Simon Burns
Encyclopedia
Simon Hugh McGuigan Burns (born 6 September 1952, Nottingham
) is a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He has been Member of Parliament
(MP) for Chelmsford
since the 1987 general election
. In May 2010, he was appointed Minister of State for the Department of Health
.
, Ghana
; Stamford School
; and Worcester College, Oxford
, where he obtained a BA Honours Degree in Modern History (third class honours, resulting in the nickname 'third degree burns') in 1975. He also has an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from University of East Anglia
. Burns was married to Emma Clifford from 1982 until their divorce in 2000. They have a son (born October 1991) and daughter (born November 1987). Burns is interested in American politics, collecting political books, swimming and tennis
.
.
He has been active in politics since 1970, when he was a founder member of the Rutland and Stamford Young Conservatives, and founder and Chairman of the Stamford School CPC.
In 1972, he worked for Senator George McGovern
against Richard Nixon
in his presidential election bid of that year.
From 1973 to 1975, he was a committee member, Political Action Officer and Secretary of Oxford University Conservative Association
, and a member of the Oxford Union
.
From 1977 to 1981, he was Treasurer, Southfields Ward, and a member of the Treasurer's and Executive Council, Putney Conservative Association.
In 1983, he was Conservative candidate in Alyn and Deeside
(North Wales) when he reduced Labour's majority from 6,800 to 1,368. In 1986, he was Chairman, Avonmore Ward, Fulham Conservative Association.
Burns was made a member of the Privy Council
in February 2011.
, of which he was then a member, that Members of Parliament should have "priority access" to services within the Parliamentary Estate. In practice, this meant that MPs could avoid queues for shops, restaurants, bars, computers, photocopiers and even toilets by "pushing in" ahead of visitors or staff. The so-called "queue jumping rule" provoked cross-party opposition from Commons staff and other MPs but Burns trenchantly defended the proposal.
On 3 April 2008, Burns was involved in a collision with a cyclist as he drove his 4x4 out of the Palace of Westminster
into Parliament Square
.
The cyclist, British Army
Major
Stuart Lane, was thrown over the handlebars of his bicycle and broke two vertebrae in his neck "which could hinder his Army career".
In February 2009 Burns pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving and was fined £400 with £200 costs at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court
.
In June 2010, Burns was forced to issue “a grovelling apology” after calling Commons speaker John Bercow
a "stupid sanctimonious dwarf."
Burns was one of the few MPs to refuse to shake the Speaker’s hand when he took the oath of allegiance and his remarks were branded "derogatory" by the primordial dwarfism
medical charity, Walking with Giants Foundation who expressed very serious concern about the negative influence of the remarks from someone of Burns' seniority.
In November 2011, Burns compared members of the campaigning group 38 Degrees
to zombies, this led thousands of complaints and an open letter to Burns with over 85,000 signatures.
, Simon Burns gained 22,946 votes (44.9%), beating the three other candidates by a majority of 9,620 (18.8%). The number of votes cast for Burns in 2005 was an increase of 2.4% from the previous General Election in 2001. His majority also increased from 6,261 to 9,620. Turnout was 61.9%, down from 62.5% in 2001.
In the 2010 general election, Simon Burns gained 25,207 votes (46.2%), winning a majority over the Liberal Democrat candidate of 5,110 (9.4%).
News articles
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
) is a 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 in the United Kingdom
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...
. He has been 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 Chelmsford
Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)
Chelmsford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From the 2010 general election it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
since the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
. In May 2010, he was appointed Minister of State for the Department of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
.
Biography
Simon Burns was educated at Christ the King School, AccraAccra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
; Stamford School
Stamford School
Stamford School is an English independent school situated in the market town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. It has been a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference since 1920.-History:...
; and Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
, where he obtained a BA Honours Degree in Modern History (third class honours, resulting in the nickname 'third degree burns') in 1975. He also has an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
. Burns was married to Emma Clifford from 1982 until their divorce in 2000. They have a son (born October 1991) and daughter (born November 1987). Burns is interested in American politics, collecting political books, swimming and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
.
Political career
From 1975 to 1980, Burns was political adviser to the Rt Hon Sally Oppenheim. From 1980–83 he was a journalist and company director of What To Buy for Business magazine, and from 1983–87 was on the Policy Executive of the Institute of DirectorsInstitute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
.
