Editing Nick Raynsford

{{Short description|British politician}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =[[The Right Honourable]]
| name = Nick Raynsford
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Nick_Raynsford_MP (3x4 crop).jpg
| caption = Raynsford in 2013
| office = [[Minister of State for Local and Regional Government]]{{efn|Local Government (2001–02)}}
| term_start = 11 June 2001
| term_end = 10 May 2005
| primeminister = [[Tony Blair]]
| predecessor = [[Hilary Armstrong]]
| successor = [[Phil Woolas]]
| office1 = [[Minister for London]]
| term_start1 = 7 June 2001
| term_end1 = 12 March 2003
| primeminister1 = Tony Blair
| predecessor1 = [[Keith Hill (politician)|Keith Hill]]
| successor1 = [[Tony McNulty]]
| term_start2 = 6 May 1997
| term_end2 = 29 July 1999
| primeminister2 = Tony Blair
| predecessor2 = [[John Gummer]]
| successor2 = Keith Hill
| office3 = [[Minister of State for Housing and Planning]]
| term_start3 = 29 July 1999
| term_end3 = 7 June 2001
| primeminister3 = Tony Blair
| predecessor3 = Hilary Armstrong
| successor3 = [[The Lord Falconer of Thoroton]]
| office4 = [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|Minister of State for the Regions]]
| term_start4 = 29 July 1999
| term_end4 = 7 June 2001
| primeminister4 = Tony Blair
| predecessor4 = [[Richard Caborn]]
| successor4 = [[Alun Michael]]
| office5 = [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Construction]]
| term_start5 = 6 May 1997
| term_end5 = 29 July 1999
| primeminister5 = Tony Blair
| predecessor5 = ''Office established''
| successor5 = [[Chris Leslie]]{{efn|Office vacant between 29 July 1999 and 29 May 2002.}}
{{collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Parliamentary offices
|titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office = [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[Greenwich and Woolwich]]<br />{{nobold|[[Greenwich (UK Parliament constituency)|Greenwich]] (1992–1997)}}
| term_start = 9 April 1992
| term_end = 30 March 2015
| predecessor = [[Rosie Barnes]]
| successor = [[Matthew Pennycook]]
| office1 = Member of Parliament<br />for [[Fulham (UK Parliament constituency)|Fulham]]
| term_start1 = 10 April 1986
| term_end1 = 18 May 1987
| predecessor1 = [[Martin Stevens (politician)|Martin Stevens]]
| successor1 = [[Matthew Carrington, Baron Carrington of Fulham|Matthew Carrington]]
{{collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
| birth_name = Wyvill Richard Nicolls Raynsford
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1945|01|28}}
| birth_place = [[Northampton]], England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Anne Jelley|1968|2011|reason=divorced}}
* {{Marriage|[[Alison Seabeck]]|2012}}
}}
| party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| relations =
| children =
| residence = 
| alma_mater = [[Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge]]
| occupation =
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Wyvill Richard Nicolls Raynsford''' (born 28 January 1945), known as '''Nick Raynsford''', is a British politician who served as a government minister from 1997 to 2005. A member of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], he was [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Greenwich and Woolwich]], formerly [[Greenwich (UK Parliament constituency)|Greenwich]], from [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]] to [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]], having previously been MP for [[Fulham (UK Parliament constituency)|Fulham]] from [[1986 Fulham by-election|1986]] to [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987]].

Raised in [[Northamptonshire]], Raynsford was educated at [[Repton School]]. He studied History at [[Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge]], where he was involved in opposing the [[Vietnam War]]. After serving as a councillor in [[Hammersmith and Fulham]] and director of the [[Shelter (charity)|Shelter Housing Aid Centre]], he was elected at a [[1986 Fulham by-election|1986 by-election]] and served as an MP for a year until losing his seat at the subsequent general election. 

Raynsford returned to Parliament at the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]] and joined the government under the premiership of [[Tony Blair]]; his roles included [[Minister of State for Housing and Planning]], [[Minister for London]] and [[Minister of State for Local and Regional Government]]. He stood down from the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] prior to the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], after which he went into the public sector advising on planning and construction.

