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Encyclopedia > Geoff Hoon
The Rt Hon Geoff Hoon
Geoff Hoon

In office
28 June 2007 – present
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by Jacqui Smith
Succeeded by Incumbent

In office
6 May 2006 – 27 June 2007
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Douglas Alexander
Succeeded by Jim Murphy

In office
5 May 2005 – 6 May 2006
Preceded by Peter Hain
Succeeded by Jack Straw

In office
11 October 1999 – 5 May 2005
Preceded by George Robertson
Succeeded by John Reid

Member of Parliament
for Ashfield
In office
9 April 1992 – present
Preceded by Frank Haynes
Succeeded by Incumbent
Majority 10,213 (24.3%)

Born 06 December 1953 (1953-12-06) (age 53)
Flag of England Derby, England
Political party Labour
Residence 12 Downing Street
Alma mater Jesus College, Cambridge

Geoffrey William Hoon (born December 6, 1953) is a British politician. He is Labour Member of Parliament for Ashfield, and Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 488 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (645 × 792 pixels, file size: 89 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... This article is about various offices in the government of the United Kingdom. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ... Jacqueline Jill Smith (born 3 November 1962) is a British politician who has been Home Secretary since 28 June 2007 and is the current Member of Parliament for Redditch, since 1997. ... The position of Minister of State for Europe, in charge of affairs with the European Union, is a cabinet-level minister of the United Kingdom government under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Douglas Garven Alexander (born October 26, 1967) is a British politician who is Secretary of State for International Development. ... James Murphy (born 23 August 1967 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a British politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is one of the traditional sinecure offices in the British Cabinet. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Peter Gerald Hain PC MP (born February 16, 1950, Nairobi, Kenya) is a British, Left-wing Labour Party politician and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (he is also Secretary of State for Wales). ... John Whitaker Straw (born August 3, 1946) is a British Labour Party politician. ... The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... George Robertson pictured at The Pentagon in June 2001 The Right Honourable George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, KT, GCMG, FRSA, PC (born 12 April 1946, in Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Scotland) was the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and... John Reid PC (born 8 May 1947) is a British politician who is Home Secretary and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of Airdrie and Shotts in the United Kingdom. ... Ashfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... David Francis (Frank) Haynes (8 March 1926 - 11 September 1998) was a British Labour politician. ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 7 - President Harry S. Truman announces the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... 12 Downing Street is the official residence of the Chief Whip of the governing party of the UK Parliament. ... College name The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge Named after The Virgin Mary Saint John the Evangelist Saint Radegund Jesus Lane and Jesus Parish Established 1496 Location Jesus Lane Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 7 - President Harry S. Truman announces the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Ashfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... This article is about various offices in the government of the United Kingdom. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ...

Contents

Early Life

Geoff Hoon was born in Derby, England, the son of a railwayman, and was educated at Nottingham High School and Jesus College, Cambridge where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in law in 1974, followed by a master's degree. He was appointed as a law lecturer at the University of Leeds in 1976 for five years. He was called to the Bar at Gray's Inn in 1978, and was also a visiting law professor at the University of Louisville, Kentucky in 1981-2. He became a practising barrister for two years in 1982, in Nottingham. Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... railroads redirects here. ... Nottingham High School is a leading UK independent fee-paying boys public school situated about a mile north of Nottingham city centre. ... College name The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge Named after The Virgin Mary Saint John the Evangelist Saint Radegund Jesus Lane and Jesus Parish Established 1496 Location Jesus Lane Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... A B.A. issued from the University of Tennessee. ... For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lecturer is a term of academic rank. ... The University of Leeds is a major teaching and research university, one of the largest in the United Kingdom with over 32,000 full-time students. ... The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions. ... Entrance to Grays Inn Grays Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in around the Royal Courts of Justice in London, England to which barristers belong and where they are called to the bar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... The University of Louisville (also known as U of L) is a public, state-supported university located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... // Artists impression of an English and Irish barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions which employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ...


Member of Parliament

Hoon was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Derbyshire in 1984 and served in Brussels and Strasbourg for ten years. He was elected as a member of the British House of Commons at the 1992 general election for Ashfield following the retirement of the sitting Labour MP Frank Haynes. Hoon held the seat with a majority of 12,987 and has remained the MP there since, making his maiden speech on May 20, 1992. A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP)[1] is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ... This article is about the year. ... For other places with the same name, see Brussels (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Strasburg. ... Type Lower House Speaker Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Leader Harriet Harman, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader Theresa May, (Conservative) since May 5, 2005 Members 659 Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin... The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992. ... Ashfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... David Francis (Frank) Haynes (8 March 1926 - 11 September 1998) was a British Labour politician. ... A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected representative in such bodies as the House of Commons or the United States House of Representatives. ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...


