Masters of the Bench

Bob Neill was educated at Abbs Cross Grammar School, Hornchurch and studied Law at the London School of Economics. He practised criminal law.

He has served as MP for Bromley and Chislehurst since a by-election on 29 June 2006, following the sudden death of The Rt. Hon. Eric Forth. Shortly after entering Parliament, Bob served on the Justice Select Committee and was appointed as the Shadow London Minister, joining the Shadow Communities & Local Government team. In 2008 he was made Shadow Local Government Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. In January 2009, Bob also took over the shadow planning brief.

In May 2010, he was elected for a second term and a third in May 2015. As an MP he has served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (DOCLG), with responsibilities for the Fire Service, Thames Gateway, the Olympics, local government and planning.  In  2012, he became Vice Chairman of the Conservative party for Local Government. Since then he has been Chairman of the Justice Select Committee on a cross-party basis.