Mike Freer
Encyclopedia
Michael Whitney Freer MP
(born 29 May 1960) is a British
politician. A Conservative
, he was elected as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the constituency of Finchley and Golders Green at the 2010 general election. Freer is a former leader of Barnet Council and a former councillor from the Church End
ward in Finchley
.
Born in Manchester
he was educated at the Chadderton Grammar School
and St Aidan's College in Carlisle. Mike Freer was first elected to Barnet Council in 1990 for the St. Paul's ward, winning the seat from Labour
. However, he lost the seat again in 1994, in which the Conservatives were routed nationally. He was re-elected to the council, from the Church End ward, in 2002. He became leader of the council on 11 May 2006, replacing Brian Salinger as Conservative group leader, having previously been Salinger's deputy. His appointment was approved unanimously.
In the 2005 general election
, Freer contested the Harrow West constituency in the neighbouring borough of Harrow
. He finished second to the Labour incumbent Gareth Thomas
, whose majority was cut from 6,000 to 2,000. He was selected for Finchley and Golders Green on 10 December 2006.
Freer is a member of Conservative Friends of Israel
(CFI). Although he is not a Jew, The Jewish Chronicle
, in its list of 100 most powerful influences on the Jewish community, named Freer 99th, not least because of his membership of CFI and his chairmanship of the Barnet multi-faith forum.
Following the collapse of Icelandic banks Glitnir
and Landsbanki
in October 2008 which Barnet Council had £27.4m of deposits in, Freer was named Private Eye
’s “Banker of the Year” in its Rotten Borough Awards of 2008. Stating “He told councillors that he couldn’t be blamed for the council losing £27.4m in dodgy Icelandic banks because he had never bothered to review the council’s investments. Ever. And in a former life he used to be, er, a banker. Quite.”
In 2009, Freer announced a new model of local government delivery for the London Borough of Barnet, called 'Future Shape' which he claims could save Barnet Council £24 million a year. The scheme has been dubbed easyCouncil because of its similarity to easyJet
's business model.
He is openly gay and lives with his civil partner, Angelo Crolla, in one of the three properties he owns in Barnet. Professionally, Freer worked for Barclays Bank as a relationship director.
In October 2011 he was the target of an attack on a mosque in his constituency of Finchley by members of Muslims Against Crusades
.
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,...
(born 29 May 1960) is a British
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...
politician. A 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...
, he was elected as 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 the constituency of Finchley and Golders Green at the 2010 general election. Freer is a former leader of Barnet Council and a former councillor from the Church End
Church End Finchley
Church End is a locality within Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. It is the location of Finchley Central tube station. It is a suburban development situated north-northwest of Charing Cross....
ward in Finchley
Finchley
Finchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
.
Born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
he was educated at the Chadderton Grammar School
North Chadderton School
North Chadderton School is a mixed gender comprehensive school and sixth form for 11–18 year olds, located in Chadderton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It has recently been given the specialist status as a Business and Enterprise College.-Admissions:The range...
and St Aidan's College in Carlisle. Mike Freer was first elected to Barnet Council in 1990 for the St. Paul's ward, winning the seat from Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. However, he lost the seat again in 1994, in which the Conservatives were routed nationally. He was re-elected to the council, from the Church End ward, in 2002. He became leader of the council on 11 May 2006, replacing Brian Salinger as Conservative group leader, having previously been Salinger's deputy. His appointment was approved unanimously.
In 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....
, Freer contested the Harrow West constituency in the neighbouring borough of Harrow
London Borough of Harrow
The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: Hillingdon to the west, Ealing to the south, Brent to the south-east and Barnet to the east.-History:...
. He finished second to the Labour incumbent Gareth Thomas
Gareth Thomas (English politician)
Gareth Richard Thomas is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Harrow West since 1997...
, whose majority was cut from 6,000 to 2,000. He was selected for Finchley and Golders Green on 10 December 2006.
Freer is a member of Conservative Friends of Israel
Conservative Friends of Israel
Conservative Friends of Israel, abbreviated to CFI, is a British parliamentary group affiliated to the Conservative Party and dedicated to strengthening business, cultural and political ties between the United Kingdom and Israel. CFI is an unincorporated associationIt was founded by the late...
(CFI). Although he is not a Jew, The Jewish Chronicle
The Jewish Chronicle
The Jewish Chronicle is a London-based Jewish newspaper. Founded in 1841, it is the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the world.-Publication data and readership figures:...
, in its list of 100 most powerful influences on the Jewish community, named Freer 99th, not least because of his membership of CFI and his chairmanship of the Barnet multi-faith forum.
Following the collapse of Icelandic banks Glitnir
Glitnir
Glitnir is the hall of Forseti, the Norse god of law and justice, and the seat of justice amongst gods and men. It is also noted to have been a place of dwelling for Balder, Forseti's father in Norse and Germanic mythologies...
and Landsbanki
Landsbanki
Landsbanki, also commonly known as Landsbankinn in Iceland, is a private Icelandic bank with international operations...
in October 2008 which Barnet Council had £27.4m of deposits in, Freer was named Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
’s “Banker of the Year” in its Rotten Borough Awards of 2008. Stating “He told councillors that he couldn’t be blamed for the council losing £27.4m in dodgy Icelandic banks because he had never bothered to review the council’s investments. Ever. And in a former life he used to be, er, a banker. Quite.”
In 2009, Freer announced a new model of local government delivery for the London Borough of Barnet, called 'Future Shape' which he claims could save Barnet Council £24 million a year. The scheme has been dubbed easyCouncil because of its similarity to easyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
's business model.
He is openly gay and lives with his civil partner, Angelo Crolla, in one of the three properties he owns in Barnet. Professionally, Freer worked for Barclays Bank as a relationship director.
In October 2011 he was the target of an attack on a mosque in his constituency of Finchley by members of Muslims Against Crusades
Muslims Against Crusades
Muslims Against Crusades is a banned Islamic group in the United Kingdom. The group was founded in 2010 by Abu Assadullah. Professional boxer Anthony Small and Islam4UK spokesman Anjem Choudary are associated with the group....
.