About Paul Holmes MP

Paul Holmes was elected as Member of Parliament for Chesterfield in 2001 and was re-elected in 2005. He is currently Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Justice and Home Affairs.

Paul was born in Sheffield and was brought up on a council estate in the city. He attended Prince Edward Primary School, Manor Top, Sheffield, and then Firth Park Secondary school until 1975.

The first in his family to go to university he got a history degree from the University of York in 1978 and then went to the University of Sheffield to do a post-graduate Certificate in Education. On qualification as a History Teacher in 1979, he taught at Chesterfield Boys School, before moving to teach at Buxton College in 1984 and then at Buxton Community School from 1990 For many years at Buxton Community School Paul was Head of Sixth Form.

He joined the Social Democratic Party in 1983 and was elected as Chesterfield Borough Councillor for Brimington Ward in 1987 until 1995, and then elected as a Chesterfield Borough councillor for Walton Ward in 1999, serving until 2003.

Paul has lived in Chesterfield for 30 years and his children were all born and brought up in Chesterfield. His particular Parliamentary interests are education, disability, human rights and civil liberties and Social Housing. In the 2001-2005 Parliament Paul was a member of the Education and Skills Select Committee and the Lib Dem spokesperson for people with disabilities 2001-2005 and Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions 2002-2005, as well as being Vice Chair of the Commons Council Housing Group.

Since 2005, Paul has served on the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, as Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Chairman,, Shadow Minister for Arts and Culture, Shadow Minister for Housing and now serves as Spokesperson for Justice and Home Affairs.

Paul's personal interests are history, literature, music and film and walking in the Peak District. He is married with three children, and is passionately committed to the life chances that education offers.