Robert Courts

Robert Courts is a former barrister specialising in personal injury, clinical negligence, and public and regulatory law. Shortly after entering parliament, Courts became PSP for then-foreign secretary Boris Johnson. In July 2018, he resigned in protest at the government’s Chequers plan for Brexit, stating “I do not feel that I can look my constituents in the eye and tell them that I think it is in their best interests.” He thrice voted against Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement. Courts has been a member of the ERG since 2017. Courts became one of the leading Commons speakers on the armed forces: he is vice-chair of the armed forces APPG. He is also chair of the small and micro businesses APPG. Regarding parliamentary procedure, Courts has denounced EDMs as “parliamentary graffiti”. He is a member of the Churchill Centre and the Marine Conservation Society. Course served as PSP at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He has been on the transport and justice committees and, since 2020, has been on the International Trade Committee. Since 2020, Courts has been parliamentary under-secretary for transport.