Our ‘True Blue Patrons Supper Club’ hosts a fourth young-conservatives-supporting event in London on April 2nd.
Meet Home Office PPS James Sunderland MP, there during November 2023 changes, and now helping James Cleverley as he tries to sort Rwanda. He has a fascinating story that is quite dramatic : he left the army as a Colonel, and at extremely short notice, became MP for Bracknell in November 2019. What’s happened since then in a swift journey through the ranks? How has a military career aided his relatively speedy trajectory, becoming a PPS in several different departments. What’s it been like in the home office during these turbulent times? What does James think will happen in the future? Your chance to ask him questions.
Plus our second speaker is broadcaster, writer and winner of the Military Cross for outstanding bravery, Lincoln Jopp MC, a former Scots Guard (alongside his friend Ben Wallace). Could potentially become a candidate for the next election. Royal commentating and writing articles are a long way from his military career where he was blown up on the battlefield but survived. He was later played in a big screen movie by Greg Wise - can you guess what it is – and Lincoln has some fabulous stories to tell.
NB CHATHAM HOUSE RULES. Venue just off Whitehall, close to Westminster.
James Sunderland at a recent event with candidate for Reigate and Banstead, Cllr Rebecca Paul
Our speakers
Our next True Blue event is on the 2nd of April, it will be James Sunderland, MP for Bracknell. He is an ex Army colonel who suddenly left his career of 25 years and became an MP in the 2019 intake. He rose through the ranks, literally, very quickly. He was right at the heart of recent events when Suella Braverman was replaced by James Cleverley. He is the PPS for the home office.
He has some very interesting insights as to what went on, and what will be going on, at the time of the next supper on the 2nd of April.
PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS ENTIRELY UNDER CHATHAM HOUSE RULES. i.e. NO RECORDING OR POSTING ABOUT WHAT IS SAID :-)
Tickets are available on a first come first served basis as this is a small intimate venue. Young Conservatives subsidised tickets will be available through donations, as usual, with True Blue patrons’ club events. Additional Young Conservatives tickets released depending on donations received.
Our second speaker is Lincoln Jopp MC.
Lincoln Jopp MC has lived quite a life so far. Despite being something of a teenage rebel at school, one of his schoolmasters said to him that he had a spark of leadership and that he should think how he was going to use that in his life.
Lincoln didn’t look back. He became head boy of St Paul’s school, read theology and philosophy at university, won the sword of honour at Sandhurst, got shot and blown up, was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry and commanded the 1st Battalion Scots Guards both in Afghanistan and on the Queen’s Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) for which he had to learn to ride a horse. As well as Afghanistan, he has served multiple operational tours in Northern Ireland (including alongside his friend and fellow Scots Guardsman Ben Wallace) Sierra Leone and Iraq. On one of his Iraq tours he was working in US General David Petraeus’s headquarters in Baghdad. Lincoln writes, “The first time he called me ‘Linc’ all the other American generals stopped talking. One explained to me afterwards, “Linc, you’ve arrived. No one is anyone in the US Army until they have a single syllable name. You just got Christened!”
Lincoln has been a policy advisor in the Northern Ireland Office and The Ministry of Defence where he was assistant head of the strategy unit. After military service, Lincoln has spent the last ten years in the equally ‘colourful’ world of venture capital and private equity including directing two plcs and attempting to use technology to make the NHS and the world of pensions more efficient.
His hinterland is extensive. The son of a racing driver father and a mother who was motoring editor of the Sunday Times and presented Top Gear, both seemed to have rubbed off on him along the way. Lincoln has numerous, eclectic broadcasting credits including surviving being on the only ever all-male panel in Women’s Hour’s 70-year history and broadcasting live on BBC TV for five hours at the King’s Coronation. When time allows, Lincoln joins a tight group of veteran friends of all abilities to rally across the northern Sahara or Kenya on the Blackthorn Rally.
Married to Caroline for 29 years, they have three grown up children who keep them up to date with the world of start-ups and university. Caroline makes sure Lincoln knows the challenges and the joys of working in a state primary school.
This is part of the True Blue Patrons Club lineup of special events, supporting youngsters in becoming part of the Conservative family, with an opportunity for kind members to help young Conservatives to attend prestigious events. You will be given the chance to make a donation on the ticket page.
The event will be held at an intimate venue just off Whitehall, with delicious two course supper with tea and coffee. You will be sent information about the event after purchasing your ticket.
There will be a delicious two course supper followed by tea/coffee/mints, menu to be confirmed but previously we have enjoyed steak and chips, succulent lamb shank, and crown of chicken. If you would rather have a vegetarian option please let us know in the dietary requests when ordering your ticket(s).
