Simon Hart

Simon Hart
MP
Member of Parliament
for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded by Nick Ainger
Majority 6,054 (15.0%)[1]
Personal details
Born (1963-08-15) 15 August 1963
Wolverhampton, England, United Kingdom
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Abigail Kate Hart[2]
Alma mater Royal Agricultural College
Website www.simon-hart.com

Simon Anthony Hart[3] (born 15 August 1963)[4] is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected in the 2010 general election and re-elected in the 2015 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, defeating the previous Labour MP Nick Ainger who had represented the constituency since its creation in 1997.[5]

Early life

Hart was born in Wolverhampton, grew up in the Cotswolds, and attended Radley College before the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester.[6] He worked as a Chartered Surveyor in Carmarthen and Haverfordwest and served with the Territorial Army for five years in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (part of The Royal Wessex Yeomanry).

Hart was Master of the South Pembrokeshire Hunt for 10 years from 1988 to the end of the 1997/8 season.

Hart was Chief Executive of the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance, 2003-2010, stepping down after his election as MP. He is currently in receipt of £30,000 per annum for 8 hours work per week from them.[7]

Hart lives in Llanmill near Narberth in Pembrokeshire with his wife Abigail and their two children.

Political career

Hart has been the MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire since 2010.

Countryside Alliance and Animal Rights

Hart is an outspoken supporter of hunting and the badger cull. He actively campaigns to overturn the 2004 Hunting Bill and assist the National Farmers Union of England and Wales.[8]

Upon stepping down as Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, Hart received a one off severance payment equivalent to 6 months' salary.[9]

In January, 2013, Hart said the RSPCA's legal role needs more oversight given its "political and commercial activities".[10] He said that the RSPCA [has] a duty to spend its members' money wisely. He remarked that "gulf between the very good activity of inspectors on the ground whose principal concern is animal welfare and the leadership whose principal concern seems to be animal rights."

Brexit

Hart was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum.[11]

References

Offices held

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Nick Ainger
Member of Parliament for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
2010–present
Incumbent
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