Simon Hart
![Official portrait of Simon Hart, October 2022]float-right Simon Anthony Hart, Baron Hart of Tenby, is a British Conservative politician who served as Member of Parliament for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire from 2010 to 2024.[1] He held senior government roles, including Secretary of State for Wales from 2019 to 2022 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Government Chief Whip) from 2022 to 2024 under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.[1] Following the Conservative Party's defeat in the 2024 general election, during which he lost his parliamentary seat, Hart was appointed a life peer in April 2025, entering the House of Lords as Baron Hart of Tenby.[2] Prior to entering Parliament, Hart worked as a chartered surveyor and served as chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, advocating for rural interests.[3] In government, he was noted for managing party discipline amid internal divisions over Brexit and leadership changes.[4] His tenure as Chief Whip involved navigating crises, including rebellions on policy votes and personal scandals among MPs, as detailed in his 2025 memoir Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip, which provides firsthand accounts of Westminster's operations but drew criticism for disclosing confidential matters.[3][5] The peerage announcement prompted controversy, with some questioning the honor given his recent revelations.[6]Early life and pre-parliamentary career
Upbringing and education
Simon Hart was born on 15 August 1963 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.[7] He spent much of his early years in the Cotswolds, a rural area in Gloucestershire known for its agricultural heritage and countryside landscapes.[1] Hart received his secondary education at Radley College, an independent boarding school for boys located near Abingdon, Oxfordshire.[1] He later pursued higher education at the Royal Agricultural College (now part of the University of Gloucestershire) in Cirencester, where he studied land management and related rural disciplines.[1] This institution, established in 1845, specializes in agricultural and environmental sciences, aligning with Hart's subsequent professional focus on rural affairs.[7]Professional roles in rural advocacy
Prior to entering Parliament, Simon Hart worked for 16 years as a chartered surveyor specializing in agriculture and land management, employed by firms including Knight Frank.[8] In this capacity, he advised on rural property and land use, gaining expertise in countryside economics and policy issues.[9] Hart joined the Countryside Alliance, the United Kingdom's largest rural advocacy organization representing interests in hunting, shooting, fishing, and broader countryside management, in roles including press officer and director of the Campaign for Hunting.[10] Appointed chief executive in May 2003, he led the group during a period of intense activity, including opposition to the Hunting Act 2004, which banned hunting with hounds amid debates over animal welfare, rural traditions, and regulatory overreach.[11] [12] His tenure emphasized lobbying Parliament, mobilizing rural membership—numbering over 100,000—and challenging perceived urban-centric policies that disadvantaged countryside livelihoods.[13] He stepped down from the chief executive role in 2010 upon his election as MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.[11] Additionally, Hart served as joint-master of the Pembrokeshire Foxhounds, directly engaging in field sports central to rural advocacy efforts against the hunting ban.[13] His pre-parliamentary advocacy focused on preserving rural practices through legal challenges, public campaigns, and evidence-based arguments on economic impacts, such as employment in rural areas dependent on hunting-related activities.[14]Parliamentary career
Elections and constituency representation
Simon Hart was first elected to Parliament on 6 May 2010 as the Conservative Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, a rural and coastal constituency in west Wales spanning parts of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, defeating the sitting Labour MP Nick Ainger with 16,649 votes (41.1 percent of the vote) and a majority of 3,423.[15] He retained the seat in the 2015 general election with a majority of 6,054 votes (15.0 percent of the vote share difference), reflecting a swing toward the Conservatives amid national trends favoring the incumbent coalition government.[16] In the 2017 election, Hart increased his vote share to 52.7 percent with 22,183 votes, securing a majority over Labour of approximately 7,745 votes following a 5.9 percentage point gain for his party.[17] He was re-elected in the 2019 general election with a majority of 7,745 votes, capitalizing on Brexit-related support in the constituency where rural voters prioritized issues like agricultural policy and fisheries.[18]| General Election | Conservative Votes | Vote Share (%) | Majority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 16,649 | 41.1 | 3,423 |
| 2015 | N/A | N/A | 6,054 |
| 2017 | 22,183 | 52.7 | ~7,745 |
| 2019 | N/A | N/A | 7,745 |