Bob Blackman has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for Harrow East since the 2010 General Election.
During this time Bob has held several roles in the Conservative party and in Parliament, including Secretary of the 1922 Committee since 2015, being a Member of the Conservative Party Board since 2019, Member of 3 Select Committees, a Member of over 72 All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) and changed the law twice: first with his Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and recently with his Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. Bob was awarded a C.B.E in The King's Birthday Honours List 2023 for his 37 years of continuous political and public service.
In 1992, Bob contested the constituency of Brent South as the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate and produced one of the best results in London without being elected! In 1997, Bob contested Bedford & Kempston, producing the best result in Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire for the Conservatives again without actually winning! Bob also fought Brent North in 2005, producing a 7.1% swing in favour of the Conservatives.
Prior to being elected to Parliament, Bob was employed by British Telecom in various sales and management positions before becoming a sales tutor at the BT Training College. He was Regulatory Compliance Manager for BT from 1998 to 2010. Bob has also been employed in a variety of sales assignments for Unisys/Burroughs Machines before joining BT.
Bob is married to Nicola Blackman - who is now a Harrow Councillor in Edgware, and lives in Wembley, where he has resided for most of his life. He has been a keen football fan since an early age and passionately supports Tottenham Hotspur, for whom he holds a season ticket for both home and away games.
Bob was President of Liverpool University Guild of Undergraduates and Head Boy at Preston Manor High School, where he subsequently served as a School Governor.
Outside of politics, Bob is an avid reader of thrillers, crime and mysteries, and a keen follower of rock music, with an extensive collection over the last 50 years. He also enjoys games of Bridge and Chess in his spare time and enjoys food of all varieties... especially curry.
Bob was the Greater London Assembly member for Brent & Harrow for four years, after ousting the Labour Leader on the GLA in June 2004. He served as the Conservative Group Whip on the GLA and on the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority, was a Member of the Budget Committee and the Deputy Chair of the Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee.
Bob was a Councillor for the Preston Ward in Brent for 24 years, serving as leader of the Brent Conservatives from 1990 to 2010, before stepping down in order to stand as the Conservative candidate for Harrow East.
Bob was the Deputy Leader of Brent Council between 2006 and 2010 and, during this time, presided over the budget of Brent Council, having previously served as the Leader of Brent Council between 1991 and 1996, where he was credited for leading the dramatic reduction in local taxes and major service improvements of that era.