Damian Hinds

Damian Hinds is a former cabinet minister and has been the Conservative MP for East Hampshire since 2010. Beginning his political career as president of the Oxford Union, Hinds went on to work in the pub and hotel industries for 18 years, as well as chairman of the Bow Group thinktank between 2001 and 2002. He first stood for parliament at the 2005 general election, unsuccessfully contesting the seat of Stretford and Urmston. On entering parliament in 2010, Hinds joined the Education Committee before becoming assistant whip in 2014 and exchequer secretary at HM Treasury in 2015. In 2016, he became a minister of state at the Department for Work and Pensions and two years later joined the cabinet as education secretary. During this time he introduced First Aid training to the curriculum and emphasised the importance of technical skills and apprenticeships. He is particularly interested in education, welfare and social mobility, and has been particularly vocal on Catholic faith schools and their admission criteria. Hinds currently sits on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, as well as the related sub-committee on Online Harms and Disinformation.