David Burrowes
Encyclopedia
David John Barrington Burrowes (born 12 June 1969) is a British
politician
. He is the Conservative
Member of Parliament
for Enfield Southgate, Parliamentary chairman of the Conservative Christian Fellowship
, and an Officer of the Conservative Friends of Israel
group.
and was educated at Highgate School
and the University of Exeter
, where he was a Vice Chairman of the Exeter
University Conservative and Unionist Association, gaining an LLB in 1991. Whilst at Exeter, in 1990, Burrowes and Tim Montgomerie
founded the Conservative Christian Fellowship
. He was elected as a councillor to the Enfield Borough Council
in 1994 and was admitted as a solicitor
in 1995. He has been an assistant solicitor with Shepherd Harris & Co since qualifying; since election to Parliament, he continues as a consultant to the company.
at the 2001 General Election
but was defeated by the sitting Labour
MP Andy Love
who had a majority of 9,772. At the 2005 General Election
he contested the seat of Enfield Southgate which he won, ousting the then Minister of State
at the Department for Education and Skills Stephen Twigg
with a majority of 1,747 votes. He made his maiden speech
on 20 June 2005. He has contributed to debates on Violent Crime, Fatherhood, Criminal legal Aid, Council Tax Revaluation, and Equalities. He is a member of the Public Administration Select Committee.
In 2005-6 he contributed to debates on on Violent Crime, Fatherhood, Criminal legal Aid, Council Tax Revaluation, and Equalities. He is a member of the Public Administration Select Committee. In 2007-8 he contributed to debates on Chase farm Hospital, Drugs and Alcohol Addiction, Cyprus, Criminal Justice, Prisons, Hospital Acquired Infections (C.diff), Embryo Research, Burma, Council Tax, Hit and Run fatalities and Fatherhood. In July 2007 he was appointed to the frontbench as Shadow Justice Minister.
A month after the 7 July 2005 London bombings
, Burrowes joined a group of six people claiming to represent a new generation of Tory MPs.
In a letter to the Spectator
, they agreed with moderate Muslims that Britain was decadent and blamed "woolly-minded" liberal thinking for society's sliding values. Success, they declared, required answering "the people's plea for certainty, order and decency", not propping up "failed ideas of the liberal elite".
Burrowes initially supported Liam Fox
in the 2005 Conservative leadership election
before endorsing David Cameron
. However, in May 2006 he issued a paper strongly supporting the cause of local Parliamentary candidates, (and thereby implicitly condemning Cameron's proposals of an elite 'A-list' of candidates). In particular, he criticised selection of minor celebrities, such as Louise Bagshawe, over local candidates.
In November 2006, Burrowes gave an interview on the Vanessa Feltz
show criticising the Royal Mail
for its decision to issue secular themed stamps over Christmas
.
According to TheyWorkForYou
, Burrowes has spoken in 38 debates which is above average for MP's and attended 64% of votes.
Following the 2010 general election, Burrowes was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Cabinet Office Minister
, Francis Maude
.
Burrowes is vocally opposed to the prescription of cannabis
to medical users because of a possible link to mental illness in young people, particularly paranoia
and schizophrenia.
player, Burrowes married Janet Coekin in January 1996 in Havering and they have six children: twins Barnaby and Harriet (born August 1997), Dougal (born May 1999), Dorothy (born March 2001), Noah (born November 2004) and Toby (born April 2007). Before Toby's birth, Burrowes asked for opinion on naming the expected child on the social networking website Facebook
. He is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.
David Burrowes serves as an LEA Governor at Broomfield School (Arnos Grove)
in Enfield. He is also a trustee and active participant in his local church and enjoys eating curry
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Enfield Southgate, Parliamentary chairman of the Conservative Christian Fellowship
Conservative Christian Fellowship
The Conservative Christian Fellowship is an organisation allied with the British Conservative Party, established in 1990 by Tim Montgomerie and Conservative MP David Burrowes whilst they were students at Exeter University....
, and an Officer of the Conservative Friends of Israel
Conservative Friends of Israel
Conservative Friends of Israel, abbreviated to CFI, is a British parliamentary group affiliated to the Conservative Party and dedicated to strengthening business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel. CFI is an unincorporated associationIt was founded by the late...
group.
Early life
David Burrowes was born in CockfostersCockfosters
Cockfosters is a suburb of North London, lying partly in the London Borough of Enfield and partly in the London Borough of Barnet. The counties of Hertfordshire and Middlesex respectively are still used in postal addresses.The name has been recorded as far back as 1524, and is thought to be either...
and was educated at Highgate School
Highgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
and the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
, where he was a Vice Chairman of the Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
University Conservative and Unionist Association, gaining an LLB in 1991. Whilst at Exeter, in 1990, Burrowes and Tim Montgomerie
Tim Montgomerie
Tim Montgomerie is best known as the co-founder of the Centre for Social Justice and as Editor of the ConservativeHome website, and has been described as "one of the most important Conservative activists of the past 20 years"....
founded the Conservative Christian Fellowship
Conservative Christian Fellowship
The Conservative Christian Fellowship is an organisation allied with the British Conservative Party, established in 1990 by Tim Montgomerie and Conservative MP David Burrowes whilst they were students at Exeter University....
