Mark grew up in and around Tooting and Balham. He became a Conservative after he saw how his family’s prospects were transformed by the Conservative Right-to-buy policies. See this article to see how Mark’s upbringing affected his political outlook. He moved to Tooting because his mother began working at St George’s Hospital. Later the family moved to Balham (also with the Tooting constituency) which is where Mark now lives.
Mark went to University in Durham and read Ancient, Medieval and Modern History. Afterwards, Mark started his business career with Procter and Gamble in Brand Management. Having worked with Procter and Gamble for five years, including stints in Newcastle and Switzerland, Mark career changed and joined the Boston Consultancy Group as a Strategy Consultant. Mark now runs his own consultancy business.
Mark maintains strong links with the West Indies where his family are originally from. His Grandfather came to England in 1939 to play cricket for the West Indies and was stuck in England at the end of the Third Test when the War broke out. Mark also enjoys cricket. Mark is also related to Dame Eugenia Charles who was the formidable Prime Minister of Dominica, and who used to instil Conservative values in Mark at a young age.
Obviously, it was impossible to live in Switzerland without learning to ski.
Mark Clarke's Experience
Mark worked for the Conservative Party and a think-tank in his Gap Year and ran the Durham University Conservative Association. He took a step back from front line politics on graduation to concentrate on a business career and charity work. In the course of this Mark helped set up a communications and mentoring programme at Newcastle schools. He also helped run a women’s networking group.
Mark’s experience in Switzerland taught him how a smaller state can provide even better public services, and the importance of local people taking control of their own lives.
On becoming again more heavily involved in the Conservative Party, Mark was elected to become the Chairman of Conservative Future, the youth wing of the Conservative Party. This organisation has around 18,000 members around the country. The role sees Mark at the forefront of efforts to connect the Conservative Party with young people again.
Mark was selected to fight Tooting in a primary of around 250 people which was open to all Tooting residents.