Patrick McLoughlin Keynote Speaker

Patrick McLoughlin was the UK Secretary of State for Transport (2012-16) and the MP for Derbyshire Dales (1986-2019).  He is a sought-after keynote speaker on British politics, with a particular focus on transport and infrastructure policy and practice.

Patrick grew up in Staffordshire and left school at just 16.  He worked in catering and on a farm before following his father and grandfather – both coal miners – in becoming an underground miner.  He became a member of the National Union of Mineworkers and worked through the 1983-4 miners’ strike, in absence of a national ballot.

He has considerable experience in both local and national politics.  He began as a member of Cannock Chase District Council and Staffordshire County Council, before becoming the MP for Derbyshire Dales (1986-2019).  He held various ministerial posts at the Departments of Transport, Employment, and Trade and Industry.  In 1995, Patrick moved to the Whips’ Office and became Opposition Chief Whip in 2005, and Government Chief Whip in the Coalition government (2010-12).

Patrick was Secretary of State for Transport (2012-16), where he oversaw key investments and work programmes, including the Road Investment Strategy and HS2.

When he left the front bench he joined Parliament’s Restoration Board and became a member of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee.  He has also appeared on transport select committees detailing the issues racing the railways.  Patrick was Conservative Party Chairman and Chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster until 2018.

Patrick has received numerous accolades throughout his career; he was appointed to the Privy Council in 2005; he was knighted in David Cameron’s resignation honours list; and was made a Companion of Honour in Theresa May’s resignation honour’s list in 2019.

He is Chair of Airlines UK, Chair of Transport for the North, and a board advisor to XRail.  Prior to this, he spent 18 months as Chair of Visit Britain.  Patrick has been a member of the House of Lords since 2020.