Iain Stewart (politician)

Iain Stewart
MP
Member of Parliament
for Milton Keynes South
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded by Phyllis Starkey
Majority 8,672
Personal details
Born

(1972-09-18) 18 September 1972

[1]
Scotland
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Residence Tattenhoe
Alma mater Exeter University
Website http://www.iainstewartmp.co.uk

Iain Aitken Stewart (born 18 September 1972) is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes South.[1]

Early life

Stewart was born in Scotland and grew up in Hamilton. He went to Hutchesons' Grammar School and studied politics at the University of Exeter before training as an accountant with Coopers & Lybrand in Milton Keynes between 1993 and 1994.[2]

Stewart then worked for the Scottish Conservative Party between 1994 and 2006, first as Head of Research, then Deputy Director and finally as Director between 2001 and 2006.[2] He then worked as an associate for executive recruitment company Odgers Berndtson until his election in 2010.[2]

Political career

He first ran for public office in the Scottish Parliament election, 1999, for the Glasgow Rutherglen constituency, finishing fourth. Returning to Milton Keynes, he was selected to fight Milton Keynes South West at the 2001 general election, losing to incumbent Phyllis Starkey by 6,978 votes. Running again at the 2005 election, he lost to Starkey by 4,010 votes. His third candidacy, in the redrawn Milton Keynes South constituency, saw him defeat Starkey by 5,201 votes in the 2010 general election.[2][3] In the 2015 general election, he was re-elected with an increased vote of 27,601 and majority of 8,672.[4] Stewart was a member of Shenley Brook End parish council between 2005 and 2011.

Transport (especially rail transport), constitutional affairs and education are listed amongst his main political interests.[5] He was a member of the Transport Select Committee of the House of Commons from 2010 to 2013, and was the longest-serving Conservative Member of that Committee.[3] In 2011 he travelled, with various members of the transport committee, around Europe studying various rail links and rail systems.[5] In the October 2013 Ministerial reshuffle, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport.

Following the 2015 election, he moved to become PPS to Rt Hon David Mundell MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, to assist with the Scotland Bill. He was also re-elected to the Transport Select Committee.[6]

In July 2016 he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for the Department for International Trade.

Personal life

He is openly gay and was formerly Deputy chairman (Political) of LGBTory, the Conservative LGBT Group.[7] He is now a Patron of the group.[8] In his maiden speech to the house, on 25 June 2010, he paid tribute to Alan Turing, and Gordon Brown's official apology for the state's persecution of Turing.[9][10] He has spoken about how he was bullied at school for being gay and on the impact of homophobic bullying in schools.[7]

As of May 2013 Stewart is a shareholder of SuitLink Ltd. an LGBT professional social network.[11][12] He was shortlisted for the Stonewall 'Politician of the Year' 2012.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 "Iain Stewart MP". BBC Democracy Live. BBC. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 'STEWART, Iain Aitken', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2012 ; online edn, November 2012 accessed 16 June 2013
  3. 1 2 Iain Stewart, www.parliament.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Milton Keynes South Parliamentary constituency". BBC Election 2015. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  5. 1 2 Iain Stewart's Official Biography, Iain Stewart's Campaign Website. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  6. ↑ "Iain Stewart MP re-elected to transport committee". Milton Keynes Citizen. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  7. 1 2 MP Iain Stewart on how he was bullied for being gay, BBC news website, 12 June 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Updated: Out gay Tory shadow ministers retain seats". Pink News. 7 May 2010.
  9. ↑ MP calls for pardon for computer pioneer Alan Turing, BBC news website, 24 May 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  10. ↑ Lloyd, Peter (25 June 2010). "New gay Tory MP pays tribute to Gordon Brown on Alan Turing". Pink Paper. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.
  11. ↑ "Iain Stewart – The Register of Members' Financial Interests". UK Parliament.
  12. ↑ "SuitLink – LGBT Professional Social Network".
  13. ↑ Stonewall Press Release of Shortlisted Candidates, Stonewall, 28 September 2012
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Phyllis Starkey		 Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes South
2010–present 		Incumbent
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