Kevin Paul Hollinrake (born 28 September 1963)[1] is a BritishConservative Party politician and businessman who has served as theMember of Parliament (MP) forThirsk and Malton since2015. He has served asChairman of the Conservative Party since July 2025. He has previously served asShadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government between November 2024 and July 2025. He served asShadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade from July to November 2024.[2] He served asMinister of State for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business from 2022 to 2024.[3][4][5][6]
Kevin Hollinrake was born and brought up inNorth Yorkshire. His father was amilkman and his mother was a social worker.[7] He attendedEasingwold School and studied physics atSheffield City Polytechnic (now Sheffield Hallam University), though he did not complete his degree.[8]
After dropping out of Sheffield City Polytechnic, Hollinrake worked forPrudential. He then cofounded Hunters estate agency inYork in 1992; he had previously ownedCrayke Castle.[9] By 2015 the agency had grown to more than 150 branches across the country, with Hollinrake holding a 15% stake in the company.[10] The Hunters Property estate agency was admitted to trading onAIM in July 2015 with a market capitalisation of £16.9m.[11] In February 2015, the company issued an IPO (initial public offering) for new investors to raise £2.5 m for capital investment.[12]
In 2009 Hollinrake became a director of Vizzihome, from which he resigned in 2013.[13] In 2013 he founded Shoptility Limited, where he was the chairman until commencement of voluntary winding up in October 2017, and the company was dissolved in June 2019.[14]
In July 2007 Hollinrake was selected as the Conservative candidate forDewsbury for the2010 general election. However in October 2008 he resigned his candidacy in order to focus on his business.[15]
Hollinrake was selected to be the Conservative candidate for the seat of Thirsk and Malton at the2015 general election following the de-selection ofAnne McIntosh.[16] Hollinrake was a strong supporter of David Cameron'sNorthern Powerhouse idea, which aims to link the north of England more closely to markets in the south; making it easier to travel, exchange and do business.[17] He was elected with 52.6% of the vote and a majority of 19,456.[18]
In January 2016, Hollinrake was one of 72 MPs who voted down an amendment in Parliament on rental homes being "fit for human habitation" who were themselves landlords who derived an income from a property.[19] He was opposed toBrexit before the2016 referendum.[20]
At the snap2017 general election, Hollinrake was re-elected with an increased vote share of 60.0% but a decreased majority of 19,001.[21]
In 2019, Hollinrake was one of 72 MPs who voted to not permit same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland.[22] He served as theParliamentary Private Secretary toMichael Gove asSecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from June to December 2019.[23]
At the2019 general election, Hollinrake was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 63.0% and an increased majority of 25,154.[24][25]
In 2020, Hollinrake became one of four Vice-Chairs of theAll Party Parliamentary Group onWhistleblowing.[26] This group has been subject to criticism by some campaigners on whistleblowing law reform.[27]
In September 2020, Hollinrake was criticised for a tweet he made in response to a question about the free school meal campaign run by footballerMarcus Rashford.[28] When asked onTwitter ''why it takes a footballer to make a stand for hungry children in our country'', he replied that ''where they can, it's a parent's job to feed their children.''[29] This prompted a backlash from Rashford and members of the public. Hollinrake defended himself, stating that tax rises would be required for such action.[30]
In April 2021,The Observer revealed that Hollinrake claimed expenses of £2,925 each month between April and November 2020 to pay his own rent despite renting out five residential properties of his own inYork. When asked to comment, Hollinrake acknowledged that he owned other properties, but claimed to have seen a "substantial reduction in earnings" since leaving the private sector and said that he did not think it would be reasonable for him to have to pay for his own accommodation expenses inLondon.[31]
In November 2021, he was one of 13 Conservative MPs who voted against a government-supported amendment to defer the suspension of Conservative MPOwen Paterson who was found to have breached lobbying rules.[32]
In October 2022, Hollinrake was appointed to the post of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business and Trade. As the Minister for Postal Affairs, he was responsible for Government oversight ofPost Office Limited.[33]
On 26 March 2024, Hollinrake was promoted to minister of state in theDepartment for Business and Trade but kept his responsibility for the postal affairs portfolio.[34]
At the2024 general election, Hollinrake was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 39.2% and a decreased majority of 7,550.[35][36]
Following the subsequent formation of theStarmer ministry, Hollinrake was appointed in July 2024 asShadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade in Rishi Sunak'scaretaker Shadow Cabinet.[37]
In July 2025 Hollinrake was appointed Chairman of the Conservative Party.[38]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forThirsk and Malton 2015–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government 2024–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chairman of the Conservative Party 2025–present | Incumbent |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
