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James Timpson, Baron Timpson

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The Right Honourable
The Lord Timpson
OBE DL
Official portrait, 2024
Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 July 2024
Prime MinisterSir Keir Starmer
Preceded byEdward Argar
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 July 2024
Life Peerage
CEO of the Timpson Group
In office
2002 – July 2024
Preceded byJohn Timpson
Succeeded byJohn Timpson
Personal details
Born
William James Timpson

(1971-09-17) 17 September 1971 (age 53)
Knutsford, Cheshire, England
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Roisin Brannigan
​
(m. 1997)​
RelationsEdward Timpson (brother)
Children3
Parents
Alma materDurham University (BA)

William James Timpson, Baron Timpson, OBE, DL (born 17 September 1971), is a British businessman and politician who has served as Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending since 2024. He was the chief executive of the Timpson Group, owned by his father John Timpson, from 2002[1] to July 2024.[2]

Career

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Timpson was born in Knutsford, Cheshire, on 17 September 1971 to Sir John and Alex Timpson. His younger brother Edward was a Conservative member of Parliament for 14 years till 2024. Timpson attended Uppingham School and gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from Durham University before joining his family business.[1]

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours list for services to training and employment for disadvantaged people.[3] Timpson was appointed as a deputy lieutenant (DL) of Cheshire on 11 October 2019.[4][5]

Known for advocating the employment of former prisoners, he was the chair of the Employers Forum for Reducing Re-offending (EFFRR) until 2016, and became the chair of the Prison Reform Trust[1] that same year. He also founded the Employment Advisory Board network across the prison estate, which links prisons with employers to improve the employment opportunities for ex-offenders upon release.[6]

In November 2018, Timpson was selected by Prime Minister Theresa May to co-chair one of five new business councils to advise on how to create the best conditions for UK businesses after Brexit, though Timpson himself did not support Brexit. He was the co-chair of the Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs Council, alongside Brent Hoberman and Emma Jones.[7]

In March 2021, he was reappointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as a trustee of Tate for a four-year period.[8] In June 2022, he replaced Jonathon Porritt as Chancellor of Keele University.[9]

Timpson wrote a column on business and leadership for The Sunday Times[10] throughout 2021, and this inspired his book The Happy Index: Lessons in Upside-Down Management, which was published in February 2024 by HarperCollins.[11]

In February 2024, Timpson made comments suggesting only a third of prisoners should be in prison.[12]

In July 2024, Timpson was appointed Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation in the Starmer ministry by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer following the Labour Party's victory in the 2024 general election.[13][14] Because of this appointment, he stepped down as chief executive officer of Timpson and chair of the Prison Reform Trust.[15] He was nominated for a life peerage and was created Baron Timpson, of Manley in the County of Cheshire, on 18 July.[16] Timpson was introduced to the House of Lords on 22 July.[17]

Personal life

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Timpson married Roisin Brannigan in 1997. They have two sons and a daughter.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Timpson, (William) James". Who's Who. A & C Black. 2023. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U272999. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Hill, Eloise (8 July 2024). "Timpson boss named new prisons minister". Retail Gazette. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  3. ^ "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. B13.
  4. ^ "No. 62793". The London Gazette. 10 October 2019. p. 18180.
  5. ^ "Appointment of Deputy Lieutenants". Cheshire Lieutenancy. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Leading UK business bosses help prison leavers get work in crime-cutting drive". GOV.UK (Press release). 3 March 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Five new business councils to advise the Prime Minister on post-Brexit opportunities". GOV.UK (Press release). 6 November 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Prime Minister appoints James Timpson as new Tate Trustee". GOV.UK. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Keele University appoints James Timpson OBE as new Chancellor". Keele University. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  10. ^ Timpson, James (8 February 2024). "My lightbulb moment: recruit when you don't need to". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  11. ^ Barradale, Greg (6 May 2024). "Timpson boss James Timpson on Doc Martens, high street success and how work can turn lives around". The Big Issue. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  12. ^ Seddon, Paul; Francis, Sam (6 July 2024). "We have too many prisoners, says new PM Starmer". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  13. ^ Buchan, Lizzy (5 July 2024). "Meet the new Cabinet as Keir Starmer appoints his top team". The Mirror. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2024". GOV.UK. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  15. ^ Preston, Rob (9 July 2024). "James Timpson leaves charity chair role to take up ministerial post". Civil Society. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  16. ^ "No. 64468". The London Gazette. 24 July 2024. p. 14290.
  17. ^ "Introduction: Lord Timpson". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 839. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Lords. 22 July 2024. col. 223.
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Preceded by Chancellor of Keele University
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