Graham Brady
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Graham Brady MP
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 Graham Brady at the Gibraltar National Day political rally, 10 September 2007 |
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Shadow Minster of Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Europe
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| In office 14 September 2004 – 29 May 2007 |
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| Leader | David Cameron Michael Howard |
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| Succeeded by | Mark Francois |
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Member of Parliament
for Altrincham and Sale West |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Fergus Montgomery |
| Majority | 7,159 (16.2%) |
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| Born | 20 May 1967 Salford, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Victoria Lowther |
| Alma mater | Durham University |
Graham Stuart Brady (born 20 May 1967) is a British politician and the Conservative Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West.
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[edit] Early life
Graham Brady was born in Salford, and was educated at the Altrincham Grammar School and St Aidan's College, University of Durham, and he graduated with a BA in Law in 1989. While at Durham he was Chairman of the university's Conservative Association in 1987. He was appointed a consultant in public relations with Shandwick plc in 1989. He joined the Centre for Policy Studies in 1990. He was elected Vice Chairman of the Berkshire East Conservative Association in 1992. He was appointed Director of public affairs at the Watership Partnership in 1992, where he remained until elected to Westminster in 1997.
[edit] Member of Parliament
He was selected to contest the Altrincham and Sale West parliamentary constituency following the retirement of the veteran Conservative MP Fergus Montgomery. The 1997 General Election proved to be a close battle, but Graham Brady held on and was elected as the Conservative MP for Altrincham and Sale West with a majority of 1,505. He made his maiden speech on 2 June 1997. Brady's constituency is considered to be a Conservative safe seat, having returned a Conservative MP for its entire history, and for years Altrincham and Sale West has been the only constituency in Greater Manchester to elect a Conservative candidate to Parliament.
[edit] Front bench career
Following his election, Graham Brady became a Member of the Education and Employment Select Committee. He became the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Chairman of the Conservative Party, Michael Ancram in 1999. He was made an Opposition Whip by William Hague in 2000, and later in the year became an Opposition Spokesman on Education and Employment. After the 2001 General Election he was the Opposition Spokesman on Education and Skills under both Hague and Iain Duncan Smith. He became the PPS to the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Howard in 2003, and an Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Shadow Europe Minister in 2004.
Commons Select Committees Member: Education and Employment 1997-2001, Education and Employment (Employment Sub-Committee) 1997-2001, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2004-05, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Urban Affairs Sub-Committee) 2004-05, Treasury 2007-
Commons Backbench committees Joint Secretary, Conservative Party Committee for Education and Employment 1997-2000
All-party groups (office-holding) Vice-chair Advertising Group 2001-; Secretary Cayman Islands Group 2001-; Treasurer Egypt Group 2001-; Vice-chair Montserrat Group 2006-; Secretary: Fluoridation Group 2008-, Infrastructure Group 2008-; Treasurer Thailand Group 2009-; Vice-chair Cannabis and Children Group 2009-
Party posts Chair Durham University Conservative Association 1987-88; National Union Executive Committee 1988; Chair Northern Area Conservative Collegiate Forum 1987-89; Vice-chair East Berkshire Conservative Association 1993-95; Member Executive 1922 Committee 1998-2000, 2007-
Current posts Vice-chair All-Party Advertising Group 2001-; Secretary All-Party Cayman Islands Group 2001-; Treasurer All-Party Egypt Group 2001-; Vice-chair All-Party Montserrat Group 2006-; Member Select Committee on Treasury 2007-; Member Executive 1922 Committee 2007-; Secretary All-Party: Fluoridation Group 2008-, Infrastructure Group 2008-; Treasurer All-Party Thailand Group 2009-; Vice-chair All-Party Cannabis and Children Group 2009-
[edit] Resignation
On 29 May 2007, Brady resigned his post as Shadow Minister for Europe in protest at Tory leader David Cameron's opposition to Grammar Schools. He told the BBC that he was "Faced with a choice between a front bench position that I have loved and doing what I believe to be right for my constituents and for the many hundreds of thousands of families who are ill-served by state education in this country, there is in conscience only one option open to me," And arguing that "Grammar schools in selective areas are exactly the motor that does drive social mobility more effectively than comprehensive areas."[1] Brady's own constituency has retained a selective rather than comprehensive education system.
[edit] Personal life
Graham Brady married Victoria Lowther in 1992, whom he met at Durham, and he has a son and a daughter. He was the youngest Conservative elected in 1997 and currently resides in Altrincham, Cheshire.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Graham Brady MP official site
- ePolitix.com - Graham Brady MP
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Graham Brady MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Graham Brady MP
- The Public Whip - Graham Brady MP voting record
- BBC News - Graham Brady profile 30 March, 2006
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by Fergus Montgomery (for Altrincham and Sale) |
Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West 1997 – present |
Incumbent |
