Chris Skidmore
A Conservative MP who crossed party lines to resign over climate policy, cementing his legacy as a politician who put principle over power.
Born 1981 (age 45)·British politician and historian·Birthday: May 17·Millennials
Biography
Chris Skidmore's career is a study in the intersection of politics and history. Elected as a Conservative MP for Kingswood in 2010, he served in various ministerial roles, including Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation. Beyond the Westminster bubble, Skidmore is a serious historian with several popular books on Tudor England to his name, bringing academic rigor to public discourse. His political tenure ended not with electoral defeat, but with a dramatic resignation in 2024. He quit his seat and the Conservative whip in protest of his government's legislation to grant new oil and gas licenses, a move that triggered a by-election and framed him as a rare politician willing to sacrifice his career for a core belief. This act defined him more than any policy he helped pass.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chris was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 40
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 45 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the UK's Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation from 2019 to 2020.
- Authored several popular history books, including 'Bosworth: The Birth of the Tudors' and 'The Rise of the Tudors'.
- Resigned as a Member of Parliament in 2024 in protest of the government's new oil and gas licensing policy.
- Chaired the independent government review on Net Zero, which produced the 'Mission Zero' report in 2023.
Did You Know?
He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
He completed his PhD at the University of Oxford, focusing on the Tudor period.
His resignation as an MP forced a by-election in his Kingswood constituency in February 2024.
“We must move from targets to delivery on climate, and that requires a new approach to governance.”
