Christopher Chope
A staunchly traditionalist Tory backbencher whose unwavering commitment to parliamentary procedure and libertarian principles has made him a singular, often controversial, institution.
Born 1947 (age 79)·British politician·Birthday: May 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sir Christopher Chope has carved out a unique and stubbornly consistent niche in British politics. First elected in the Thatcherite landslide of 1983, he represents a brand of conservatism rooted in economic liberalism and a near-absolutist belief in individual freedom and parliamentary sovereignty. His career is defined less by ministerial ambition—his stint as a junior minister was brief—and more by his role as a backbench guardian of procedure. Chope is famous, or infamous, for his frequent use of the parliamentary tactic of objecting to unscrutinized bills, a practice that has stalled legislation on issues from upskirting to animal welfare. To critics, he is an obstructionist; to supporters, he is a vital check on government overreach, ensuring laws are properly debated. For decades, representing Christchurch, he has been a fixed point in a changing political landscape, a man who would rather be right according to his principles than be popular, making him one of Westminster's most recognizable and polarizing characters.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Christopher was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christopher Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Christopher's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
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
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Member of Parliament for Christchurch continuously since 1997, following an earlier term for Southampton Itchen.
- Held the position of Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities in John Major's government from 1992 to 1993.
- Was instrumental in the 1980s as a leading figure on the London Borough of Wandsworth Council, implementing flagship Conservative policies on council house sales and contracting out services.
- Knighted in 2018 for political and public service.
Did You Know?
He is a qualified barrister, having been called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1972.
Chope is a founding member of the "Cornerstone Group" of traditionalist Conservative MPs.
He famously objected to the Voyeurism (Offences) Bill, which aimed to make upskirting a specific crime, arguing it needed proper debate, a move that caused significant public outcry.
He proposed a bill in 2011 to restore capital punishment for the murder of police officers, though it did not pass.
“The state has no business interfering in the private lives of consenting adults.”