Shadow Cabinet and in government

In Parliament, he was promoted by John Smith in 1994 when he was appointed as an opposition whip, and in 1995 he joined the frontbench team as a spokesman on Trade and Industry. Following the 1997 general election he became a member of the government of Tony Blair as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Lord Chancellor's Department, being promoted to the rank of Minister of State in the same department in 1998. In 1999 he was briefly a minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, before entering the cabinet later in the year as the Secretary of State for Defence. He became a member of the Privy Council in 1999. He served as the Lord Privy Seal and the Leader of the House of Commons from the 2005 general election until 5 May 2006. He was appointed on that day as Minister for Europe. John Smith QC (September 13, 1938 – May 12, 1994) was a British politician who served as leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden and unexpected death from a heart attack on 12 May 1994. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... In many parliaments and other similar assemblies, seating is typically arranged in banks or rows, with each political party or caucus grouped together. ... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... A Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, in the United Kingdom government structure, is a minister who is junior to a Minister of State who is then junior to a Secretary of State. ... The Lord Chancellors Department was a United Kingdom government department. ... Minister of State is a title borne by officials in certain countries governed under the parliamentary system. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall, seen from St. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. ... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is one of the traditional sinecure offices in the British Cabinet. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... It has been suggested that Marginal constituencies in the United Kingdom be merged into this article or section. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Secretary of State for Defence

Geoff Hoon (right) at Pentagon briefing
Geoff Hoon (right) at Pentagon briefing

Hoon was in charge of the MoD during a period of massive deployments of British troops, including; Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixelsFull resolution (3008 × 2000 pixels, file size: 849 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixelsFull resolution (3008 × 2000 pixels, file size: 849 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

Like many who have held the office before him Hoon was forced to make some difficult defence procurement decisions. The MoD is committed to competitive procurement and operates perhaps the most open defence procurement process in the world[citation needed]. The adherence to this policy caused significant friction between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and its largest supplier, BAE Systems. Hoon, and the MoD as a whole refused the company's arguments that it should be treated as a "national champion." BAE have been accused of demanding contracts, e.g the Type 45 destroyers. Recent events have demonstrated that the MoD will not entertain such practices, following the delays to the Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol jet and Astute class submarine projects BAE was force to write off £750m against the contracts. Operation Palliser was a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 under the command of Brigadier David Richards. ... Operation Veritas was the codename used for British military operations against the Taliban government of Afghanistan in 2001. ... Operation (or Op) TELIC is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds third largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... The United Kingdoms Type 45 destroyer (also known as the D or Daring class) is a state-of-the art air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy. ... The BAE Systems (formerly Hawker-Siddeley) Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft is derived from the De Havilland Comet, the worlds first jet airliner. ... The Astute class submarines are the next generation nuclear Fleet submarines of the Royal Navy. ...


In a 2003 interview on the BBC's Breakfast with Frost, Hoon asserted that the UK was willing to use nuclear weapons against Iraqi forces "in the right circumstances"[1] [2] . Breakfast with Frost was a talk show hosted by Sir David Frost on the BBC on Sunday mornings. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ...


Comment on Geoff Hoon's public persona has varied wildly from that of non-descript minister (the label "Geoff Who?" was applied by many national newspapers and an unflattering nickname is "Buff"), to a capable Defence Secretary and a "safe pair of hands" during and shortly after the 2003 Iraq War, to adjectives such as "slippery" and "dishonest" during the Dr. David Kelly Affair. He was widely expected to resign on the publication of the resulting Hutton Report. Whilst many were not surprised by the absence of any claim of wrong-doing on Tony Blair's behalf there was widespread disbelief that both Hoon and his Permanent Secretary, Sir Kevin Tebbit, were also completely cleared of any impropriety. Hutton concluded that there was no "underhand" strategy in the naming of Kelly but that the Ministry of Defence failed to inform and advise him of the effects his name entering the public domain. Hoon was unpopular throughout the Armed Forces, who considered him to be an advocate of unnecessary change and accused him of weakening the Forces. In particular, the then Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, publicly accused Hoon of neglecting morale and efficiency in his policies. The military's low opinion of him was long-standing and dated back to his handling of the Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre. This can be summed up in his well-known nickname amongst the services at the time as "TCH", or "That C**t Hoon". For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq without the explicit backing of the United... For other persons named David Kelly, see David Kelly (disambiguation). ... The Hutton Inquiry was a British judicial inquiry chaired by Lord Hutton, appointed by the British government to investigate the death of a government weapons expert, Dr. David Kelly. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Permanent Secretary, in most departments officially titled the Permanent Under-Secretary of State (although the full title is rarely used), is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis. ... Sir Kevin Tebbit (born 1946[1]) is a British civil servant. ... The Chief of the Defence Staff is a term used for the head of the militaries in a number of nations: Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada) Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise...


