Hugh was born in Canterbury in October 1962 and brought up in Kent where his father was a headmaster. He was educated at The King’s School Canterbury, The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Reading University where he gained a BSc (Honours) degree in Land Management specialising in property investment.
He was an army officer from 1982-1995, serving in The Life Guards. He won the Armourers’ & Brasiers’ Prize for the top officer on the Royal Armoured Corps Young Officers’ Course and commanded The Household Cavalry on the 1993 Queen’s Birthday Parade and State Opening of Parliament. He was awarded The Sultan of Brunei’s Personal Order of Merit for his work during the 1992 state visit. He saw active service in Northern Ireland commanding a platoon in Londonderry and Fermanagh, during the Gulf War as Adjutant of a main battle tank regiment, in Bosnia commanding the British Detachment in Sarajevo during the siege of the city and with the UN in Cyprus. He retired as a Major in 1995, following his selection for Staff College, in order to pursue a political career.
From 1995 to 2001, he worked in the investment management arm of Schroders and was Head of New Business Development for the Property division responsible for pension fund, local authority and charity investment in the UK property sector. He was also an Assistant Director of Schroder Investment Management
He is a playing member of the MCC and played both cricket and hockey for Reading University. He is also keen on skiing, adventure training and equestrian pursuits and supports Chelsea FC in his spare time. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and retraced the Silk Route in 1995.
Hugh Robertson's Experience
Hugh gained his first experience of politics campaigning on behalf of a family friend as a schoolboy in the Kent County Council elections. As a regular army officer, he was barred from party political activity by Queens Regulations from 1983 – 1995 but resigned his commission in order to pursue a political career.
Since then, he has been a ward chairman and a candidate in the Greater London Council Elections. He was a member of the first Foreign Office/MOD team to visit Argentina since the Falklands war. He has also served on the Shadow Defence Secretary’s Defence Policy Group and was a Special Advisor on Security to the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary.
He was selected as Parliamentary Candidate for Faversham and Mid Kent in March 2000, and elected as MP in 2001. In November 2002, he was appointed an Opposition Whip. Since September 2004, he has been Shadow Minister for Sport; he also serves as Shadow Olympics Minister.
In May 2010, he was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport.