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{{Short description|British actor and politician (born 1953)}}
{{Short description|British actor and politician (born 1953)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{2024 UK Commons}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Giles Watling
| name = Giles Watling
Line 9: Line 8:
| term_end = 30 May 2024
| term_end = 30 May 2024
| predecessor = [[Douglas Carswell]]
| predecessor = [[Douglas Carswell]]
| successor =
| successor = [[Nigel Farage]]
| majority = 24,702 (56.8%)
| image = Official portrait of Giles Watling MP crop 2.jpg
| image = Official portrait of Giles Watling MP crop 2.jpg
| imagesize =
| imagesize =
| caption = Official portrait, 2019
| caption = Official portrait, 2019
| birth_name = Giles Francis Watling<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=61961 |date=19 June 2017 |page=11782}}</ref>
| birth_name = Giles Francis Watling<ref name=whoswho/><ref name=gaz>{{London Gazette |issue=61961 |date=19 June 2017 |page=11782}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|2|18|df=yes}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|2|18|df=yes}}<ref name=whoswho/>
| birth_place = [[Chingford, Essex]], England
| birth_place = [[Chingford, Essex]], England<ref name=whoswho/>
| occupation = Actor, politician
| occupation = Actor, politician
| father = [[Jack Watling]]
| father = [[Jack Watling]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Vanda Brinkworth|1979}}
| relatives = [[Deborah Watling]] (sister)<br />[[Dilys Watling]] (maternal half-sister)
| relatives = [[Deborah Watling]] (sister)<br />[[Dilys Watling]] (maternal half-sister)
| education = [[Forest School, Walthamstow|Forest School]]
| education = [[Forest School, Walthamstow]]
| party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]<ref>{{cite news|author=Mason, Rowena|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/11/giles-watling-conservatives-clacton-douglas-carswell-ukip |title=Conservatives select former 1980s television star to fight Ukip in Clacton |newspaper=The Guardian |date=11 September 2014 |access-date=25 August 2016}}</ref>
| party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]<ref>{{cite news|author=Mason, Rowena|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/11/giles-watling-conservatives-clacton-douglas-carswell-ukip |title=Conservatives select former 1980s television star to fight Ukip in Clacton |newspaper=The Guardian |date=11 September 2014 |access-date=25 August 2016}}</ref>
}}
}}


'''Giles Francis Watling''' (born 18 February 1953) is a British politician who served as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]] since [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.parliament.uk/search?q=Giles+Watling|title=Giles Watling – Search UK Parliament|website=beta.parliament.uk}}</ref> A member of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], he was an actor prior to entering politics, primarily on television.
'''Giles Francis Watling''' (born 18 February 1953)<ref name=whoswho/> is a British [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] politician who served as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]] from [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.parliament.uk/search?q=Giles+Watling|title=Giles Watling – Search UK Parliament|website=beta.parliament.uk}}</ref> until 2024. He was an [[actor]] prior to entering politics.


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Born on 18 February 1953 at [[Chingford]], [[London]], to actress Patricia Hicks and actor [[Jack Watling]], he was privately educated at [[Forest School (Walthamstow)|Forest School]] in [[Walthamstow]].<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.289481|title=Watling, Giles Francis, (born 18 Feb. 1953), MP (C) Clacton, since 2017|journal=[[Who's Who (UK)|Who's Who]]|year=2017}}</ref> Watling is the younger brother of the actress [[Deborah Watling]] and the younger half-brother of actress [[Dilys Watling]].
Giles Watling was born on 18 February 1953 at [[Chingford]], [[London]].<ref name="whoswho" /> His parents Patricia Hicks and [[Jack Watling]] were actors. Watling was privately educated at [[Forest School, Walthamstow]].<ref name=whoswho>{{Who's Who | author=Anon| title = Watling, Giles Francis | id = U289481 | year = 2017 | doi =10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U289481 | edition = online [[Oxford University Press]]|location=Oxford}}</ref>


==Early career==
==Career==
Watling has worked extensively in British theatre and on television, and is probably best known for his portrayal of the vicar Oswald in [[Carla Lane]]'s series ''[[Bread (television series)|Bread]]''.<ref name="bbc"/> He has also directed several UK touring theatre productions, and took on the role of Bob in the UK tour of [[Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (musical)|''Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'']] in 2013. Watling serves on the board of directors at the Royal Theatrical Fund, a charity in aid of any person in need who has professionally practised or contributed to the theatrical arts.<ref name="Bread">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29163450|title=Clacton: Bread's Giles Watling to stand for Conservatives|publisher=BBC News|date=10 September 2014}}</ref>
Watling has worked extensively in British theatre and on television, and is probably best known for his portrayal of the vicar Oswald in [[Carla Lane]]'s series ''[[Bread (television series)|Bread]]''.<ref name="bbc"/> He has also directed several UK touring theatre productions, and took on the role of ''Bob'' in the UK tour of [[Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (musical)|''Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'']] in 2013. Watling serves on the board of directors of the Royal Theatrical Fund, a charity which aids those who have professionally practised or contributed to the theatrical arts.<ref name="Bread">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29163450|title=Clacton: Bread's Giles Watling to stand for Conservatives|publisher=[[BBC News]]|year= 2014|website=bbc.co.uk|author=Anon}}</ref>


⚫
Watling served as a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[councillor]] for [[Frinton]] [[Ward (electoral subdivision)|ward]] on [[Tendring District Council]] until 2016, having been first elected in the [[2007 United Kingdom local elections]].<ref>{{cite web |date=3 May 2007 |title=Councillor Watling G F |url=http://democracy.tendringdc.gov.uk/akstendring/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=57 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223225/http://democracy.tendringdc.gov.uk/akstendring/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=57 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=25 August 2016 |publisher=Tendring District Council |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
⚫
== Political career ==
⚫
Watling was a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[councillor]] for [[Frinton]] ward on [[Tendring District Council]], having been first elected in the [[2007 United Kingdom local elections]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://democracy.tendringdc.gov.uk/akstendring/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=57 |title=Councillor Watling G F |publisher=Tendring District Council |date=3 May 2007 |access-date=25 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223225/http://democracy.tendringdc.gov.uk/akstendring/users/public/admin/main.pl?op=MemberDetails&keyid=57 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>


⚫
== Parliamentary career ==
On 10 September 2014 he was shortlisted in the Conservatives' Clacton open primary to decide the party's candidate in the [[2014 Clacton by-election|Clacton by-election]] and was adopted following a public meeting on 11 September 2014.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29146011|title=Two Conservative councillors to fight Clacton primary|publisher=BBC News|date=10 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=James Dwan |url=http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/11463392.BREAKING__Tory__open_primary__candidates_for_Clacton_by_election_are_Frinton_actor_Giles_Watling_and_Colchester_councillor_Sue_Lissimore/?ref=var_0 |title=TORY 'open primary' candidates for Clacton by-election are Frinton actor Giles Watling and Colchester councillor Sue Lissimore |work=Clacton & Frinton Gazette |date=10 September 2014 |access-date=25 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2014/09/two-candidates-shortlisted-for-the-clacton-by-election.html |title=Two candidates shortlisted for the Clacton by-election |publisher=Conservativehome.com |date=10 September 2014 |access-date=25 August 2016}}</ref> At the by-election, Watling came second with 24.6% of the vote behind the incumbent [[UK Independence Party|UKIP]] MP [[Douglas Carswell]].<ref name="eadt">{{cite news |last1=Lodge |first1=Will |date=16 September 2014 |title=Clacton: Carswell strolls to victory for UKIP at Clacton by-election |url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/clacton_douglas_carswell_strolls_to_victory_for_ukip_at_clacton_by_election_1_3801404 |access-date=12 October 2014 |work=[[East Anglian Daily Times]]}}</ref>
On 10 September 2014 Watling was shortlisted in the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]]' open primary at Clacton to select the party's candidate for the [[2014 Clacton by-election|Clacton by-election]] and was adopted following a public meeting on 11 September 2014.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29146011|title=Two Conservative councillors to fight Clacton primary|publisher=BBC News|date=10 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=James Dwan |url=http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/11463392.BREAKING__Tory__open_primary__candidates_for_Clacton_by_election_are_Frinton_actor_Giles_Watling_and_Colchester_councillor_Sue_Lissimore/?ref=var_0 |title=TORY 'open primary' candidates for Clacton by-election are Frinton actor Giles Watling and Colchester councillor Sue Lissimore |work=Clacton & Frinton Gazette |date=10 September 2014 |access-date=25 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2014/09/two-candidates-shortlisted-for-the-clacton-by-election.html |title=Two candidates shortlisted for the Clacton by-election |publisher=Conservativehome.com |date=10 September 2014 |access-date=25 August 2016}}</ref> At the by-election, Watling came second with 24.6% of the vote behind the incumbent [[UK Independence Party]] (UKIP) MP [[Douglas Carswell]], who previously served as a Conservative but left that party and joined UKIP earlier in 2014.<ref name="eadt">{{cite news |last1=Lodge |first1=Will |date=16 September 2014 |title=Clacton: Carswell strolls to victory for UKIP at Clacton by-election |url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/clacton_douglas_carswell_strolls_to_victory_for_ukip_at_clacton_by_election_1_3801404 |access-date=12 October 2014 |work=[[East Anglian Daily Times]]}}</ref>