==Early life and education==
The son of Wyvill Raynsford and Patricia Raynsford (née Dunn), Raynsford was brought up at Milton Manor in [[Milton Malsor]], Northamptonshire.<ref name="theguardian.com">{{cite news|title = Andrew Roth's Parliamentary Profiles in The Guardian|url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/mar/20/profiles.parliament4}}</ref> He was privately educated at [[Repton School]] and [[Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge]], where he graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] [[academic degree|degree]] in History in 1966.<ref name="guidehoc" /> At [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], he was [[Rustication (academia)|rusticated]] for a year after a [[Night climbing in Cambridge|night climbing]] incident in which he had displayed a banner against the [[Vietnam War]] between the pinnacles of [[King's College Chapel]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Whipple|first=Tom|date=10 June 2007|title=Nocturnal Missions – The Times online, 10 June 2007|location=London|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1899447.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512092809/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1899447.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 May 2008|access-date=10 August 2008}}</ref> He also has a Diploma in Art and Design from the [[Chelsea School of Art]].<ref name = "guidehoc">{{cite book| title = Guide to the House of Commons  | publisher = [[The Times]]  | location = London  | year = 2005  | pages = 166  | isbn = 0-00-721182-1 }}</ref>

== Political career ==
[[File:Fulham pitch invasion 1987.jpg|thumb|left|Raynsford (centre left, brown jacket) with other [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] supporters protesting plans to demolish [[Craven Cottage]], 1987]]
=== Councillor: 1971–1975 ===
Raynsford was a councillor for the [[London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]] from 1971 to 1975. Before he was elected to Parliament, he was director of the [[Shelter (charity)|Shelter Housing Aid Centre]].<ref name="theguardian.com" /> He says a major reason he chose to seek parliamentary office was his involvement in campaigning for better provision for the homeless, achieved through the 1977 Homeless Persons Act. The 1977 Act extended local council responsibility "to provide accommodation for homeless people in their area,"<ref>The Longman Companion to The Labour Party 1900–1998 by Harry Harmer</ref> and instituted the right of homeless families to a permanent local council tenancy.<ref>British Social Welfare in the Twentieth Century, edited by Robert M. Page and Richard Silburn</ref>

=== Early parliamentary career: 1986–1997 ===
Raynsford was first elected a member of parliament (MP) for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in [[1986 Fulham by-election|a 1986 by-election]] for [[Fulham (UK Parliament constituency)|Fulham]], but at the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]], lost to [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] candidate [[Matthew Carrington, Baron Carrington of Fulham|Matthew Carrington]]. He then became MP for [[Greenwich (UK Parliament constituency)|Greenwich]] at the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]], and at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], he won the re-drawn seat of [[Greenwich and Woolwich]]. He retained the seat at the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]], [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]] and [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]] general elections, with majorities of 13,433,<ref>{{cite news|title = BBC News Vote 2005 map|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/flash_map/html/map01.stm | access-date=6 January 2010}}</ref> 10,146<ref>{{cite news|title = BBC News Vote 2005|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/284.stm | access-date=6 January 2010}}</ref> and 10,153<ref>{{cite news|title = BBC News Election 2010 Greenwich & Woolwich Constituency|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/b90.stmhtml/284.stm | access-date=22 June 2010 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> respectively.

In opposition, Raynsford was Shadow Minister for Housing and Construction from 1994, and frontbench spokesperson for London from 1993. From 1992 to 1993, he was a member of the [[Environment Select Committee]].<ref>{{cite news|title = Official Website, Nick Raynsford MP – Biography|url = http://www.nickraynsford.org.uk/biography }}</ref>

=== Ministerial career: 1997–2005 ===
Raynsford joined the government in 1997 and held responsibility for construction, housing, planning and the regions. During this time, he was responsible for the implementation of the [[Decent Homes Standard]]. In 1997, there were 2.1m houses owned by local authorities and housing associations that did not meet the Decent Homes Standard. By the end of 2010, 92% of social housing met the standard of being warm and weatherproof with reasonably modern facilities.<ref>{{ cite news|title = Labour's legacy – Inside Housing, May 2010|url = http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/labours-legacy/6509704.article|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141013082947/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/labours-legacy/6509704.article|archive-date = 13 October 2014|df = dmy-all}}</ref>

As the government minister responsible for construction, Raynsford was credited with introducing building regulations which significantly improved standards, including making mandatory disabled access in new builds, increasing energy efficiency standards and fire safety.<ref>{{ cite news|title = The Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 1998, UK Practical Law Website|url = http://uk.practicallaw.com/uklegislation/uksi/1998/2561/made}}</ref> His position also included responsibility for the Fire Service and the creation of the London [[Local Resilience Forum|Resilience Forum]] to oversee London's preparedness for dealing with emergencies (see [[Operation Sassoon]]). As a local government minister, he led the [[Local Government Act 2000]] through Parliament, which repealed the controversial [[Section 28]].<ref name="nickraynsford.org.uk">{{ cite news|title = Official Website, Nick Raynsford MP – Biography, UK Practical Law Website|url = http://www.nickraynsford.org.uk/biography }}</ref>

