Sir John Whittingdale MP
Political Council
Sir John Whittingdale MP has represented the Maldon Constituency since 1992 and is currently Minister of State for Media and Data in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. He previously served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from May 2015 to July 2016. He also previously served as Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee from May 2005 to May 2015. Prior to his appointment as Committee chair he held a number of Conservative Shadow Cabinet roles as Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. He has a longstanding interest in the former Soviet Union and he has been Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, as well as Secretary of the Armenia APPG.