Tom Brake
Encyclopedia
Thomas Anthony Brake, known as Tom Brake, (born 6 May 1962) British
Liberal Democrat politician. He is the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Carshalton and Wallington.
, moving to France when he was eight. He was educated at the Lycée International School in Saint-Germain-en-Laye
near Paris
, and Imperial College London
, where he obtained a BSc
in Physics in 1983. He was a computer software
consultant with Hoskyns (Capgemini
) from 1983 until his election to Westminster
. He was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Hackney
in 1988, leaving the council in 1990.
at the 1992 general election
in Carshalton and Wallington, but was defeated by nearly 10,000 votes by the sitting Conservative
MP Nigel Forman
.
In 1994 Tom Brake was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Sutton
and sat on the council until 1998. In what proved to be a close contest, Tom Brake was elected at the 1997 general election
as the Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington, beating Nigel Forman with a majority of 2,267, and has remained the MP since. He made his maiden speech
on 10 June 1997. Nigel Forman retired after the 1997 election and was replaced by a new candidate in the shape of Ken Andrew, whom Brake defeated in 2001, 2005 and again in 2010 with an increased majority.
After the 1997 election, party leader Paddy Ashdown
placed Tom Brake in the frontline straight away as a spokesman on the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Following the 2001 General Election
, then party leader Charles Kennedy
appointed him a spokesman on Transport, Local Government and the Regions. In 2002 he became a Transport
spokesman. He joined the Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team
in 2003 as the lead International Development
spokesman. After the 2005 General Election
he became the Transport spokesman. He was relieved of this position under the new leadership of Sir Menzies Campbell in March 2006, and he later that year became spokesperson for local government. In February 2007, he was also appointed as the party’s frontbench spokesperson for London and the Olympics. In 2008 he was also appointed as a Home Affairs Shadow Minister.
Tom Brake is the Secretary of the All-Party Group for World Government
, Treasurer of the All-Party Human Rights group, a member of the Franco British Parliamentary Relations group. Brake was the first MP
to endorse Fair Spend
, a new student discount initiative.
In June 2010 Tom was named Co-Chair of the new Liberal Democrat Backbench Committee on Home Affairs, Justice and Equalities. Tom will Co-Chair the committee alongside Baroness Hamwee and Lord Thomas of Gresford OBE QC.
In September 2010 Tom attempted to introduce a bill to "to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to remove provisions permitting Ministers to overrule decisions of the Information Commissioner and Information Tribunal; to limit the time allowed for public authorities to respond to requests involving consideration of the public interest; to amend the definition of public authorities; and for connected purposes."
On 9 December 2010, Brake was one of 28 Liberal Democrat MPs to vote in favour of Government proposals to increase the upper limit on university tuition fees, having previously signed an NUS pledge
promising to vote against tuition fee increases.
On 11 June 2011, it was announced Brake would be appointed a Privy Counsellor
in the Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours list
. On 13 July 2011, Brake was officially appointed and made the affirmation of office.
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...
Liberal Democrat politician. He is the 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) for Carshalton and Wallington.
Early life
Tom Brake was born in Melton MowbrayMelton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
, moving to France when he was eight. He was educated at the Lycée International School in Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the centre.Inhabitants are called Saint-Germanois...
near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, where he obtained a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Physics in 1983. He was a computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
consultant with Hoskyns (Capgemini
Capgemini
Capgemini is a French global IT services company, one of the world's largest management consulting, outsourcing and professional services companies with a staff of 114,274 operating in 40 countries. It is headquartered in Paris and was founded in 1967 by Serge Kampf, the current chairman, in...
) from 1983 until his election to Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. He was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
in 1988, leaving the council in 1990.
Parliamentary career
He stood for election to ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
in Carshalton and Wallington, but was defeated by nearly 10,000 votes by the sitting 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...
MP Nigel Forman
Nigel Forman
Francis Nigel Forman, known as Nigel Forman, is a British Conservative politician. After working in the Conservative Research Department from 1968 to 1976 he was elected as an MP. He became a prominent backbench MP and was appointed to the position of Minister of Higher Education in April 1992....
.
In 1994 Tom Brake was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
and sat on the council until 1998. In what proved to be a close contest, Tom Brake was elected at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
as the Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington, beating Nigel Forman with a majority of 2,267, and has remained the MP since. 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 10 June 1997. Nigel Forman retired after the 1997 election and was replaced by a new candidate in the shape of Ken Andrew, whom Brake defeated in 2001, 2005 and again in 2010 with an increased majority.
After the 1997 election, party leader Paddy Ashdown
Paddy Ashdown
Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC , usually known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician and diplomat....
placed Tom Brake in the frontline straight away as a spokesman on the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Following 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...
, then party leader Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
appointed him a spokesman on Transport, Local Government and the Regions. In 2002 he became a Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
spokesman. He joined the Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team
Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team
The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest political party in the United Kingdom. While in opposition, the Liberal Democrat leader appointed a team of Members of Parliament and Peers to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of...
in 2003 as the lead International Development
Department for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
spokesman. After 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 became the Transport spokesman. He was relieved of this position under the new leadership of Sir Menzies Campbell in March 2006, and he later that year became spokesperson for local government. In February 2007, he was also appointed as the party’s frontbench spokesperson for London and the Olympics. In 2008 he was also appointed as a Home Affairs Shadow Minister.
Tom Brake is the Secretary of the All-Party Group for World Government
All-Party Group for World Government
The All-Party Group for World Governance, previously the All-Party Group for World Government, founded by Henry Usborne in 1947, is one of the oldest groups in the British Parliament. At its peak, it had over 200 members from the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Group founded the One...
, Treasurer of the All-Party Human Rights group, a member of the Franco British Parliamentary Relations group. Brake was the first MP
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,...
to endorse Fair Spend
Fair Spend
Fair Spend are a non profit organisation founded in 2010 which lobbies for students in the UK. The organisation advocates for concessions for students in state funded education, particularly in regards to products and services such as study material, transport and other miscellaneous costs...
, a new student discount initiative.
In June 2010 Tom was named Co-Chair of the new Liberal Democrat Backbench Committee on Home Affairs, Justice and Equalities. Tom will Co-Chair the committee alongside Baroness Hamwee and Lord Thomas of Gresford OBE QC.
In September 2010 Tom attempted to introduce a bill to "to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to remove provisions permitting Ministers to overrule decisions of the Information Commissioner and Information Tribunal; to limit the time allowed for public authorities to respond to requests involving consideration of the public interest; to amend the definition of public authorities; and for connected purposes."
On 9 December 2010, Brake was one of 28 Liberal Democrat MPs to vote in favour of Government proposals to increase the upper limit on university tuition fees, having previously signed an NUS pledge
Vote for Students pledge
The National Union of Students "Vote for Students" pledge is a pledge to vote against tuition fee increases that was signed by over 1000 candidates standing in the UK general election in 2010, notably including all 57 subsequently elected Liberal Democrat MPs.-The pledge:The pledge states:The NUS...
promising to vote against tuition fee increases.
On 11 June 2011, it was announced Brake would be appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in the Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours list
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
. On 13 July 2011, Brake was officially appointed and made the affirmation of office.
Personal life
Brake spent ten years living in France during his childhood and speaks fluent French, with some Portuguese and Russian. He married Candida Goulden in 1998, and they have two children. He keeps fit by running and cycling. Brake also runs an annual Christmas card competition in his local area for primary school children.External links
- Tom Brake MP official site
- Profile at the Liberal Democrats
- Profile: Tom Brake at BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 8 March 2005 - Contributor page at The Guardian