Daniel North
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:03 pm
Daniel Alistair James North CBE is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Aldershot.
Born on 5th December 1949 in Edinburgh, North’s father was a stonemason; his mother died in childbirth, and he was an only child. He performed relatively poorly at school, obtaining no qualifications and frequently truanting; according to his autobiography, North lost his virginity at the age of 13 to an older schoolgirl, and was severely beaten by his father as a result.
Joining the British Army at the age of 16, North was selected for the Parachute Regiment and later joined the 22nd Regiment Special Air Service. He served with the SAS during the Falklands War.
Leaving the armed forces in 1983 after having been awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct, North was briefly employed by the Secret Intelligence Service and stationed in Berlin. In 1986, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire; he joined British Aerospace and took elocution lessons, foregoing his native Scottish accent in favour of Received Pronunciation, as preparation for a career in politics. He established his own security firm, Displace Ltd, in 1989, and sold the company for £2 million in 1991. He was elected to Parliament for the first time as Member of Parliament for Aldershot in 1992; he served on the Defence Select Committee until 1995, at which point he became a junior minister at the Ministry of Defence.
In 1997, North was appointed Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces by William Hague; in 2000, he was promoted to the role of Shadow Defence Secretary.
North is married with three children, all now in adulthood. He is a member of the Church of England, but describes his faith as “dormant.” North was shot in the leg during the Falklands conflict, and still walks with a slight limp as a result of this injury.
Born on 5th December 1949 in Edinburgh, North’s father was a stonemason; his mother died in childbirth, and he was an only child. He performed relatively poorly at school, obtaining no qualifications and frequently truanting; according to his autobiography, North lost his virginity at the age of 13 to an older schoolgirl, and was severely beaten by his father as a result.
Joining the British Army at the age of 16, North was selected for the Parachute Regiment and later joined the 22nd Regiment Special Air Service. He served with the SAS during the Falklands War.
Leaving the armed forces in 1983 after having been awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct, North was briefly employed by the Secret Intelligence Service and stationed in Berlin. In 1986, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire; he joined British Aerospace and took elocution lessons, foregoing his native Scottish accent in favour of Received Pronunciation, as preparation for a career in politics. He established his own security firm, Displace Ltd, in 1989, and sold the company for £2 million in 1991. He was elected to Parliament for the first time as Member of Parliament for Aldershot in 1992; he served on the Defence Select Committee until 1995, at which point he became a junior minister at the Ministry of Defence.
In 1997, North was appointed Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces by William Hague; in 2000, he was promoted to the role of Shadow Defence Secretary.
North is married with three children, all now in adulthood. He is a member of the Church of England, but describes his faith as “dormant.” North was shot in the leg during the Falklands conflict, and still walks with a slight limp as a result of this injury.