Anthony Steen
Encyclopedia
Anthony David Steen is a British
Conservative Party
politician who was a Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1974 to 2010, and the chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation. Having represented Totnes
in Devon
since 1997, he was previously MP for South Hams
from 1983, and had also been the MP for Liverpool Wavertree between February 1974 and 1983. He chose not to recontest his seat in the 2010 general election as a result of the parliamentary expenses scandal.
, and Jacqueline Annette, daughter of William (formerly Wolko or Woolf) Slavouski, a Russian fur and skin trader. He attended Westminster School
and University College London
where he gained an LLB
. He became a barrister
in 1962. In 1964, he founded Task Force, an organisation where young people help the elderly with the help of a government grant and served as its Director from 1964-68. He then founded the Young Volunteer Force, serving as Director from 1968-74. He also worked on the Court Martials' Defence Counsel for the Ministry of Defence
from 1964-68. From 1964-67 he lectured in Law at the Council of Legal Education. From 1970-71, he was an advisor to federal and provincial Canadian governments on unemployment and youth problems.
on the trafficking
of women and children, Steen did much to raise awareness of the scourge of human trafficking
in the UK.
Viewed as being on the left of the party, he backed Kenneth Clarke
's leadership bids. In 2001, he was one of Clarke's most vocal supporters, denouncing the supporters of Iain Duncan Smith
as bigots. He is, however, not as enthusiastic about the European Union
and describes himself as a Europragmatist
.
In May 2007 he was fined for parking his car in a disabled parking bay at Newton Abbot railway station
. While accepting he had parked in the wrong space and deserved his ticket, he stated there are "an absurd number of handicapped spaces" at the station, "not that I've ever seen a handicapped person ever use one of them". He described a constituent who photographed his illegally parked car and passed the photo to a local paper as "very sneaky".
to have claimed over £87,000 on his constituency mansion which he designated as his second home. Expenses included items for rabbit fencing, tree surgery (his home is surrounded by 500 trees, he also claimed for their inspection), woodland consultants and bore hole maintenance. As a result, he announced he would not contest the next general election.
The Independent
newspaper reproduced his comments on BBC Radio 4
's The World at One
programme:
In the 2010 British general election, Steen's replacement, Sarah Wollaston, more than doubled the Tory majority in Totnes.
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...
Conservative Party
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...
politician who was a 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,...
(MP) from 1974 to 2010, and the chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation. Having represented Totnes
Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)
Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
since 1997, he was previously MP for South Hams
South Hams (UK Parliament constituency)
South Hams was a county constituency based on the South Hams district of Devon. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1983, and had also been the MP for Liverpool Wavertree between February 1974 and 1983. He chose not to recontest his seat in the 2010 general election as a result of the parliamentary expenses scandal.
Early life
He was born in 1939 to Ashkenazi Jewish parents, Stephen Nicholas Steen (formerly Stein ), one time chairman and president of Smith & NephewSmith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew plc is a global medical devices company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of arthroscopy products, second-largest producer of advanced wound management products, third-largest producer of trauma and clinical therapy products and...
, and Jacqueline Annette, daughter of William (formerly Wolko or Woolf) Slavouski, a Russian fur and skin trader. He attended Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
where he gained an LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
. He became a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in 1962. In 1964, he founded Task Force, an organisation where young people help the elderly with the help of a government grant and served as its Director from 1964-68. He then founded the Young Volunteer Force, serving as Director from 1968-74. He also worked on the Court Martials' Defence Counsel for the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
from 1964-68. From 1964-67 he lectured in Law at the Council of Legal Education. From 1970-71, he was an advisor to federal and provincial Canadian governments on unemployment and youth problems.
Parliamentary career
In his role as chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary GroupAll-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
on the trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
of women and children, Steen did much to raise awareness of the scourge of human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
in the UK.
Viewed as being on the left of the party, he backed Kenneth Clarke
Kenneth Clarke
Kenneth Harry "Ken" Clarke, QC, MP is a British Conservative politician, currently Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. He was first elected to Parliament in 1970; and appointed a minister in Edward Heath's government, in 1972, and is one of...
's leadership bids. In 2001, he was one of Clarke's most vocal supporters, denouncing the supporters of Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
as bigots. He is, however, not as enthusiastic about the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and describes himself as a Europragmatist
Pragmatist
Pragmatist may refer to:*A person who subscribes to pragmatism, a field of philosophy*A person who subscribes to pragmaticism, Charles Sanders Peirce's post-1905 branch of philosophy...
.
In May 2007 he was fined for parking his car in a disabled parking bay at Newton Abbot railway station
Newton Abbot railway station
Newton Abbot railway station serves the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. It is from London on the Exeter to Plymouth line via the Reading to Taunton line, at the junction for the branch to . For many years it was also the junction for Moretonhampstead and the site of a large locomotive...
. While accepting he had parked in the wrong space and deserved his ticket, he stated there are "an absurd number of handicapped spaces" at the station, "not that I've ever seen a handicapped person ever use one of them". He described a constituent who photographed his illegally parked car and passed the photo to a local paper as "very sneaky".
Expenses scandal
In May 2009 he was involved in the parliamentary expenses scandal, and was reported by The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
to have claimed over £87,000 on his constituency mansion which he designated as his second home. Expenses included items for rabbit fencing, tree surgery (his home is surrounded by 500 trees, he also claimed for their inspection), woodland consultants and bore hole maintenance. As a result, he announced he would not contest the next general election.
The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
newspaper reproduced his comments on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's The World at One
The World At One
The World at One, or WATO for short, is BBC Radio 4's long-running lunchtime news and current affairs programme, which is broadcast from 1pm to 1:30pm from Monday to Friday. The programme describes itself as "Britain's leading political programme. With a reputation for rigorous and original...
programme:
He added in the same interview: "What right does the public have to interfere in my private life? None. Do you know what this reminds me of? An episode of Coronation Street. This is a kangaroo court." A few hours later he apologised for "over-reacting".
"I think I have behaved impeccably. I have done nothing criminal. And you know what it's about? Jealousy. I have got a very, very large house. Some people say it looks like BalmoralBalmoral CastleBalmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and east of Braemar. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British Royal Family since 1852, when it was purchased by Queen Victoria and her...
, but it's a merchant's house from the 19th century[...] We have a wretched Government here that has completely mucked up the system and caused the resignation of me and many others, because it was this Government that introduced the Freedom of informationFreedom of Information Act 2000The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a public "right of access" to information held by public authorities. It is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United Kingdom on a national level...
in the United Kingdom and it is this Government that insisted on the things which caught me on the wrong foot."
In the 2010 British general election, Steen's replacement, Sarah Wollaston, more than doubled the Tory majority in Totnes.