Simon Hart

Hart was born in Wolverhampton, grew up in the Cotswolds, and attended Radley College before the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester. He worked as a Chartered Surveyor in Carmarthen and Haverfordwest and served with the Territorial Army for five years in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (part of The Royal Wessex Yeomanry).

Hart was Master of the South Pembrokeshire Hunt for 10 years from 1988 to the end of the 1997/8 season.

Hart was Chief Executive of the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance, 2003-2010, stepping down after his election as MP. He is currently in receipt of £30,000 per annum for 8 hours work per week from them.

Hart lives in Llanmill near Narberth in Pembrokeshire with his wife Abigail and their two children. She receives up to £25,000 as "Office manager" (theyworkforyou.com updated 06 April 2017)

Hart has been the MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire since 2010.

Countryside Alliance and Animal Rights

Hart is an outspoken supporter of hunting and the badger cull. He actively campaigns to overturn the 2004 Hunting Bill and assist the National Farmers Union of England and Wales.

Upon stepping down as Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, Hart received a one off severance payment equivalent to 6 months' salary.

In January 2013, Hart said the RSPCA's legal role needs more oversight given its "political and commercial activities". He said that the RSPCA [has] a duty to spend its members' money wisely. He remarked that "gulf between the very good activity of inspectors on the ground whose principal concern is animal welfare and the leadership whose principal concern seems to be animal rights."

Brexit

Hart was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum.