David Davis MSc06(1973)
Former Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden
The Rt Hon David Davis MSc06(1973) was Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union from July 2016 to July 2018. He is one of the longest-serving Conservative MPs, having first been elected in 1987 for the constituency of Boothferry. He also served as the Member of Parliament for Haltemprice and Howden since being elected in 1997 until he stepped down in November 2019.
As Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1994 to 1997 he was responsible for government negotiations over Europe and NATO enlargement.
He put forward his candidacy for the Conservative Party leadership in 2001 and 2005 and served as Conservative Party chairman from 2001 to 2002. Between 2002 and 2003 he was Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice as well as Shadow Minister for London. He was shadow home secretary from 2003 until 2008, when his resignation forced a by-election that he won on a civil-liberties platform. In 2010 David chaired The Future of Banking Commission, investigating the causes of the banking crisis.
A molecular and computer science graduate of Warwick University, David worked for Tate & Lyle for close to two decades before entering politics. He received the Alumni Achievement Award in 2001.
