About Julian
Julian has been the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon since 2010. He grew up in Stirling and was educated at a local comprehensive, before receiving a sixth form bursary to Millfield School, Somerset. Julian then went on to read History and English at the University of Birmingham. Prior to entering Parliament, he established and ran an executive search firm in London and Singapore.
Following a brief stint on the Scottish Affairs Committee in 2010, Julian was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department for International Development, a role which he continued in until May 2015.
Between May 2015 and November 2017, Julian held several positions within the Government Whips office, including Deputy Chief Whip and Vice Chamberlain – the Minister who regularly updates the Sovereign on parliamentary affairs. In November 2017, he was appointed Government Chief Whip. Usually a crucial but low-profile role, the combination of a hung parliament and Brexit deadlock placed it in sharp focus. Until his promotion in July 2019, Julian led efforts to hold the Conservative Party together and see through Brexit legislation during the most divisive period in the party’s history.
In July 2019, Julian was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. On behalf of the UK Government, he successfully led the negotiations that restored devolved government to Northern Ireland after a three-year impasse. The talks included negotiation of a £2 billion financial package to support the Northern Ireland Executive in Stormont. As a result of his efforts in securing this deal, Julian was awarded The Spectator’s Minister of the Year award in 2020.
During his time as Secretary of State, Julian also passed same-sex marriage and abortion legislation, finally bringing Northern Ireland’s laws into line with the rest of the UK. He regulated for a wide-ranging compensation scheme for victims of The Troubles and took through the House of Commons a landmark Bill for victims of child abuse who had waited decades for recognition.
Since leaving Government, Julian has continued to fight for his constituents and represent their interests in Westminster. Some of his priorities have included expanding broadband coverage, school – and particularly SEND – funding, improving access to local health and dentistry services, and securing additional support for farmers and our rural communities.