Desmond Swayne

Last updated

Moira Cecily Teek
​
(m. 1987)​
Major The Right Honourable
Sir Desmond Swayne
TD VR MP
Official portrait of Desmond Swayne MP crop 2, 2024.jpg
Official portrait, 2024
Minister of State for International Development
In office
14 July 2014 –17 July 2016
Children3
Alma mater University of St Andrews
OccupationPolitician
Awards Territorial Decoration
Iraq Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
Volunteer Reserve Service Medal
Website desmondswaynemp.com
Military service
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch/serviceFlag of the British Army.svg  British Territorial Army
Years of service1978–present
Rank Major
Unit Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry

Sir Desmond Angus Swayne TD VR (born 20 August 1956) [1] is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for New Forest West since 1997. [2]

Contents

Before going into politics, Swayne was a teacher, and then a manager at the Royal Bank of Scotland. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to David Cameron, both during his time as Leader of the Opposition, 2005–10, and then for two years while Cameron was Prime Minister. In September 2012 he was appointed as Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury and in July 2014 as Minister for International Development. Swayne was knighted in the 2016 Birthday Honours for political and parliamentary services.

He was a supporter of the Eurosceptic pressure group Leave Means Leave. [3] He is also a prominent critic of the British government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [4]

Early life and career

Desmond Swayne was born on 20 August 1956 in Bern, the capital of Switzerland, to George Joseph and Elizabeth McAlister Swayne (née Gibson). [5] He was privately educated at Drumley House Preparatory School at Mossblown in South Ayrshire and Bedford School. He studied Theology at St Mary's College at the University of St Andrews. [6]

Swayne taught economics at Charterhouse School for one year followed by seven years at Wrekin College (both independent boarding schools). [7] On 22 November 1986, as a prospective parliamentary candidate for a South Wales constituency, he was quoted in the Western Mail saying that "the surest way to protect the public from AIDS is to outlaw homosexuality and lock up offenders". [8] From 1987 to 1997, he was a computer systems manager at Royal Bank of Scotland. [7] [9]

Military career

On 2 August 1987, Swayne was commissioned into the Royal Armoured Corps, Territorial Army in the rank of second lieutenant (on probation). [10] He served with the Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry. [11] He was promoted to lieutenant on 2 August 1989, [12] and to captain on 1 August 1992. [13] On 1 November 1992, Swayne transferred to the newly formed Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry. [14] He was promoted to major on 14 December 1996 with seniority from 1 January 1996. [15]

In 2003, he was called up and posted to Iraq as part of the Iraq War. [16] He served for six months before returning to the House of Commons. [9]

Parliamentary career

At the 1987 general election, Swayne stood as the Conservative Party candidate in Pontypridd, coming second with 19.5% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Brynmor John. [17] [18]

Swayne again stood for Parliament at the 1992 general election in West Bromwich West, coming second with 35.5% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Betty Boothroyd. [19] [20]

Swayne was elected to Parliament as MP for New Forest West at the 1997 general election with 50.6% of the vote and a majority of 11,332. [21] In the subsequent Conservative Party leadership election, Swayne supported Michael Howard, and later John Redwood. [7]

From 1997 to 2001, he held shadow ministerial portfolios for Northern Ireland, health and defence and as a senior opposition whip. In September 2004, Swayne was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition. [22]

At the 2001 general election, Swayne was re-elected as MP for New Forest West with an increased vote share of 55.7% and an increased majority of 13,191. [23] He was again re-elected at the 2005 general election with an increased vote share of 56.4% and an increased majority of 17,285. [24]

Following the election of David Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party in December 2005, Swayne was appointed as his PPS. [6] In 2006, a series of Swayne's e-mails to Cameron with unflattering descriptions of fellow Conservatives was leaked to the media. [25]

As a result of the expenses scandal, Swayne repaid the £6,131 that he claimed for a new kitchen at his second-home flat in North Kensington in 2006, and £60.66 over claimed for a water bill. [26] Swayne employs his wife Moira as part-time Executive Secretary/Office Manager. [27] Swayne provided a full breakdown of his expenses on his website, and was found by local media in South Dorset to be the lowest claiming of the local MP expenses' league table, after claiming £94,754 expenses in 2007/08, compared with £91,737 in 2006/07. [28]

In addition to his salary as an MP, in 2009 Swayne reportedly earned £12,000 a year as a director of property development firm Lewis Charles Sofia Property Fund, which predominantly specialises in holiday developments in Bulgaria; and around £5,000 in his role as a major in the Army Reserve. [26]

At the 2010 general election, Swayne was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 58.8% and a decreased majority of 16,896. [29] After the election, Swayne maintained his role as a PPS in government. [30]

On 11 June 2011, it was announced Swayne would be appointed a Privy Counsellor in the Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours List. [31] On 13 July 2011, Swayne was duly sworn in as member of Council. [32] In 2014, he was appointed as a minister for international development. [33]

In the Commons he sits on the Ecclesiastical Committee (Joint Committee). He has previously sat on the International Trade Committee, the Administration Committee, the Defence Committee, the Procedure Committee, the Social Security Committee and Scottish Affairs Committee. [34]

At the 2015 general election, Swayne was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 59.9% and an increased majority of 20,604. [35] He was again re-elected at the snap 2017 general election with an increased vote share of 66.8% and an increased majority of 23,431. [36]

Swayne poses with British Red Cross Chairman David Bernstein at the 150 Years of International Humanitarian Law: The UK Perspective event in London on 29 October 2014. 150 Years of International Humanitarian Law- The UK Perspective (15658741882).jpg
Swayne poses with British Red Cross Chairman David Bernstein at the 150 Years of International Humanitarian Law: The UK Perspective event in London on 29 October 2014.

