Annette Brooke
Encyclopedia
Annette Lesley Brooke is a British
Liberal Democrat politician. She has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Mid Dorset and North Poole since 2001
.
still exists at the site of the former lower school at Pettits Lane - the former Pettits Secondary School) on Havering Drive in Romford
, the London School of Economics
where she received a BSc
degree in Economics
. She qualified as a teacher at Hughes Hall, Cambridge
. She was a tutor with the Open University
for 19 years from 1971 and was a school teacher from 1974, including at Aylesbury, and then Head of Economics at the independent Talbot Heath School
for Girls in Bournemouth
when she left in 1994.
Borough Council in 1986; she was the council's deputy leader 1995-7 and 1998–2000, and the Liberal Democrat Group Leader 2000-1. She was the Mayor of Poole in 1998. She contested the Conservative
held seat of Mid Dorset and Poole North at the 2001 General Election
. At the previous election
the Conservative Christopher Fraser
won the seat by just 681 votes. In 2001 the tables were turned and Annette Brooke was elected as the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole by just 384 votes and has held the seat since. She made her maiden speech
on 21 June 2001.
In Parliament she was made both a Liberal Democrat Whip
and a Spokeswoman on Home Affairs
by Charles Kennedy
in 2001. In 2004 she became a spokeswoman on Child
ren. Following the 2005 General Election
(at which Annette Brooke held her seat with a much increased majority of 5,482), she became a spokeswoman on Education and Skills, and carried on in a similar position as spokeswoman on Children, Schools and Families
.
In the 2010 General Election, Brookes majority fell to 269 votes; a reduction of 5,213 votes. Her main challenger for the seat, Nick King (Conservative), secured a voting swing against Brooke of 7.7% making her winning majority one of the smallest of the 2010 Election. Following the defeat of Sandra Gidley in the 2010 General Election Brooke became the longest serving Female Lib Dem MP of the current parliament.
According to Parliamentary Records, Mrs Brooke has claimed a total of £933,724 in Parliamentary expenses since becoming an MP in 2001.
to discuss the microfinance charity, FINCA International
, and their joint plans to help the world's poorest people become self-sufficient. She is married to Michael (former geology schoolteacher, and councillor on Poole Borough Council since 2003) with two daughters (born c. 1971 and 1973) and is a partner in her family firm selling rocks and mineral
s, started in 1987. They live in Broadstone
.
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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. She has been 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 Mid Dorset and North Poole since 2001
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...
.
Early life
Born Annette Kelly, she was educated at Romford County Technical School (became the Marshalls Park Upper School in 1973, then the site was knocked down in 2000 for housing, but Marshalls Park SchoolMarshalls Park School
Marshalls Park School is a mixed secondary school for 11 to 16 year olds in Romford, London, England.In January 2006, Marshalls Park School was granted Performing Arts College Specialist Status.Marshalls Park was United Kingdom awarded the ICT mark...
still exists at the site of the former lower school at Pettits Lane - the former Pettits Secondary School) on Havering Drive in Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
, the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
where she received 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...
degree in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. She qualified as a teacher at Hughes Hall, Cambridge
Hughes Hall, Cambridge
Hughes Hall, is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. It is often informally called Hughes, and is the oldest of the four Cambridge colleges which admit only mature students...
. She was a tutor with the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
for 19 years from 1971 and was a school teacher from 1974, including at Aylesbury, and then Head of Economics at the independent Talbot Heath School
Talbot Heath School
Talbot Heath School is a selective, independent day and boarding school for girls aged 3–18 located in Talbot Woods, Bournemouth.The school was founded in 1886 as Bournemouth High School, by Mary Broad, with eighteen pupils. In 1935 the school moved from its original site in Westbourne to Talbot...
for Girls in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
when she left in 1994.
Parliamentary career
Annette Brooke was elected as a councillor on PoolePoole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
Borough Council in 1986; she was the council's deputy leader 1995-7 and 1998–2000, and the Liberal Democrat Group Leader 2000-1. She was the Mayor of Poole in 1998. She contested 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...
held seat of Mid Dorset and Poole North 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...
. At the previous 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...
the Conservative Christopher Fraser
Christopher Fraser
Christopher James Fraser is a British Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk from 2005 to 2010.-Early life:...
won the seat by just 681 votes. In 2001 the tables were turned and Annette Brooke was elected as the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole by just 384 votes and has held the seat since. She made her 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 21 June 2001.
In Parliament she was made both a Liberal Democrat Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
and a Spokeswoman on Home Affairs
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
by 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....
in 2001. In 2004 she became a spokeswoman on Child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren. Following 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....
(at which Annette Brooke held her seat with a much increased majority of 5,482), she became a spokeswoman on Education and Skills, and carried on in a similar position as spokeswoman on Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
.
In the 2010 General Election, Brookes majority fell to 269 votes; a reduction of 5,213 votes. Her main challenger for the seat, Nick King (Conservative), secured a voting swing against Brooke of 7.7% making her winning majority one of the smallest of the 2010 Election. Following the defeat of Sandra Gidley in the 2010 General Election Brooke became the longest serving Female Lib Dem MP of the current parliament.
According to Parliamentary Records, Mrs Brooke has claimed a total of £933,724 in Parliamentary expenses since becoming an MP in 2001.
Personal life
In May 2005, she met Hollywood actress Natalie PortmanNatalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
to discuss the microfinance charity, FINCA International
FINCA International
The Foundation for International Community Assistance is a non-profit, microfinance organization, founded by John Hatch in 1984. Sometimes referred to as the "World Bank for the Poor" and a "poverty vaccine for the planet", FINCA is the innovator of the village banking methodology in microcredit...
, and their joint plans to help the world's poorest people become self-sufficient. She is married to Michael (former geology schoolteacher, and councillor on Poole Borough Council since 2003) with two daughters (born c. 1971 and 1973) and is a partner in her family firm selling rocks and mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
s, started in 1987. They live in Broadstone
Broadstone, Dorset
Broadstone is a town and suburb of Poole in Dorset, England. It is located from Hamworthy railway station and from Bournemouth International Airport. The town has a population of 10,256 according to the 2001 Census....
.
External links
- Annette Brooke MP official site
- Annette Brooke MP profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
- Profile: Annette Brooke 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...
, 10 February 2005 - Broadstone Minerals owned jointly with her geologist husband
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