He has been active in politics since 1970, when he was a founder member of the Rutland and Stamford Young Conservatives, and founder and Chairman of the Stamford School CPC.
In 1972, he worked for Senator George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
against Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
in his presidential election bid of that year.
From 1973 to 1975, he was a committee member, Political Action Officer and Secretary of Oxford University Conservative Association
Oxford University Conservative Association
The Oxford University Conservative Association, or OUCA is a student political organisation founded in 1924 whose members are drawn from the University of Oxford...
, and a member of the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
.
From 1977 to 1981, he was Treasurer, Southfields Ward, and a member of the Treasurer's and Executive Council, Putney Conservative Association.
In 1983, he was Conservative candidate in Alyn and Deeside
Alyn and Deeside (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 1990s:-See also:* Alyn and Deeside * List of Parliamentary constituencies in Clwyd-Notes and references:...
(North Wales) when he reduced Labour's majority from 6,800 to 1,368. In 1986, he was Chairman, Avonmore Ward, Fulham Conservative Association.
Burns was made a member of the Privy Council
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 February 2011.
Controversies
In 2007, Burns successfully proposed to the House of Commons Administration CommitteeAdministration Committee
The Administration Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It has a remit "to consider the services provided for and by the House of Commons"...
, of which he was then a member, that Members of Parliament should have "priority access" to services within the Parliamentary Estate. In practice, this meant that MPs could avoid queues for shops, restaurants, bars, computers, photocopiers and even toilets by "pushing in" ahead of visitors or staff. The so-called "queue jumping rule" provoked cross-party opposition from Commons staff and other MPs but Burns trenchantly defended the proposal.
On 3 April 2008, Burns was involved in a collision with a cyclist as he drove his 4x4 out of the Palace of 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...
into Parliament Square
Parliament Square
Parliament Square is a square outside the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in London. It features a large open green area in the middle, with a group of trees to its west. It contains statues of famous statesmen and is the scene of rallies and protests, as well as being a tourist...
.
The cyclist, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Stuart Lane, was thrown over the handlebars of his bicycle and broke two vertebrae in his neck "which could hinder his Army career".
In February 2009 Burns pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving and was fined £400 with £200 costs at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court
City of Westminster Magistrates' Court
The City of Westminster Magistrates' Court was a magistrates' court located at 70 Horseferry Road, in the City of Westminster, London. It was originally called Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court, after Horseferry Road where it was sited,. However, it was renamed in July 2006 following the closure...
.
In June 2010, Burns was forced to issue “a grovelling apology” after calling Commons speaker John Bercow
John Bercow
John Simon Bercow is a British politician who has been the Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom since June 2009. Prior to his election to Speaker he was a member of the Conservative party....
a "stupid sanctimonious dwarf."
Burns was one of the few MPs to refuse to shake the Speaker’s hand when he took the oath of allegiance and his remarks were branded "derogatory" by the primordial dwarfism
Primordial Dwarfism
Primordial dwarfism is a form of dwarfism that results in a smaller body size in all stages of life beginning from before birth. More specifically, primordial dwarfism is a diagnostic category including specific types of profoundly proportionate dwarfism, in which individuals are extremely small...
medical charity, Walking with Giants Foundation who expressed very serious concern about the negative influence of the remarks from someone of Burns' seniority.
In November 2011, Burns compared members of the campaigning group 38 Degrees
38 Degrees
38 Degrees is a UK non-profit, progressive, political activism organisation that campaigns on a diverse range of issues, such as protecting the environment and tackling climate change, democratic media ownership, child poverty and political reform...
to zombies, this led thousands of complaints and an open letter to Burns with over 85,000 signatures.
Election results
In the 2005 general electionUnited 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....
, Simon Burns gained 22,946 votes (44.9%), beating the three other candidates by a majority of 9,620 (18.8%). The number of votes cast for Burns in 2005 was an increase of 2.4% from the previous General Election in 2001. His majority also increased from 6,261 to 9,620. Turnout was 61.9%, down from 62.5% in 2001.
In the 2010 general election, Simon Burns gained 25,207 votes (46.2%), winning a majority over the Liberal Democrat candidate of 5,110 (9.4%).
External links
- Simon Burns MP official constituency website
- Chelmsford Conservative Association
- Profile 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...
Democracy Live
News articles
- Upset in 2002 over awards of five new cities
- 2005 Election Result: West Chelmsford (Source: BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Election 2005) - Previous General Election Results (Source: Chelmsford Borough Council)