About Mark Oaten

Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Winchester since 1997

Mark Oaten was born in Watford in 1964. He was educated in Watford and attended the main local Comprehensive School. He obtained a degree from Hertfordshire Polytechnic.

During the early 1980's he joined the SDP and acted as agent in a number of elections.

In 1986 he became one of the country's youngest Councillors and the first ever SDP Councillor on Watford District Council. He served for eight years, culminating in leading a group of six other SDP councillors.

In 1992 he stood for Parliament in Watford getting 10,000 votes.

Mark worked as a consultant for Shandwick Public Affairs between 1988 and 1992. He then joined Westminster Communications where he was made a group director and Managing Director of Westminster Public Relations in 1996. In 1995 he was appointed a Director of Oasis Radio, a commercial Radio Station in Hertfordshire.

He was selected to fight Winchester in 1995. His two-vote victory in the May 1997 was declared invalid, but a by-election held in November 1997 convincingly confirmed him in the seat with a majority of 21,556.

Mark Oaten's parliamentary responsibilities have included being: Spokesman for Disabilities; a member of the Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs and Defence team; and Chairman of the All Party Groups on Far Eastern Prisoners of War and on Adoption.

At the June election 2001, Winchester achieved the highest turnout, and returned Mark Oaten with a majority of 9,634. After the election Mark Oaten was elected Chairman of the Parliamentary Party of the Liberal Democrats. He was then returned as MP for Winchester in May 2005 with over 31,000 votes.

Mark lives in his Winchester & Meon Valley constituency with his wife and two daughters.

Winning for Winchester

In August 2006 Mark announced that he would not be seeking re-election at the next general election. Yet, as the best constituency MP that Winchester has ever had Mark has made clear that until that time he will continue to work hard for the local people of Winchester.

At the next General Election the current Winchester constituency will divide. Winchester City and its surrounds will form the new Winchester constituency along with Chandler's Ford and Hiltingbury (previously part of Romsey constituency). A new Meon Valley constituency will come into existence covering the southern parishes of Winchester District and parts of neighbouring constituencies.

In December 2006 local members of Winchester Liberal Democrats chose Martin Tod as the Winchester Parliamentary campaigner. You can view some of the many areas Martin Tod and the Winchester Liberal Democrats are campaigning on by visiting the website: listening2winchester.com