In an interview in April, 2004 Geoff Hoon said that more could have been done to help David Kelly, who supposedly killed himself after being named as the source of Andrew Gilligan's controversial Today programme report. Andrew Paul Gilligan (born 22 November 1968, Teddington, London, England) is a journalist best known for his 2003 report about a British government briefing paper on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction (the September Dossier) while working for BBC Radio 4s The Today Programme as its defence and diplomatic... Today, sometimes referred to as the Today programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4s long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, which is now broadcast from 6am to 9am from Monday to Friday and from 7am to 9am on Saturdays. ...


On July 21, 2004 Hoon announced major changes to the British armed forces. This review, Future Capabilities, is an extension of the White Paper Delivering Security in a Changing World which was published in December 2003. Although wide ranging highlights include: is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2003 Defence White Paper, entitled Delivering Security in a Changing World sets out the future of the British military, and builds on the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and the 2002 SDR New Chapter which responded to the challenges raised by the War on Terror. ...

  • Reduction in Regular Army personnel from 108,500 to 102,000
  • Purchase of the four leased C-17s and one additional aircraft
  • Confirmation of two major defence procurement projects, the Typhoon and Future Carrier (CVF)
  • Withdrawal of three Type 42 destroyers and three Type 23 frigates
  • Reduction in numbers of the Tornado F3
  • Withdrawal of entire SEPECAT Jaguar force by 2007 and closure of its base RAF Coltishall

For the Lockheed aircraft with this designation, see C-17 Super Vega. ... This article is about a fighter aircraft. ... CVF, literally Aircraft Carrier Future,[3][4] but commonly called the Future Carrier is a new generation of aircraft carrier being developed for the United Kingdoms Royal Navy. ... Type 42 destroyer HMS Manchester Type 42, also known as the Sheffield class, is a class of destroyers of the Royal Navy. ... The Type 23 frigate is a class of warship serving with the Royal Navy, also known as the Duke class. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Panavia Tornado. ... The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French ground attack aircraft still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force of Oman. ... RAF Coltishall is a Royal Air Force station near Norwich in eastern England. ...

Personal Life

He has been married to Elaine Anne Dumelow since 1981 and they have a son and two daughters. Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ...


References

  1. ^ [1] - UK restates nuclear threat -BBC News 23 Feb 2003
  2. ^ [2] - UK Breakfast with Frost 23 Feb 2003

Publications

  • The Royal Navy Handbook: Ministry of Defence by Alan West, foreword by Geoff Hoon, 2003, Conway Maritime, ISBN 0-85177-952-2

External links

  • GeoffhoonMP.co.uk Official Site
  • ePolitix - Geoff Hoon
  • Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Geoff Hoon MP
  • TheyWorkForYou.com - Geoff Hoon MP
  • Witnesses: Geoff Hoon in the Hutton Inquiry includes testimony transcripts, from The Guardian
  • British Army view of Geoff Hoon
  • Mr Hoon's Site at Labour Party
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Frank Haynes
Member of Parliament for Ashfield
1992 – present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
George Robertson
Secretary of State for Defence
1999–2005
Succeeded by
John Reid
Preceded by
Peter Hain
Leader of the House of Commons
2005–2006
Succeeded by
Jack Straw
Lord Privy Seal
2005—2006
Preceded by
Douglas Alexander
Minister of State for Europe
2006–2007
Succeeded by
Jim Murphy
Preceded by
Jacqui Smith
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
2007 – present
Incumbent
Government Chief Whip
2007 – present

  Results from FactBites:
 
Geoff Hoon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (902 words)
Geoff Hoon was born in Derby, Derbyshire, the son of a railwayman, and was educated at Nottingham High School and Jesus College, Cambridge where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in law in 1976, followed by a master's degree.
Hoon was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Derbyshire in 1984 and served in Brussels and Strasbourg for ten years.
Hoon, and the MoD as a whole refused the company's arguments that it should be treated as a "national champion." BAE have been accused of demanding contracts, e.g the Type 45 destroyers.
Guardian | Where did they find this man? (1282 words)
Geoff Hoon and Jack Straw, the most unlikely pin-ups in the cabinet, have become a regular item at the House of Commons gym as they try to keep their minds alert by exercising every day.
Hoon, the plodding defence secretary, takes to the running machine where he is often spotted straightening his thinning hair in the gym's mirror as Kylie Minogue blasts out of the loudspeakers.
Hoon's habit of measuring every word before opening his mouth, which can lead to him sounding hesitant and at times slightly pompous, landed him in trouble on the first day of the war when he had what was described as an "Eric Morecambe moment".
  More results at FactBites »


 

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