​The Revd Jonathan Aitken

Politics 

 

Jonathan Aitken’s political career has spanned nearly five decades.

 

At Oxford he was President of the Oxford University Conservative Association (1962), Treasurer and Librarian of the Oxford Union (1963-64).

 

He was Private Secretary to the Right Honourable Selwyn Lloyd QC MP (1964-66).He was Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Meriden (1966).

 

He was Member of Parliament for Thanet East (1974-83) and as a result of a constituency name change Member of Parliament for Thanet South (1983-97). Appointments held include: Minister of State for Defence (1992-94); Chief Secretary to HM Treasury (1994-95); a Member of the Privy Council (1994-97).

 

In 2007 he was appointed by the Right Honourable Iain Duncan Smith MP to become Chairman of the Centre for Social Justice’s Policy Study Group on Prison Reform.