John Mark Lancaster

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MARK LANCASTER
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MILTON KEYNES NORTH

Mark has had something of an explosive career. He has worked in his family’s firework business, served as a bomb disposal officer in the army, and in 2005 was the first pyrotechnician to have been elected to the House of Commons.

Mark’s primary passion is his constituency, Milton Keynes North, to which he was returned with a majority of 8,961 in May 2010. The 40-year-old lives in the town of Olney, having grown up in nearby Kimbolton. He studied at Buckingham University and Exeter University before working at Kimbolton Fireworks Ltd.

Mark’s military career began during a gap year commission with the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers in Hong Kong. He is currently a bomb disposal officer in the Territorial Army and has served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

A keen sportsman, Mark supports MK Dons, and has opened the batting for the House of Commons cricket team. He also collects and restores classic British motorcycles.

CAMPAIGNS
Mark has spearheaded numerous campaigns such as pushing for infrastructure before expansion – ‘I before E’ – in Milton Keynes.

More recently he has been involved in raising awareness of safety in multi-occupancy houses after two tragic deaths, and pressed the Government to reconsider school admissions processes during his adjournment debate.

Mark fought hard to secure city status for Milton Keynes in 2012, having tabled an Early Day Motion and runs an ongoing campaign to see the drug Khat criminalised. He also fights for the rights of service men and women on issues such as the Military Covenant and playing the National Lottery abroad.

He is currently Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury).