James Cartlidge is the Member of Parliament for South Suffolk, first elected in 2015 and lives in the constituency with his wife Emily and their four children. Prior to becoming an MP, he founded Share to Buy, a specialist property portal for the shared ownership sector and the company behind the bi-annual London Home Show – a major event for first time buyers. James was previously a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to several Cabinet Ministers: Jeremy Hunt as both Health and then Foreign Secretary; Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary; and Rishi Sunak as Chancellor through the pandemic period.

James’s first Ministerial job was as Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Ministry of Justice. He held the Criminal Court portfolio from September 2021 until July 2022, introducing legislation to increase Magistrates’ Sentencing powers, and overseeing a significant increase in Criminal Legal Aid rates. James was Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from October 2022 to April 2023, with responsibility for fuel and alcohol duties; energy support and wider energy policy; infrastructure and growth; and the climate portfolio. On the day before he was appointed to the Ministry of Defence, James introduced measures in the Finance Bill to deliver a significant change to alcohol taxation – with a new lower rate of duty on draught beer and cider, compared to that sold in supermarkets.

In his spare time, James is a drummer. He also enjoys cycling around South Suffolk and spending time with his family and their pet spaniel in the beautiful countryside of the constituency.