Giles Watling

Giles Francis Watling (born 18 February 1953) is a British Conservative politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clacton from 2017 until 2024. He was an actor prior to entering politics, mainly active on television.

Early life and education
Giles Watling was born on 18 February 1953 at Chingford, London. His parents Patricia Hicks and Jack Watling were actors. Watling was privately educated at Forest School, Walthamstow.

Career
Watling has worked extensively in British theatre and on television, and is probably best known for his portrayal of the vicar Oswald in Carla Lane's series Bread. He has also directed several UK touring theatre productions, and took on the role of Bob in the UK tour of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 2013. Watling serves on the board of directors of the Royal Theatrical Fund, a charity which aids those who have professionally practised or contributed to the theatrical arts.

Watling served as a Conservative councillor for Frinton ward on Tendring District Council until 2016, having been first elected in the 2007 United Kingdom local elections.

Parliamentary career
On 10 September 2014 Watling was shortlisted in the Conservatives' Clacton open primary to select the party's candidate for the Clacton by-election and was adopted following a public meeting on 11 September 2014. At the by-election, Watling came second with 24.6% of the vote behind the incumbent UK Independence Party (UKIP) MP Douglas Carswell.

At the 2015 general election, Watling again contested Clacton as the Conservative candidate coming second behind Douglas Carswell who won 44.4% of the vote.

Watling was elected to Parliament as MP for Clacton at the snap 2017 general election with 61.2% of the vote and a majority of 15,828. He was returned as MP for Clacton at the 2019 general election with an increased vote share of 72.3% and an increased majority of 24,702.

Following an interim report on the connections between colonialism and properties now in the care of the National Trust, including links with historic slavery, Watling was among the signatories of a letter to The Daily Telegraph in November 2020 by the Common Sense Group of Conservative parliamentarians, which accused the National Trust of being "coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the 'woke agenda.

Watling lost his seat in the 2024 general election to Reform UK candidate and leader Nigel Farage.

Personal life
Married to Vanda June in 1979, the younger brother of the actress Deborah Watling and younger half-brother of actress Dilys Watling, Watling is a member of the Garrick Club, an exclusive gentlemen's club which in 2024 opened its doors to women, Frinton cricket club, Walton and Frinton yacht club and Frinton War Memorial Club.