Richard Drax

Biography:

Richard Drax was re-elected as Conservative MP for South Dorset on May 7th 2015 with 23756 votes, taking 48.9% of the vote.

Before pursuing a political career, Richard was a soldier for nine years. He served across the world, including Germany, Cyprus, Kenya, Brunei, Hong Kong, the United States, London and three operational tours in Northern Ireland.

On leaving the army, he studied land management for three years at the Royal Agricultural College, near Cirencester, before embarking on a career in journalism, which spanned 17 years.

His early years were spent with the Yorkshire Evening Press, a daily broadsheet in York, where Richard qualified as a professional journalist.

While attempting to break into broadcasting, Richard did stints at Tyne Tees TV, the Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph.

Finally, he joined BBC Radio Solent and BBC South Today, where he spent the next nine years. He became one of the station’s senior reporters, working across the south of England and occasionally abroad.

In 2006 he was selected as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for South Dorset. At the same time, he took over the family business and retired from the BBC.

Richard, who has four children, is married to Elsebet, who is from Norway.

Richard is a patron of a mental health charity and supports several others.

Constituency: South Dorset

Constituency Address: Unit 2c, Purbeck Buildings, Dorset Green Technology Park, Winfrith Newburgh, Dorchester, DT2 8ZB

Constituency Tel: 01305 851900

Date of Birth: 29/01/1958

Email: richard.drax.mp@parliament.uk

Party: Conservative

Personal Website: www.richarddrax.com

Westminster Address: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Westminster Tel: 0207 219 7051

Twitter: https://twitter.com/richarddrax_mp