Richard Harrington, Baron Harrington of Watford
The Lord Harrington of Watford | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Minister of State for Refugees | |
| In office 8 March 2022 – 4 September 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Victoria Atkins |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| In office 14 September 2015 – 17 July 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Victoria Atkins |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Industry | |
| In office 14 June 2017 – 25 March 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Jesse Norman |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Stephenson |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions | |
| In office 17 July 2016 – 14 June 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Altmann |
| Succeeded by | Guy Opperman |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| Assumed office 15 March 2022 Life Peerage | |
| Member of Parliament for Watford | |
| In office 6 May 2010 – 6 November 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Claire Ward |
| Succeeded by | Dean Russell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 November 1957 Leeds, England |
| Political party | Non-affiliated (from 2024) |
| Other political affiliations | Conservative Party (until 2024) |
| Spouse | Jessica Lee |
| Alma mater | Keble College, Oxford |
| Website | Official website |
Richard Irwin Harrington, Baron Harrington of Watford (born 4 November 1957) is a non-affiliated member of the House of Lords and businessman. From 2010 until 2019, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford. He was the Minister for Business and Industry from June 2017 to March 2019. Harrington had the Conservative whip removed on 3 September 2019, but on 29 October he was one of ten MPs to have it restored.
On 8 March 2022, Harrington was appointed Minister of State for Refugees, with his ministerial portfolio being in charge of co-ordinating the UK's response to the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He was also elevated to the House of Lords after being given a Life Peerage. In August 2022, the government announced that, under Harrington’s leadership, a total of 104,000 Ukrainian war refugees had been given safe refuge in the UK. On 4 September 2022, Harrington stepped down from the role, having completed the task of putting in place a permanent system for arrivals.
In November 2022, he was awarded the Spectator Magazine's 'Peer of the Year' Award at its annual Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. The following month he was also listed on the Sunday Times Alternative Honours list for his work settling Ukrainian refugees.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt asked Harrington in April 2023 to lead a review of the government's approach to attracting foreign direct investment into the UK.