At the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], Watling was the Conservative PPC in [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]], again coming second with 44.4% of the vote behind [[Douglas Carswell]].<ref name="electoralcalculus2015">{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref><ref name=bbcconstituency>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000642 |title=Clacton: Parliamentary constituency |author=<!--Not stated--> |year=2019 |publisher=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114184757/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000642 |url-status=live |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref>
At the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], Watling again contested [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]] as the Conservative candidate, coming second behind Douglas Carswell, who won 44.4% of the vote.<ref name="electoralcalculus2015">{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=[[Electoral Calculus]]}}</ref><ref name=bbcconstituency>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000642 |title=Clacton: Parliamentary constituency |author=<!--Not stated--> |year=2019 |publisher=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114184757/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000642 |url-status=live |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref>


Watling was returned to Parliament as MP for Clacton at the snap [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] with 61.2% of the vote and a majority of 15,828.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement of Persons Nominated – Clacton Constituency |url=http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/council/elections%20%26%20voting/parliamentaryJune2017/Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20080617.pdf |access-date=12 May 2017 |website=Tendring District Council}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=21 April 2017 |title=Knife death mother in MP election bid for Clacton |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-39672433 |publisher=BBC News |via=bbc.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2 May 2017 |title=Norfolk North and Penistone & Stocksbridge choose their candidates. Latest selection news. – Conservative Home |url=http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/05/exclusive-farris-completes-saffron-walden-shortlist-trouble-in-wales-latest-selections-news.html}}</ref> He was again re-elected as MP for Clacton at the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] with an increased vote share of 72.3% and an increased majority of 24,702.<ref name="bbcconstituency3">{{cite news |title=Clacton Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000642 |access-date=18 November 2019 |publisher=BBC News }}</ref>
Watling was elected to Parliament as MP for Clacton at the snap [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], at which Carswell chose to retire, with 61.2% of the vote and a majority of 15,828.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement of Persons Nominated – Clacton Constituency |url=http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/council/elections%20%26%20voting/parliamentaryJune2017/Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20080617.pdf |access-date=12 May 2017 |website=Tendring District Council}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=21 April 2017 |title=Knife death mother in MP election bid for Clacton |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-39672433 |publisher=BBC News |via=bbc.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2 May 2017 |title=Norfolk North and Penistone & Stocksbridge choose their candidates. Latest selection news. – Conservative Home |url=http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/05/exclusive-farris-completes-saffron-walden-shortlist-trouble-in-wales-latest-selections-news.html}}</ref> He was returned as MP for Clacton at the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] with an increased vote share of 72.3% and an increased majority of 24,702.<ref name="bbcconstituency3">{{cite news |title=Clacton Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000642 |access-date=18 November 2019 |publisher=BBC News }}</ref>


Following an interim report on the connections between [[colonialism]] and properties now in the care of the [[National Trust]], including links with [[Atlantic slave trade|historic slavery]], Watling was among the signatories of a letter to ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' in November 2020 from the [[Common Sense Group]] of Conservative parliamentarians. The letter accused the National Trust of being "coloured by [[cultural Marxist]] dogma, colloquially known as the '[[Woke#Woke as a pejorative term|woke]] agenda{{'"}}.<ref>{{cite letter |recipient=''The Daily Telegraph'' |subject=Britain's heroes |language=English |date=9 November 2020 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2020/11/09/letterswill-police-break-armistice-day-ceremonies-wednesday/ |access-date=20 May 2022 }}</ref>
Following an interim report on the connections between [[colonialism]] and properties now in the care of the [[National Trust]], including links with [[Atlantic slave trade|historic slavery]], Watling was among the signatories of a letter to ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' in November 2020 by the [[Common Sense Group]] of Conservative parliamentarians, which accused the ''National Trust'' of being "coloured by [[cultural Marxist]] dogma, colloquially known as the '[[Woke#2019–present: as a pejorative|woke]] agenda{{'"}}.<ref>{{cite letter |recipient=''The Daily Telegraph'' |subject=Britain's heroes |language=English |date=9 November 2020 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2020/11/09/letterswill-police-break-armistice-day-ceremonies-wednesday/ |access-date=20 May 2022 }}</ref>


