 | Chris Kelly MP: Putting Dudley South First |
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Chris Kelly is your Conservative Member of Parliament for Dudley South
Chris's experience
Chris was elected as Conservative MP for Dudley South in May 2010 and is a member of the European Scrutiny Committee in the House of Commons. Chris has been a member of the Conservative Party since 1996 and has held numerous positions in the voluntary party since that time, mainly in the Black Country. After graduating from business school Chris worked for the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC MP whilst he was Leader of the Conservative Party up until the leadership election in December 2005. During his time working for Michael Howard Chris gained an invaluable insight into the work of a dedicated constituency MP, something he is now, hopefully, emulating for the people of Dudley South.
Whilst studying for an MBA Chris interned, as part of the research team, at the 'no' campaign against Britain joining the euro (the main keep the pound campaign) during the Treasury's assessment of the Government's six economic tests for euro entry.
Chris's political interest and activism dates back to his early teens when he wrote his first ever letter in the Express & Star questioning an increase in the price of entry to the council baths!
About Chris
Chris was born in 1978 in Wolverhampton in the Black Country. His mother was born at Rosemary Ednam Maternity Hospital in Dudley and his sister was born in Wordsley hospital. Chris attended Wolverhampton Grammar School and Oxford Brookes University where he gained a degree in politics & modern history and where he joined the Conservative Party. Upon graduation Chris joined his family firm, Keltruck Limited (keltruck.com), which is based in the Black Country, where he had previously always worked during holidays and on Saturdays. Three years later he attended the Imperial College Business School where he was awarded an MBA.
 Chris was appointed marketing director of Keltruck in January 2006. His involvement over many years in his family business - which has a depot on Oak Lane, Kingswinford in the Dudley South constituency - has given him an invaluable insight into the challenges faced by Black Country businesses, not just his family's but the wide cross section of businesses Keltruck deals with. Customers include hauliers, logistics companies, manufacturers, builders, food companies, oil companies, retailers, bus & coach operators, local authorities and fire brigades. Chris has also been active within the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and is concerned about the levels of red tape and bureaucracy imposed upon businesses by the last Labour Government.
The Dudley South constituency covers Brierley Hill, Brockmoor, Kingswinford, Netherton, Pensnett, Wall Heath, St. Andrews, Woodside and Wordsley. Being a local lad, Chris remembers the Merry Hill shopping centre being built in the 1980s on the site of the former Round Oak Steelworks in Brierley Hill by Roy and the late, great Don Richardson. Chris has always used the Merry Hill centre and is proud to know the visionary entrepreneurs behind its creation. Chris views the Merry Hill as a prime example of how free enterprise can regenerate areas and create jobs when the right conditions are created.
Chris's other interests include sport and fitness (swimming, squash, tennis, running and skiing) and travelling. Chris can often be seen swimming lengths at the Crystal and Dudley leisure centres or playing squash at the Dudley and Thorns leisure centres in the Dudley Borough.
Campaigning on...
The town of Dudley lies between Birmingham and Wolverhampton on the western fringe of the West Midlands conurbation. Local people are fiercely proud of Dudley’s own distinctive identity and heritage.
The parliamentary seat of Dudley South is situated to the west of Dudley town centre and largely consists of residential suburbs and some rural fringes on the border of glorious South Staffordshire countryside.
The Conservatives are the largest party in the Borough - under Conservative control Dudley MBC has been rated a 4 star, excellent authority. The Conservatives are also the largest political party in Dudley South currently holding 10 of the 18 council seats and are the only party representing 5 of the constituency’s six wards.
Local Conservatives hope to increase this number to at least 12 seats at the next local elections in May 2011. 2010 saw the Liberal Democrats fall to just 1 seat in the Borough following a second successive gain by Dudley South Conservatives.
Chris always works hard for residents alongside his Council colleagues and this was borne out by the General Election result which produced a 9.51% swing from Labour to the Conservatives.
Despite a high turn out and a higher than normal national profile for the Lib Dems following the TV debates, the performance of Chris Kelly and local Conservatives confounded most political analysts. As a result Labour’s majority was swept aside and Chris Kelly elected as Member of Parliament for Dudley South with a majority of almost 4,000.
Since becoming our MP Chris Kelly has set up a constituency office and has become involved with hundreds of different issues his constituents have raised with him. Chris has also corresponded with several hundred local residents who have asked for advice or simply wanted to congratulate him on being the first Conservative MP for the area since 1994.
Chris has communicated with all those who pledged support to him by sending a “thank you” letter to several thousand households. Unlike the previous generation of politicians, Chris has not asked the taxpayer to fund this and all costs associated with his “thank you” letter have been met by local Conservatives.
Again, on the subject of not expecting the taxpayer to fund his constituency office, Chris is adamant that taxpayers will not pay for the running of any office accommodation as the Member of Parliament.
Chris will not be 'taking it easy' even though Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that the next election will be held on Thursday 7 May 2015. He is busy holding traditional constituency advice surgeries and has also visited local schools to meet staff, governors, pupils and some parents. In addition Chris has set himself the task of visiting as many of the hundreds of businesses that are located within Dudley South as possible. As someone with a background in business he knows that only these businesses will help generate the growth we need in Dudley South and he will offer all the support he can as the local MP.
Contact Details
Website: tellChris.com
E-mail: office AT dudleysouthconservatives DOT com
Conservative Party office: 01384 211 041
House of Commons: 020 7219 7053
Mobile: 07711 638 807
Address: Chris Kelly MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
 
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