Mark Pritchard (politician)
A pragmatic Conservative MP known for his independent streak and focus on national security and rural affairs in the West Midlands.
Born 1966 (age 60)·British politician·Birthday: November 22·Generation X
Biography
Elected as the Member of Parliament for The Wrekin in 2005, Mark Pritchard has cultivated a reputation as a constituency-focused politician with a mind of his own. Representing a largely rural seat in Shropshire, his political interests are rooted in the concerns of his voters: agriculture, defense, and local economic development. In Westminster, he is often seen as a backbench bellwether, willing to challenge party leadership on issues from foreign policy to environmental regulations. His tenure has been defined less by ministerial ambition and more by steady advocacy, serving on influential committees like the Intelligence and Security Committee, where his work is often conducted away from the public spotlight. Pritchard embodies a traditional, grassroots conservatism, prioritizing the tangible needs of his district over ideological fashion.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mark was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mark Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Mark's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
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
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has served as the elected Member of Parliament for The Wrekin constituency continuously since the 2005 general election.
- Served on the powerful Intelligence and Security Committee, which oversees the work of the UK's intelligence agencies.
- Previously held the role of Secretary of the influential 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs.
Did You Know?
Before politics, he worked in public relations and served as a local councilor in the London Borough of Wandsworth.
He is a Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Endangered Species.
He authored a book on political communication titled 'The Politics of the Public Sphere.'
“My first duty is to my constituents and the issues that matter on their doorsteps.”