Watling lost his seat in the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]] to [[Reform UK]] candidate and leader [[Nigel Farage]].
In April 2023, Watling survived reselection from local party members for the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-04-18 |title=Conservative MP Giles Watling faces Tory membership vote |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-65306049 |access-date=2023-04-24}}</ref> and was duly adopted as the party's candidate the following month.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-65566181|title=Clacton: Conservative MP Giles Watling re-selected as candidate|date=12 May 2023|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
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|1979 ||''[[The Human Factor (1979 film)|The Human Factor]]'' ||Colin||
|1979 ||''[[The Human Factor (1979 film)|The Human Factor]]'' ||Colin||
|-
|-
|1979–1980 ||''[[How's Your Father?]]''||Martin Matthews|| 13 episodes
|1979–80 ||''[[How's Your Father?]]''||Martin Matthews|| 13 episodes
|-
|-
|1980 ||''[[Keep It in the Family (1980 TV series)|Keep It in the Family]]''||Young man|| 1 episode
|1980 ||''[[Keep It in the Family (1980 TV series)|Keep It in the Family]]''||Young man|| 1 episode
Line 67: Line 66:
|1984 ||''[[No Place Like Home (TV series)|No Place Like Home]]''||Maurice|| 1 episode
|1984 ||''[[No Place Like Home (TV series)|No Place Like Home]]''||Maurice|| 1 episode
|-
|-
|1988–1991 ||''[[Bread (TV series)|Bread]]''||Oswald|| 49 episodes
|1988–91 ||''[[Bread (TV series)|Bread]]''||Oswald|| 49 episodes
|-
|-
|1992 ||''[['Allo 'Allo!]]''||Major Twistleton-Smythe|| 1 episode
|1992 ||''[['Allo 'Allo!]]''||Major Twistleton-Smythe|| 1 episode
Line 80: Line 79:
|}
|}


==See also==
==Personal life==
Married to Vanda Brinkworth in 1979,<ref name=whoswho/> the younger brother of the actress [[Deborah Watling]] and younger half-brother of actress [[Dilys Watling]], Watling is a member of the [[Garrick Club]], an exclusive [[gentlemen's club]] which in 2024 opened its doors to women,<ref name=whoswho/> [[Frinton-on-Sea|Frinton]] [[Cricket Club]], [[Walton-on-the-Naze|Walton and Frinton]] [[Yacht Club]] and [[Frinton]] [[War Memorial]] [[Club (organization)|Club]].<ref name=whoswho/>
* [[Clacton-on-Sea]]


== References ==
== References ==
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{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Douglas Carswell]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Douglas Carswell]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]]|years=[[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]–present}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] <br>for [[Clacton (UK Parliament constituency)|Clacton]]|years=[[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]–[[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Nigel Farage]]}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}

{{East of England Conservative Party MPs}}


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Watling, Giles}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
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[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Chingford]]
[[Category:People from Chingford]]
[[Category:People from Loughton]]
[[Category:People from Loughton]]
⚫
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
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[[Category:People educated at Forest School, Walthamstow]]
[[Category:People educated at Forest School, Walthamstow]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Clacton]]

Latest revision as of 21:28, 2 December 2024

Giles Watling
Official portrait, 2019
Member of Parliament
for Clacton
In office
8 June 2017 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byDouglas Carswell
Succeeded byNigel Farage
Personal details
Born
Giles Francis Watling[1][2]

(1953-02-18) 18 February 1953 (age 71)[1]
Chingford, Essex, England[1]
Political partyConservative[3]
Spouse
Vanda Brinkworth
​
(m. 1979)​
Parent
RelativesDeborah Watling (sister)
Dilys Watling (maternal half-sister)
EducationForest School, Walthamstow
OccupationActor, politician

Giles Francis Watling (born 18 February 1953)[1] is a British Conservative politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clacton from 2017[4] until 2024. He was an actor prior to entering politics.

