Member of Parliament for Meon Valley
After university, George spent a brief spell as a stockbroker before going to the USA to study for a Masters at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He got more than he bargained for from the experience, meeting and marrying his wife Janette as well as gaining his MBA.
Post business school, George very much drove his own career path. Initially finding and backing promising looking businesses that needed capital to expand, he also started several businesses of his own.
In 2002 Companion Care, the country's first chain of veterinary surgeries was sold to George's joint venture partner, the pet superstore company Pets at Home.
After the 2005 general election, George restarted his investment business taking a lead position in a business based in Whiteley in his constituency and investing in property. George has wide range of interests outside politics and business. He is a very keen salt water flyfisherman, loves photography and collects modern crafts. He also gives a lot of time to garden design and his own garden has featured on television, been profiled in Gardens Illustrated and most recently appeared in the English Garden.
George's political experience
George came to politics later than many, getting involved at grass roots level in the community where he lives. Eventually approached by the local Conseravtive branch, George was elected to Winchester City Council in 1999 and has been re-elected twice, both times with increased majorities.
George was at the centre of the team that strategised the long term rebuilding of the Conservatives in Winchester. Starting with a group just nine councillors when he was first elected, there are now twenty nine and the Conservatives have an overall majority on the council for the first time in twenty years. George serves as a cabinet member and deputy leader of the council.
In 2001 George ran Andrew Hayes' general election campaign in Winchester and in 2005 fought the seat himself.
Two major local issues
The two major issues facing the Meon Valley are the future of Portsmouth's Naval Dockyard and new mass housing development.
The Dockyard may not seem to affect the Meon Valley directly but a recent study showed that some 38,000 local jobs rely on the facility to a greater or lesser extent. Over £500m of GDP in Hampshire is linked in some way to the success of the Dockyard. With this many local jobs at stake, anyone living locally should be concerned about the future of the port.
We will be working hard to make your voices heard on this issue.
Some 80,000 new houses are planned locally over the next 20 years. Many of these affect the constituency directly: 6,000 just south of Durley at Hedge End, 10,000 at Funtley just south of Wickham, 3,000 more at Whiteley and another 1,000 at West of Waterlooville in addition to the 2,000 about to be built. Worse still, there are strong rumours that the Government may be about to up the total demanded in the area to 120,000.
It is vital that infrastructure is provided to support all this new development and local Conservatives continue to campaign to limit the impact of the new houses on those already here.
