Mel Stride


Melvyn John Stride is a British politician who served as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council from 23 May to 24 July 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament for Central Devon since 2010.
Stride served in the May Government as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General from 2017 to 2019.

Early life

Mel Stride was born in Ealing, west London in 1961. He was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School, and then read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, where he was elected President of the Oxford Union.
In 1987, Stride set up a business specializing in trade exhibitions, conferences and publishing which he and his wife jointly controlled before selling it to a United States subsidiary.

Political career

Stride was selected as prospective Conservative candidate for Central Devon in June 2006 after his name was added to David Cameron's Conservative A-List in 2006. He was the first A-Lister to be selected.
Stride was elected as the for Central Devon at the 2010 general election. On 28 October 2011, Stride was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, John Hayes.
Stride was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum. In April 2019, while serving as Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Stride was accused of breaking the Ministerial Code over comments he had made in relation to the Loan Charge..

Leader of the House of Commons

Stride was appointed Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council on 23 May 2019, following the resignation of Andrea Leadsom. Stride endorsed Michael Gove to become Leader of the Conservative Party in the 2019 leadership election. Following Boris Johnson's election as party leader and appointment Prime Minister he was dismissed from his role as Leader of the House of Commons and replaced by Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Personal life

Stride is married to Michelle and has three daughters. He studies history as a hobby and is a qualified tour guide.