As [[Minister for London]] from 2001 to 2003, Raynsford was responsible for restoring democratic citywide government to London, and the creation of the [[Greater London Authority]] and the commission of its home at [[City Hall, Southwark|City Hall]].<ref name="nickraynsford.org.uk"/>

=== Later parliamentary career: 2005–2015 ===
After the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], Raynsford returned to the backbenches. In June 2009, he publicly called for [[Gordon Brown]] to resign as Prime Minister, stating at the time, "I personally have considerable respect for Gordon Brown but his leadership is now so seriously damaged that I can't see the likelihood of him leading Labour successfully into the next general election. It's now appropriate for the party to look for a new leader".<ref>{{cite news|title = We're facing total disaster – Raynsford on The Andrew Marr Show, BBC TV 7 June 2009|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/andrew_marr_show/8087744.stm|access-date = 7 June 2009 | date=7 June 2009 | work=BBC News}}</ref>

On 28 March 2010, ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' reported that Raynsford earned £9,000 per month from jobs in industries connected to his ministerial career. They focused around three areas of activity – housing, construction and local government – with which Raynsford has been involved throughout his working life.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bremner|first1=Charles|last2=Robertson|first2=David|date=28 March 2010|title=My fee 2500 a dayplus expenses|work=The Times|location=London|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7078833.ece|access-date=20 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In opposition again in the 2010–15 Parliament, Raynsford was a consistent critic of the [[bedroom tax]], and in July 2014 co-sponsored the Affordable Homes Bill, which sought to limit the impact of the bedroom tax on tenants in the social rented sector.<ref>{{cite news|title =Affordable Homes Bill Article on Raynsford.org.uk|url = http://www.nickraynsford.org.uk/affordable-homes-bill}}</ref> He also co-chaired a parliamentary inquiry into youth unemployment which encouraged the promotion of apprenticeships in the construction industry.<ref>{{cite news |title = No More Lost Generations Report |url = http://www.ciob.org/youth-unemployment-inquiry |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141009132735/http://www.ciob.org/youth-unemployment-inquiry |archive-date = 9 October 2014 |df = dmy-all }}</ref>

As a constituency MP, Raynsford promoted regeneration in the Greenwich Borough, including campaigns for the [[North Greenwich tube station|North Greenwich Station]] on the Jubilee Line, the extension of the DLR to Greenwich and Woolwich, and the campaign to secure a [[Crossrail]] Station in Woolwich, and support for bringing the Olympics to his constituency.<ref>{{cite news|title = Interview with Greenwich.co.uk|url = http://www.greenwich.co.uk/magazine/09949-in-conversation-with-nick-raynsford-mp-for-greenwich-and-woolwich/}}</ref> He also advocated improved river crossings in East and South East London.<ref>{{cite news|title = 2012 NewsShopper article on Thames River Crossings|url = http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/greenwich/9470448.MP_slams_Boris_s_Thamesmead_Thames_ferry_plan/?ref=rss}}</ref> In May 2014, he expressed his opposition to a memorial to murdered soldier [[Lee Rigby]], suggesting it "would not in my view be helpful" because it "might attract undesirable interest from extremists". Greenwich Council noted they had been "overwhelmed by interest in a local memorial", but also opposed the tribute.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10836764/Lee-Rigby-memorial-All-I-want-is-to-know-my-son-will-not-be-forgotten.html|title=Lee Rigby memorial: 'All I want is to know my son will not be forgotten'|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=17 May 2014 }}</ref>

In March 2013, Raynsford announced his intention to stand down as MP for Greenwich and Woolwich at the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|next general election]] and cited his age as the reason behind his decision.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Greenwich MP to stand down|url=https://www.itv.com/news/london/story/2013-03-22/greenwich-mp-to-stand-down/|access-date=2021-10-10|website=ITV News|language=en}}</ref>

