Michael Wills

The Right Honourable The Lord Wills
Minister of State for Justice
In office 29 June 2007 – 6 May 2010
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	Unknown
Succeeded by	Rt Hon the Lord McNally
Member of Parliament for North Swindon
In office 1 May 1997 – 6 May 2010
Preceded by	Constituency Created
Succeeded by	Justin Tomlinson
Personal details
Born	20 May 1952 (1952-05-20) (age 59) St Pancras, London
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Jill Freeman
Alma mater	Clare College, Cambridge

Michael David Wills, Baron Wills (born 20 May 1952) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Swindon North from 1997 to 2010. He was a Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, a position he held from 29 June 2007.

Early life

Wills was born in 1952 to Stephen Wills and his wife Elizabeth (nee McKeowen). He went to the independent Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree, Hertfordshire and studied at Clare College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a double first in History (BA). Following that, he joined the diplomatic service, gaining the highest mark in the entrance exam.

He worked for HM Diplomatic Service from 1976-80. He became a researcher for London Weekend Television from 1980-84, being a colleague of Peter Mandelson. From 1984-97, he was a Director of Juniper Productions.

Parliamentary career

He was elected as the MP for Swindon North in 1997 and quickly joined the government, working in various capacities. He eventually left the government to campaign against the Common Agricultural Policy. This campaign appears to have subsided. He was re-elected as an MP in 2001 and 2005. He has worked as an advisor and speechwriter to Gordon Brown. It was announced he would be appointed to the Privy Council in October 2008.

On 14 September 2009, Wills announced his intention to stand down at the 2010 general election.^[1]

Voting record

How Michael Wills voted on key issues since 2001:^[2]

• Has never voted on a transparent Parliament.
• Voted for introducing a smoking ban.
• Voted for introducing ID cards.
• Voted for introducing foundation hospitals.
• Voted for introducing student top-up fees.
• Voted for Labour's anti-terrorism laws.
• Voted for the Iraq war.
• Voted against investigating the Iraq war.
• Voted for replacing Trident.
• Voted for the hunting ban.
• Voted for equal gay rights.

Personal life

He married Jill Freeman on January 19, 1984 in Westminster. They have three sons and two daughters.

Peerage

In the 2010 Dissolution Honours list, he was created a life peer, gazetted as Baron Wills, of North Swindon, in the County of Wiltshire.

References

1. ^ "MP Wills will not stand for re-election". Swindon Advertiser. 2009-09-14. http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/4626550.MP_Wills_will_not_stand_for_re_election/. 
2. ^ They Work For You.

External links

• Official site
• The Labour Party - Michael Wills MP official biography
• Ministry of Justice
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Michael Wills MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Michael Wills MP

News items

• Missing data discs in November 2007
• Common Agricultural Policy in November 2004
• Ask Michael Wills - Technology in Schools - May 2000

Video clips

• YouTube

Persondata
Name	Wills, Michael
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	20 May 1952
Place of birth	St Pancras, London
Date of death
Place of death