\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-102\" src=\"http:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/120906-Fallon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"274\" height=\"322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/120906-Fallon.jpg 336w, https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/120906-Fallon-255x300.jpg 255w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 274px) 85vw, 274px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-102\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Speaking from the Despatch Box, House of Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon KCB was first elected MP for Sevenoaks in 1997. He was Secretary of State for Defence from July 2014 to November2017.\u00a0 Formerly he served as Minister of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Minister of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change.\u00a0 He retired from Parliament in November 2019, prior to the General Election in December 2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Political Career<\/strong><br \/>1983-1992\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 MP for the constituency of Darlington<br \/>1987-1988\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PPS to the Secretary of State for Energy<br \/>1988-1990\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Government Whip, promoted to Lord Commissioner of the Treasury<br \/>1990-1992\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Schools Minister in the Department for Education and Science<br \/>1997-2019\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 MP for the constituency of Sevenoaks<br \/>1997-1998\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shadow Spokesman for Trade &amp; Industry<br \/>1997-1998\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury<br \/>1999-2012\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Treasury Select Committee<br \/>2001-2010\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chairman of Treasury Select Sub-Committee<br \/>2010-2012\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party<br \/>2012-on\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Privy Counsellor<br \/>2012-2014\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Minister of State for Business and Enterprise<br \/>2013-2014\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Minister of State for Energy<br \/>2014-2017\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Secretary of State for Defence with overall responsibility for the business of the department providing strategic direction on policy, operations, acquisition and personnel matters, including: operational strategy, including as a member of the National Security Council; defence planning, programme and resource allocation; international relations; defence exports policy, including as chair of the cross-Government Exports Working Group; nuclear programme; communications.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Sevenoaks Constituency<\/strong><br \/>After becoming MP for Sevenoaks, Michael was involved in many successful local campaigns including:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Lobbying for a new grammar school in Sevenoaks<\/li>\r\n<li>Improving broadband speeds in rural areas<\/li>\r\n<li>Hosting the Swanley Job Fairs for employers and prospective employees<\/li>\r\n<li>Encouraging small and medium-sized businesses throughout the constituency<\/li>\r\n<li>Pressing for the dualling of the A21 near Pembury &#8211; which is now complete<\/li>\r\n<li>Leading the campaign to save Sevenoaks Hospital, culminating in the May 2007 decision of West Kent Primary Care Trust to secure its long-term future<\/li>\r\n<li>Winning a \u00a31 million government grant to build the new Riverhead Infants School<\/li>\r\n<li>Fighting the closure of Sevenoaks Police Station which led to a decision to open a new police centre which is now based in the Sevenoaks District Council offices<\/li>\r\n<li>Lobbying for better noise protection for residents living near the three motorways (M25, M20 &amp; M26) that cut across the constituency<\/li>\r\n<li>Winning a new environmental barrier for Swanley and Swanley Village as part of the M25 widening<\/li>\r\n<li>Campaigning to save the local post offices throughout the area<\/li>\r\n<li>Successfully assisting hundreds of constituents who have had problems with government bureaucracy over many years<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Throughout his time as an MP Michael ran 22 advice surgeries each year in Sevenoaks and Swanley and, in addition, attended many local events and visited all types of organisations throughout the Sevenoaks constituency. He has been a school governor and a Patron of the Rockdale House Appeal.\u00a0 He is President of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rsbc.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"RSBC (opens in a new tab)\">RSBC<\/a> (formerly the RLSB), a Vice-President of the <a href=\"https:\/\/sevenoaksrugby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Sevenoaks Rugby Club (opens in a new tab)\">Sevenoaks Rugby Club<\/a>, Patron of <a href=\"https:\/\/dvym.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Darenth Valley Youth Music (opens in a new tab)\">Darenth Valley Youth Music<\/a> and President of the <a href=\"https:\/\/friendsofstmarys.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Friends of St Mary\u2019s Sundridge (opens in a new tab)\">Friends of St Mary\u2019s Sundridge<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Business Career<\/strong><br \/>Michael is a former director of Quality Care Homes plc (nursing homes), Just Learning Ltd (day nurseries), Attendo AB (Scandinavian social and health care) and Tullett Prebon plc (inter-dealer broking). \u00a0He resigned all his outside business interests when he was appointed a Government Minister in 2012.\u00a0 See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/\">here<\/a> for his latest business interests.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Michael has been a regular writer and broadcaster on politics, economics defence and education. \u00a0His earlier publications include <em>The Caravan Moves On<\/em>, <em>The Quango Explosion<\/em>, <em>Sovereign Members, <\/em>and<em> Brighter Schools<\/em>. \u00a0He was chairman of the All-Party Classics Group until 2012.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Personal<\/strong><br \/>Michael was born in Scotland in 1952, and educated at Epsom College. \u00a0He graduated with Honours MA in Classics and Ancient History from St Andrew&#8217;s University.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon KCB was first elected MP for Sevenoaks in 1997. He was Secretary of State for Defence from July 2014 to November2017.\u00a0 Formerly he served as Minister of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Minister of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change.\u00a0 He &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/?page_id=47\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;About&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3053,"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47\/revisions\/3053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.michaelfallon.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}