== Later career ==
Raynsford remains involved with UK construction. He is a board member of the [[Construction Industry Council (United Kingdom)|Construction Industry Council]] (CIC) and he chaired the group from 2006 to 2008.<ref name="CIC Board">{{cite web|title=Board|url=http://cic.org.uk/about-us/board-members.php|website=Construction Industry Council|access-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> He was chair of CICAIR Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CIC, which maintained and operated the Approved Inspectors Register regulating approved inspectors qualified to undertake [[Building control body|building control]] work<ref name="CICAIR">{{cite web|title=Approved Inspectors|url=http://cic.org.uk/services/approved-inspectors.php|website=Construction Industry Council|access-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> until 2024. From January 2019 until his resignation in September 2020, he was deputy chairman of [[Crossrail]] Limited.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.crossrail.co.uk/about-us/people/nick-raynsford | title = About Us - Nick Raynsford - Deputy Chairman | date = 2019 | publisher = [[Crossrail]] | access-date = 2019-04-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190416125640/http://www.crossrail.co.uk/about-us/people/nick-raynsford | archive-date = 2019-04-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/crl-board-minutes-17-september-2020.pdf|title=CROSSRAIL BOARD|website=tfl.gov.uk|date=17 September 2020|access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref> He remained involved with Crossrail, acting as a strategic advisor from 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/CLG00035627_2021.10.21%20Witness%20Statement%20of%20Nick%20Raynsford.pdf|title=FIRST WITNESS STATEMENT OF THE RT. HON. NICK RAYNSFORD|website=grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk|date=21 October 2021|access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref>

In April 2025, Raynsford was appointed to the UK government's Building Control Independent Panel, reviewing potential changes to building control in England, including possible removal of commercial involvement and transitioning to a national authority decision model.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Funk |first1=Alex |title=Nick Raynsford among those appointed to post-Grenfell building control panel set up by government |url=https://www.building.co.uk/news/nick-raynsford-among-those-appointed-to-post-grenfell-building-control-panel-set-up-by-government/5135754.article |access-date=30 April 2025 |work=Building |date=30 April 2025}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Raynsford married Anne Jelley in 1968, and they had three daughters. They were divorced in 2011,<ref name="Who's Who">{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-31998|chapter=Raynsford, Rt Hon. Wyvill Richard Nicolls, (Rt Hon. Nick), (born 28 Jan. 1945), PC 2001|title=WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U31998|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4|year=2007 }}</ref> and he is now the husband of [[Alison Seabeck]], the former Labour MP for [[Plymouth Moor View]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/10010127.greenwich-mp-nick-raynsford-ties-the-knot-with-fellow-mp-alison-seabeck-at-national-maritime-museum/|title=Greenwich MP Nick Raynsford marries fellow MP at National Maritime Museum|website=News Shopper|date=26 October 2012 }}</ref> Raynsford's ancestry can be seen in [[Burke's Landed Gentry]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Burke's Peerage|url=http://burkespeerage.com/|access-date=2021-05-29|website=burkespeerage.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160111000508/http://nickraynsford.org/ Nick Raysford] official site
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050404014627/http://www.nickraynsfordmp.org/ Nick Raynsford's Weblog] official blog
*{{UK MP links| parliament = nick-raynsford/171 | hansard = mr-nick-raynsford | hansardcurr = 319 | guardian = 4344/nick-raynsford | publicwhip = Nick_Raynsford | theywork = nick_raynsford | record = Nick-Raynsford/Greenwich-and-Woolwich/454 | bbc = 25344.stm | journalisted = }}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{succession box
  | title  = Member of Parliament for [[Fulham (UK Parliament constituency)|Fulham]]
  | years  = [[1986 Fulham by-election|1986]]–[[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987]]
  | before = [[Martin Stevens (politician)|Martin Stevens]]
  | after  = [[Matthew Carrington, Baron Carrington of Fulham|Matthew Carrington]]
}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Rosie Barnes]] }}
{{s-ttl
  | title  = Member of Parliament for [[Greenwich (UK Parliament constituency)|Greenwich]]
  | years  = [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]]–[[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]
}}
{{s-non | reason = Constituency abolished }}

{{s-new | constituency}}
{{s-ttl
  | title  = Member of Parliament for [[Greenwich & Woolwich]]
  | years  = [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]–[[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]]
}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Matthew Pennycook]]}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Hilary Armstrong]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of State for Housing and Planning]]|years=1999–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Charles Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton|The Lord Falconer]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Minister for London}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raynsford, Nick}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Alumni of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1983–1987]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1992–1997]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1997–2001]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2001–2005]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2005–2010]]
[[Category:People educated at Repton School]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2010–2015]]
[[Category:People from Northamptonshire]]
[[Category:Politics of the Royal Borough of Greenwich]]
[[Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) councillors]]
[[Category:Spouses of British politicians]]