Political Career
Robinson has been a Member of Parliament for Coventry North West, a safe Labour Party seat, since a by-election on 4 March 1976 caused by the death of former MP Maurice Edelman. His Conservative opponent in the 1987 election was the novelist Jim Powell. During the 1980s, with Labour in opposition, he held frontbench positions, speaking for the party on trade and industry, and science. He was Paymaster General in Tony Blair's government from May 1997 to December 1998, resigning after it was revealed that in 1996 he had lent his government colleague Peter Mandelson £373,000 to buy a house.
Although a committed Labour and Gordon Brown supporter, Robinson has often been considered a 'champagne socialist'. His previous life as a businessman has made him one of the wealthiest Members of Parliament, with a personal fortune of around £30 million. He is a lover of fine wine and dining. He owns holiday homes in Tuscany (used by Tony Blair for his summer holiday once) and the South of France and owns a penthouse flat in London's Park Lane. He owns a house designed by Edwin Lutyens - Orchards at Munstead (Godalming, Surrey, 1898–99) has been described as 'among the finest Surrey Houses'. Lutyens' Marshcourt (Stockbridge, Hampshire, 1901–1904) was bought and restored by Robinson, but sold again in 1999 following the scandal which saw him resign as Paymaster General.
Read more about this topic: Geoffrey Robinson
Famous quotes containing the words political and/or career:
“... whatever men do or know or experience can make sense only to the extent that it can be spoken about. There may be truths beyond speech, and they may be of great relevance to man in the singular, that is, to man in so far as he is not a political being, whatever else he may be. Men in the plural, that is, men in so far as they live and move and act in this world, can experience meaningfulness only because they can talk with and make sense to each other and to themselves.”
—Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)
“I began my editorial career with the presidency of Mr. Adams, and my principal object was to render his administration all the assistance in my power. I flattered myself with the hope of accompanying him through [his] voyage, and of partaking in a trifling degree, of the glory of the enterprise; but he suddenly tacked about, and I could follow him no longer. I therefore waited for the first opportunity to haul down my sails.”
—William Cobbett (1762–1835)