Early life and education

[edit]

Giles Watling was born on 18 February 1953 at Chingford, London.[1] His parents Patricia Hicks and Jack Watling were actors. Watling was privately educated at Forest School, Walthamstow.[1]

Career

[edit]

Watling has worked extensively in British theatre and on television, and is probably best known for his portrayal of the vicar Oswald in Carla Lane's series Bread.[5] He has also directed several UK touring theatre productions, and took on the role of Bob in the UK tour of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 2013. Watling serves on the board of directors of the Royal Theatrical Fund, a charity which aids those who have professionally practised or contributed to the theatrical arts.[6]

Watling served as a Conservative councillor for Frinton ward on Tendring District Council until 2016, having been first elected in the 2007 United Kingdom local elections.[7]

Parliamentary career

[edit]

On 10 September 2014 Watling was shortlisted in the Conservatives' open primary at Clacton to select the party's candidate for the Clacton by-election and was adopted following a public meeting on 11 September 2014.[5][8][9] At the by-election, Watling came second with 24.6% of the vote behind the incumbent UK Independence Party (UKIP) MP Douglas Carswell, who previously served as a Conservative but left that party and joined UKIP earlier in 2014.[10]

At the 2015 general election, Watling again contested Clacton as the Conservative candidate, coming second behind Douglas Carswell, who won 44.4% of the vote.[11][12]

Watling was elected to Parliament as MP for Clacton at the snap 2017 general election, at which Carswell chose to retire, with 61.2% of the vote and a majority of 15,828.[13][14][15] He was returned as MP for Clacton at the 2019 general election with an increased vote share of 72.3% and an increased majority of 24,702.[16]

Following an interim report on the connections between colonialism and properties now in the care of the National Trust, including links with historic slavery, Watling was among the signatories of a letter to The Daily Telegraph in November 2020 by the Common Sense Group of Conservative parliamentarians, which accused the National Trust of being "coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the 'woke agenda'".[17]

Watling lost his seat in the 2024 general election to Reform UK candidate and leader Nigel Farage.

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1965 Gideon's Way Malcolm Gideon 8 episodes
1974 Upstairs, Downstairs 2nd Lt. James Marriott 1 episode
1978 You're Only Young Twice PC Henry 1 episode
1979 The Human Factor Colin
1979–80 How's Your Father? Martin Matthews 13 episodes
1980 Keep It in the Family Young man 1 episode
1984 No Place Like Home Maurice 1 episode
1988–91 Bread Oswald 49 episodes
1992 'Allo 'Allo! Major Twistleton-Smythe 1 episode
1997 Melissa Gangster at Airport 1 episode
1999 Grange Hill Mr. Radcliffe 1 episode
2001 The Tutankhamun Conspiracy Howard Carter TV movie
2012 Run for Your Wife Man in pub

Personal life

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Married to Vanda Brinkworth in 1979,[1] the younger brother of the actress Deborah Watling and younger half-brother of actress Dilys Watling, Watling is a member of the Garrick Club, an exclusive gentlemen's club which in 2024 opened its doors to women,[1] Frinton Cricket Club, Walton and Frinton Yacht Club and Frinton War Memorial Club.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Anon (2017). "Watling, Giles Francis". Who's Who (online Oxford University Press ed.). Oxford: A & C Black. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U289481. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "No. 61961". The London Gazette. 19 June 2017. p. 11782.
  3. ^ Mason, Rowena (11 September 2014). "Conservatives select former 1980s television star to fight Ukip in Clacton". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Giles Watling – Search UK Parliament". beta.parliament.uk.
  5. ^ a b "Two Conservative councillors to fight Clacton primary". BBC News. 10 September 2014.
  6. ^ Anon (2014). "Clacton: Bread's Giles Watling to stand for Conservatives". bbc.co.uk. BBC News.
  7. ^ "Councillor Watling G F". Tendring District Council. 3 May 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  8. ^ James Dwan (10 September 2014). "TORY 'open primary' candidates for Clacton by-election are Frinton actor Giles Watling and Colchester councillor Sue Lissimore". Clacton & Frinton Gazette. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Two candidates shortlisted for the Clacton by-election". Conservativehome.com. 10 September 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  10. ^ Lodge, Will (16 September 2014). "Clacton: Carswell strolls to victory for UKIP at Clacton by-election". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Clacton: Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. 2019. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated – Clacton Constituency" (PDF). Tendring District Council. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Knife death mother in MP election bid for Clacton". BBC News. 21 April 2017 – via bbc.com.
  15. ^ "Norfolk North and Penistone & Stocksbridge choose their candidates. Latest selection news. – Conservative Home". 2 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Clacton Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Britain's heroes". Letter to The Daily Telegraph. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2022.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Giles Watling.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Clacton
2017–2024 		Succeeded by
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