Guy Opperman
![Official portrait of Guy Opperman][float-right]Guy Thomas Opperman (born May 1965) is a British barrister and former Conservative politician who represented the constituency of Hexham as Member of Parliament from 2010 until the 2024 general election.[1][2] Called to the bar in 1989 after studying law at the University of Buckingham, Opperman practiced for two decades as a criminal barrister, handling cases in public law, professional negligence, and judicial review, including pro bono work that earned him the 2007 Bar Pro Bono Award.[3][4] He also directed a family engineering business until 2009 and pursued amateur steeplechase jockeying, securing his first win in 1985.[3] In Parliament, Opperman advanced through whips' roles before serving as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions and Financial Inclusion at the Department for Work and Pensions from 2017 to 2022, followed by Minister of State there until 2023, making him the longest-serving holder of that office.[2][5] He concluded his ministerial tenure as Minister for Roads and Local Transport at the Department for Transport from November 2023 to July 2024, overseeing policies amid ongoing infrastructure and pension reform debates.[3][2]