Craig Whittaker
A Conservative MP from Yorkshire who rose from local council work to a key role in managing the party's discipline in Parliament.
Born 1962 (age 64)·British politician·Birthday: August 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
Craig Whittaker's political journey is a classic story of grassroots ascent. Before entering Westminster, he cut his teeth in local government in West Yorkshire, serving as a councillor and later as leader of Calderdale Council, where he gained a reputation for a direct, no-nonsense approach. Elected as MP for Calder Valley in 2010, he represented a classic bellwether constituency, often reflecting the nation's political mood swings. His loyalty and organizational skill were recognized with appointments to the government's whips' office, the engine room of parliamentary discipline. As a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and later as a Deputy Chief Whip, Whittaker operated behind the scenes, tasked with the unglamorous but critical work of ensuring MPs voted with the government. His tenure spanned the turbulent Brexit years and multiple prime ministers, requiring a steady hand to manage a frequently fractured Conservative parliamentary party.
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.
Craig was born in 1962, 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 Craig Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Craig's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Member of Parliament for Calder Valley for 14 years, from 2010 to 2024.
- Appointed as a Government Deputy Chief Whip and Treasurer of the Household in 2022.
- Held the role of Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, a key government whip position, on two separate occasions.
- Previously served as the Leader of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council.
Did You Know?
Before politics, he had a career in the printing and packaging industry.
Whittaker is a devoted fan of Halifax RLFC, a local rugby league team.
He lost his seat in the 2024 general election as part of a significant swing against the Conservative Party.
“My focus is on the practical issues that affect people's daily lives in our towns.”
