Theresa Villiers

Theresa Villiers is the Conservative MP for Chipping Barnet and currently sits on the Petitions and Intelligence and Security Committees. During her early career as a barrister, she co-authored a book, Law of Estoppel, Variation, and Waiver, on quasi-contract law, and was a lecturer at King’s College London. In 1999, Villiers was elected to represent London in the European Parliament, where she was deputy leader of the Conservatives from 2001-2002. While serving as an MEP, Villiers was instrumental in the adoption of the Markets in Financial Instrument Directive and in cross-border financial services trade initiatives. She also proved a determined eurosceptic, opposing the UK’s potential adoption of the Euro and voting against attempts to further EU integration. After her election to the Commons in 2005, Villiers held a number of positions including sitting on the Environmental Audit Committee and National Security Strategy Committee, as well as holding ministerial positions in the Department of Transport and in the Cabinet as Northern Ireland secretary. In this position, she hosted a G8 Summit in County Fermanagh, and supervised the drafting of the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements.