Claire Perry O'Neill
Claire Perry O'Neill | |
|---|---|
| Born | Claire Louise Richens April 3, 1964 Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, former politician |
| Years active | 2010–2019 (politician) |
| Known for | Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth (2017–2019), MP for Devizes (2010–2019) |
Claire Louise Perry O'Neill (Template:Nee Richens; born 3 April 1964) is a British entrepreneur and former politician, currently serving as managing director for climate and energy at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. She held the position of Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth between 2017 and 2019. Previously affiliated with the Conservative Party, Perry represented the Devizes constituency in Wiltshire as a MP from 2010 until 2019.
Early life
Born Claire Louise Richens in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, she grew up in North Somerset as the youngest among three siblings born to David and Joanne Richens. Her education includes attendance at Nailsea School followed by a geography degree from Brasenose College, Oxford, completed in 1985. A peer of George Monbiot, who characterized her as a "firebrand" with ambitions to nationalise banks, she later obtained an MBA from Harvard University. Her initial professional experience encompassed positions at Bank of America, McKinsey & Company, and Credit Suisse.
Parliamentary career
Perry joined the Conservative Party in 2006 and worked closely with Shadow Chancellor George Osborne. In 2009, she was chosen as the Conservative candidate for Devizes, a secure seat, where her maiden parliamentary speech criticized Labour’s management of the rural economy and acknowledged the local military community.
In October 2011, Perry was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, subsequently advancing to Government Assistant Whip. July 2014 saw her become Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, responsible for rail fares, franchising, freight, and logistics. She resigned in July 2016 amid a government reshuffle following critical comments about her ministerial responsibilities.
She chaired an Independent Parliamentary Inquiry into Online Child Protection in 2011, concentrating on issues related to online pornography. Appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron as an adviser on preventing the sexualisation and commercial exploitation of children, Perry campaigned for default online pornography filters with opt-out provisions to safeguard minors. Her efforts sparked controversy when her website was hacked in 2013 during broader debates about internet regulation.
During a 2012 broadcast, she incorrectly equated the national debt with the deficit. In 2014, Perry proposed reintroducing women-only train carriages as a measure to reduce sexual assaults.
During the 2016 EU referendum, she supported remaining within the EU but later criticized hardline Brexit advocates within her party. She was among a minority of Conservatives calling for parliamentary approval on any Brexit deal, although she ultimately voted to trigger Article 50.
In Theresa May’s second government formed in 2017, Perry was appointed Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth and gained rights to attend Cabinet meetings from January 2018 onward. She announced she would not seek re-election in the December 2019 general election.
In November 2018, trade unions expressed concerns regarding Perry’s treatment of staff, citing allegations of shouting and swearing. Reports surfaced in 2019 that she claimed nearly £10,000 annually in tax-free expenses related to her three children alongside her ministerial salary and allowances; she denied any breaches of regulations.
United Nations Climate Change Conference
In September 2019, Perry was appointed as President of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, which was planned to take place in Glasgow in November 2020. That same month, she declared her intention not to stand for re-election and officially left her parliamentary seat in December 2019, with Danny Kruger succeeding her.
On 31 January 2020, the UK government restructured the Presidential position into a ministerial role, resulting in Perry’s removal from the post. Subsequently, she publicly condemned a briefing from Prime Minister’s adviser Dominic Cummings, which she described as defamatory and falsely asserting that the COP presidency was unnecessary.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
In September 2020, Perry took on the role of managing director for climate and energy at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, an organization comprising corporate members dedicated to advancing sustainable development goals.
Political Affiliation
Perry left the Conservative Party in January 2023, despite holding respect for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. She attributed her departure to the party’s preoccupation with "ideology and self-obsession" alongside deteriorating UK-EU relations. Perry expressed support for Keir Starmer, commending his "sober, fact-driven, competent political leadership."
Personal Life
Perry is a mother of three from a previous marriage. Following the announcement of her separation, she began a relationship with Professor Bill O'Neill, an academic and laser specialist whom she met through her constituency duties; they wed in 2018. In 2013, Perry was living in Pewsey Vale, Wiltshire.