On 28 September 2019, Swayne remarked that "blackface" was an "entirely acceptable bit of fun". [37] On 30 September, it was reported that he wore blackface while attending a Blues Brothers themed party, where he was pictured posing as James Brown. [38] Swayne said he "went to some trouble to be as authentic as possible" in creating the costume. After initially declining to apologise, Swayne later said he was sorry for any offence that he gave. [39]

At the 2019 general election, Swayne was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 63.8% and an increased majority of 24,403. [40]

In June 2020, responding to a question about the policing of protests following the police murder of George Floyd in the US, Swayne said "looters, arsonists and rioters have it coming". [41]

On 18 August 2021, Swayne suggested in Parliament that Afghan refugees should have been joining "the resistance" against a brutal regime rather than "queuing at the airport" after the fall of Kabul. [42]

Swayne was again re-elected at the 2024 general election, with a decreased vote share of 35.4% and a decreased majority of 5,600. [43]

COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Swayne was a prominent critic of the government's lockdown measures, arguing they were disproportionate. He opposed mandatory face masks and vaccine passports, and raised concerns in Parliament about the economic impact of restrictions. His comments regarding the interpretation of infection data drew criticism from political opponents and medical bodies, though Swayne maintained he was championing legitimate debate.

Personal life

Swayne married Moira Cecily Teek in 1987. They have one son and two daughters. [5] [9] He is a Christian and a member of Christians in Parliament. [44]

In 2026, Swayne posted a topless picture of a man on social media platform X. Swayne later revealed his account had been “hacked” and the only thing the hacker had done was repost the image. Swayne stated he was “disgusted by what was posted", describing the image as "bizarre".

Honours and decorations

Swayne is a recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Iraq Medal, and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. He has also received the Territorial Decoration for 12 years' service in the Territorial Army. In June 2009, he was awarded the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal. [45]

Swayne was knighted in the 2016 Birthday Honours for political and parliamentary service. [46]

References

  1. 1 2 "Desmond Swayne". BBC News. 17 October 2002. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  2. ↑ "Desmond Swayne retains New Forest West seat – but issues warning to his party". Southern Daily Echo. Newsquest Media Group. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Co-Chairmen – Political Advisory Board – Supporters". Leave Means Leave. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Deacon, Michael (28 September 2020). "'Project Fear!' How a Tory MP silenced the Commons with a furious rebuke of Whitty and Vallance". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  5. 1 2 Swayne, Rt Hon. Sir Desmond (Angus). A & C Black. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U36810. ISBN   978-0-19-954088-4 . Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  6. 1 2 "Desmond Swayne". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 Waller, Robert; Criddle, Byron (1999). The Almanac of British Politics. Psychology Press. p. 502. ISBN   978-0-415-18541-7.
  8. ↑ "Gay Times 100, January 1987". 1 July 1970.
  9. 1 2 3 Bax, Tahmeena; Anyangwe, Eliza (16 July 2014). "Who is Desmond Swayne? Introducing Britain's new development minister". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "No. 51115". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 November 1987. p. 13839.
  11. ↑ "No. 51609". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 January 1989. p. 328.
  12. ↑ "No. 51890". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 October 1989. p. 11305.
  13. ↑ "No. 53054". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 September 1992. p. 15840.
  14. ↑ "No. 53192". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 February 1993. p. 1866.
  15. ↑ "No. 54718". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 March 1997. p. 3878.
  16. ↑ "MP to serve in Iraq". BBC News. 19 June 2003. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ↑ The Times House of Commons Guide June 1987, The Times Newspapers Ltd, Golden Square Page 187
  19. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  21. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/image/753231643/
  23. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ↑ Oakeshott, Isabel (9 July 2006). "Tories lost in swirl of backbiting". The Times. Retrieved 15 July 2010.[ dead link ]
  26. 1 2 ""Politicians should rely on taxpayer" says New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne". This is Hampshire. 29 June 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  27. ↑ "Desmond Swayne". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  28. ↑ "What is the cost of our MPs?". Dorset Echo. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  29. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  30. ↑ Government publishes list of Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS) Prime Minister's Office, 17 November 2010
  31. ↑ "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 1.
  32. ↑ Privy Council Office — Orders for 13 July 2011 Privy Council, 13 July 2011
  33. ↑ "Who is Desmond Swayne? Introducing Britain's new development minister". The Guardian. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  34. ↑ "Desmond Swayne". Parliament UK. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  35. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  36. ↑ "New Forest West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  37. ↑ Swayne, Desmond (28 September 2019). "Blackface is an 'entirely acceptable bit of fun', says Conservative MP". MSN UK. Archived from the original on 29 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  38. ↑ Ward, Victoria; Hope, Christopher (30 September 2019). "Exclusive picture: Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne 'blacked up' as soul singer James Brown". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  39. ↑ "Trudeau's Turban". www.desmondswaynemp.com. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  40. ↑ "New Forest West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  41. ↑ Tory MP who once refused to apologise for wearing blackface says US 'looters have it coming', Evening Standard. 4 June 2020.
  42. ↑ Forrest, Adam (18 August 2021). "Tory MP criticises Afghans for 'queuing at the airport' and fleeing Taliban". The Independent. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  43. ↑ New Forest West
  44. ↑ "Rt Hon Sir Desmond Swayne MP". christiansinparliament.org.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  45. ↑ "No. 59106". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 June 2009. pp. 10705–10706.
  46. ↑ "No. 61608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2016. p. B2.

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