Geoffrey Robinson

Infobox MP


honorific-prefix =
name = Geoffrey Robinson
honorific-suffix =MP
constituency_MP = Coventry North West
parliament =
majority = 9,315 (21.4%)
predecessor = Maurice Edelman
successor = Incumbent
term_start = 4 March 1976
term_end =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1938|05|25|df=yes
birth_place = Sheffield
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = British
spouse =
party = Labour
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater = Clare College, Cambridge, Yale University
occupation =
profession =
religion =


website =
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Geoffrey Robinson (born 25 May 1938 in Sheffield) has been a British Member of Parliament for Coventry North West, a safe Labour seat, since a by-election on 4 March 1976 caused by the death of former MP Maurice Edelman. Robinson was educated at Emanuel School, Clare College, Cambridge, and Yale University, where he accepted a tap for Wolf's Head Society. He is a member of the Labour Party and a former Paymaster General (1997-98). He resigned from that post in December 1998 after it was revealed that he had secretly lent his government colleague Peter Mandelson £373,000 to buy a house, whilst under investigation for fraud by Mr Mandelson's department. He is the owner of the "New Statesman", a left-leaning weekly political magazine. In 2002 he was arrested for speeding.

Geoffrey Robinson was from 1972 Chairman of Innocenti in Italy and from 1973 to 1975 Chairman of Jaguar Cars, both then under British Leyland ownership. He resigned because he could not agree with the Ryder plan to integrate the many different makes under BLMC. 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. Also, 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.

Robinson has had a long association with Coventry City Football Club, being a member of the board of directors from 1996. In 1997, when Robinson was made Paymaster General, he was forced to stand down from the board, since members of the government were not permitted to hold directorships. In response to this the football club named him as honorary president but he eventually re-took his seat on the board of directors in 2002. On 21 September 2005, Robinson was named as acting chairman of Coventry City after chairman Mike McGinnity was asked to step down by his doctor for an indefinite period due to ongoing health problems. Robinson was given the job permanently on 3 November after McGinnity was forced to resign due to his health problems. On 10 October 2007, he announced that he would step down as Chairman as "there are not enough hours in the day". [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/7037127.stm |title=Coventry chairman Robinson quits |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-10-10 |accessdate=2007-10-10] He still remains a Director of the club.

At the 2005 general election, he had a majority of 9,315.

References

External links

* [http://www.labourincoventry.org.uk/northwest/ Coventry North West Constituency Labour Party] Local Labour Party site
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-4472,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Geoffrey Robinson MP]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/geoffrey_robinson/coventry_north_west TheyWorkForYou.com - Geoffrey Robinson MP]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/164.stm BBC News - Geoffrey Robinson]
* [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Geoffrey_Robinson The Public Whip - Geoffrey Robinson MP] voting record
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5094062.stm BBC News "Can I have a borehole in my garden?"]