Stephen Metcalfe (politician)

Stephen James Metcalfe[3] (born 9 January 1966) is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom, who was first elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Basildon and East Thurrock in 2010. He has served as the chairman of the Science and Technology Select Committee.

For other people named Stephen Metcalfe, see Stephen Metcalfe (disambiguation).

Stephen Metcalfe
MP HonFIET
Official portrait, 2019
Member of Parliament
for South Basildon and East Thurrock
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded byConstituency established
Majority19,922 (44.0%)
Personal details
Born (1966-01-09) 9 January 1966[1]
Walthamstow, London, England[2]
Political partyConservative
SpouseAngela Metcalfe
Children2
ProfessionPrinter
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and career

Before becoming an MP, Metcalfe worked in the family printing business. He stood unsuccessfully at the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in Ilford South at the 2005 general election.

Metcalfe was an Epping Forest District councillor and a portfolio holder for Customer Services, ICT & E-government[4] until he stood down in order to concentrate on his campaign to be elected as an MP. As a councillor he campaigned on issues including green belt protection and the introduction of traffic calming schemes as well as working with communities to find ways of engaging the young.[4]

Parliamentary career

Metcalfe gained the seat at the general election in May 2010, defeating Labour's Third Sector and Social Exclusion minister Angela Evans Smith.[5]

In 2012, Metcalfe was named by Conservative Home as one of a minority of loyal Conservative backbench MPs not to have voted against the government in any significant rebellions.[6] He was subsequently one of 136 Conservative MPs to oppose the third reading of the Coalition's Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013.

He has been a Vice-President of the House of Commons Debating Group.[7]

Science and Technology in Parliament

Metcalfe sat on the Science and Technology Select Committee from 2010 to 2019. He chaired the Select Committee from 2016-2017, before the chair was handed over to the Liberal Democrats.[8]

Stephen is currently the chair of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee [9] (the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Science) under whose auspice Science in Parliament is published quarterly. [10] Stephen is also co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Artificial Intelligence. [11]

Stephen is also a Director of the Community Interest Company (CIC) Big Bang Education.[12] They organise the Big Bang Fair each year, an event to inspire young people into Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). [13]

In 2017 Metcalfe was awarded for Services to Innovation from the Institute of Innovation & Knowledge Exchange. [14]

In 2018 Metcalfe was appointed as the Government Envoy for the Year of Engineering and attended events all over the country promoting diversity in engineering under the strap line ‘Engineering, take a closer look’. [15]

In 2019 Metcalfe was appointed as an Honorary STEM Ambassador.[16]

In 2021 Metcalfe was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the engineering profession. [17]

Personal life

Metcalfe is married to Angela, with whom he has two children.

Metcalfe was educated at the Davenant Foundation School at Loughton, where he still lives.

Steven Metcalfe's secondary education from age 11-16 was at Loughton School (independent), in Loughton, Essex.

Awards

In November 2021 Metcalfe was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Institution of Engineering and Technology in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the engineering profession.[18]

References
  1. "Steve Metcalfe MP". Democracy Live. BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  2. "Metcalfe, Stephen James". UK Who's Who. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 11 May 2020. (registration required)
  3. "No. 59418". The London Gazette. 13 May 2010. p. 8742.
  4. "Stephen Metcalfe for South Basildon and East Thurrock". My Conservatives. Conservative Party. Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  5. Morris, Stephen (7 May 2010). "'Essex Man' returns to the Tory fold". The Independent. ESI Media. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  6. Barrett, Matthew (14 September 2012). "The 24 Conservative MPs who are still on the backbenches and have never rebelled". Conservative Home. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  7. "Vice Presidents". The Debating Group. 2015. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  8. "Hansard".
  9. "Science in Parliament".
  10. "Science in Parliament".
  11. "Parallel Parliament".
  12. "Register of Members Interests".
  13. "Big Bang Fair 2022".
  14. "IKE Fellows Recognised at the Royal Society|IKE Institute".
  15. "gov.uk".
  16. "STEM Ambassador".
  17. "Institute of Engineering and Technology".
  18. "Carol Vorderman amongst IET's Honorary Fellows 2021 line-up".
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