. He was elected as a councillor to the Enfield Borough Council
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
in 1994 and was admitted as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in 1995. He has been an assistant solicitor with Shepherd Harris & Co since qualifying; since election to Parliament, he continues as a consultant to the company.
Parliamentary career
He contested the seat of EdmontonEdmonton (UK Parliament constituency)
Edmonton is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
at the 2001 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
but was defeated by the sitting Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
MP Andy Love
Andy Love
Andrew McCulloch Love is a British Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Edmonton since 1997, winning in 2010 with 53.7% of the vote.-Early life:...
who had a majority of 9,772. At the 2005 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
he contested the seat of Enfield Southgate which he won, ousting the then Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
at the Department for Education and Skills Stephen Twigg
Stephen Twigg
Stephen Twigg is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby since 2010. He previously served as the Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 1997 to 2005, when he lost his seat. He came to national prominence in 1997...
with a majority of 1,747 votes. He made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 20 June 2005. He has contributed to debates on Violent Crime, Fatherhood, Criminal legal Aid, Council Tax Revaluation, and Equalities. He is a member of the Public Administration Select Committee.
In 2005-6 he contributed to debates on on Violent Crime, Fatherhood, Criminal legal Aid, Council Tax Revaluation, and Equalities. He is a member of the Public Administration Select Committee. In 2007-8 he contributed to debates on Chase farm Hospital, Drugs and Alcohol Addiction, Cyprus, Criminal Justice, Prisons, Hospital Acquired Infections (C.diff), Embryo Research, Burma, Council Tax, Hit and Run fatalities and Fatherhood. In July 2007 he was appointed to the frontbench as Shadow Justice Minister.
A month after the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
, Burrowes joined a group of six people claiming to represent a new generation of Tory MPs.
In a letter to the Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, they agreed with moderate Muslims that Britain was decadent and blamed "woolly-minded" liberal thinking for society's sliding values. Success, they declared, required answering "the people's plea for certainty, order and decency", not propping up "failed ideas of the liberal elite".
Burrowes initially supported Liam Fox
Liam Fox
Liam Fox MP is a British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, and former Secretary of State for Defence....
in the 2005 Conservative leadership election
Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2005
The 2005 Conservative leadership election was called by party leader Michael Howard on 6 May 2005, when he announced that he would be stepping down as leader in the near future. However, he stated that he would not depart until a review of the rules for the leadership election had been conducted,...
before endorsing David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
. However, in May 2006 he issued a paper strongly supporting the cause of local Parliamentary candidates, (and thereby implicitly condemning Cameron's proposals of an elite 'A-list' of candidates). In particular, he criticised selection of minor celebrities, such as Louise Bagshawe, over local candidates.
In November 2006, Burrowes gave an interview on the Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Jane Feltz is an English television personality, broadcaster and journalist. She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2, a mid morning phone-in show on BBC London 94.9. In 2011, she started hosting The Vanessa Show on Channel 5. The first series ended on June 24th...
show criticising the Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
for its decision to issue secular themed stamps over Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
.
According to TheyWorkForYou
TheyWorkForYou
TheyWorkForYou is a website run by mySociety, a project of registered charity UK Citizens Online Democracy, and is a tool for political campaigners and those interested in the Parliamentary activities of UK MPs, Lords, and Northern Ireland MLAs....
, Burrowes has spoken in 38 debates which is above average for MP's and attended 64% of votes.
Following the 2010 general election, Burrowes was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the Cabinet Office Minister
Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Minister for the Cabinet Office is a position in the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. The post of Minister of the Cabinet Office is sometimes derided as the Minister for the Today programme.-Ministers for the Cabinet Office:...
, Francis Maude
Francis Maude
Francis Anthony Aylmer Maude is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he currently serves as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, and as a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Horsham...
.
Burrowes is vocally opposed to the prescription of cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
to medical users because of a possible link to mental illness in young people, particularly paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
and schizophrenia.
Personal life
A keen cricketer and FivesFives
Fives is a British sport believed to derive from the same origins as many racquet sports. In fives, a ball is propelled against the walls of a special court using gloved or bare hands as though they were a racquet.-Background:...
player, Burrowes married Janet Coekin in January 1996 in Havering and they have six children: twins Barnaby and Harriet (born August 1997), Dougal (born May 1999), Dorothy (born March 2001), Noah (born November 2004) and Toby (born April 2007). Before Toby's birth, Burrowes asked for opinion on naming the expected child on the social networking website Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. He is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
David Burrowes serves as an LEA Governor at Broomfield School (Arnos Grove)
Broomfield School (Arnos Grove)
-History:Broomfield was originally named Arnos School was founded in 1938 at the school's current site and took on the senior pupils of Bowes School, which thus became exclusively a primary school. It later became a secondary modern school...
in Enfield. He is also a trustee and active participant in his local church and enjoys eating curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
.
External links
- David Burrowes MP official site
- David Burrowes MP biography at the site of the Conservative Party
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: David Burrowes MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - David Burrowes MP
- Enfield Southgate Conservatives
- The Public Whip - David Burrowes MP voting record
- BBC Politics page
- Enfield Southgate Watch - Monitoring Website