WHO'S WHO
Paul Burstow MP
Lib Dem majority: 2,846 (7%)
Constituency: Sutton & Cheam
Region: London
PA Number: 553
Address:
Epsom House
312-314 High Street
SUTTON
Surrey
SM1 1PR
Tel: 020 8288 6555
Fax: 020 8288 6550
Email: info@paulburstow.org.uk
Web: http://www.paulburstow.libdems.org.uk
Date of Birth: 13/05/1962
Occupation: MP
Education: Glastonbury High School for Boys, Carshalton; South Bank Polytechnic, London
Experience: Political Secretary for ALDC 1996-97; buyer for Allied Shoe Repairs; worked for a Printing Company in Chiswick; Organising Secretary for the Association of Social Democrat Councillors 1986
Council Experience: Elected to Sutton Council 1986
Parliamentary Experience: 2006- Chief Whip, 2005-6 Spokesperson for London, 2005- Health Select Committee, 2003-05 Shadow Health Secretary, 1997-03 Spokesman for Older People (including long-term personal care)
Marital status/children: Married, one son, two daughters
Interests: Cooking, reading and walking
Seat:Sutton & Cheam |
Liberal Democrats19,768 (47%) |
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Turnout:41,932 (66%) |
Conservative16,922 (40%) |
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Swing2.0% Lib Dem to Con |
Labour4,954 (12%) |
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Other288 (1%) |
BIOGRAPHY
Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam since 1997, was elected
Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of Commons by his colleagues in March
2006.
Paul was born in May 1962 at St Helier Hospital, Carshalton,
and comes from a family of tailors and seamstresses. His father is a Savile Row
tailor. Paul was educated at Glastonbury High School for Boys, Carshalton, and
the South Bank Polytechnic (now South Bank University) in London.
Paul
first stood as Liberal Democrat candidate for Sutton and Cheam in 1992, when he
achieved the biggest swing to the Liberal Democrats in Greater London. Prior to
his success in winning the seat in 1997, Paul headed the Liberal Democrats'
local government unit (the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors), having
already been one of the principal architects of the Liberal Democrats' capture
of Sutton borough council from the Conservatives in 1986. Paul led Sutton's
pioneering work on "green" environmental issues, which won the borough a
reputation both nationally and internationally as a pioneer in recycling and
energy conservation.
On election to Parliament Paul became a junior
frontbench spokesman on local government and within a few months Paddy Ashdown
appointed him to lead the party's local government team in the Commons. Since
1991 when he was appointed to chair Sutton Council's disability forum Paul has
taken a special interest in disability issues. He set up Sutton's comprehensive
disability policy, and in parliament has been active as co-chair of the All
Party Parliamentary Group on Ageing and Older People, vice-chair of the All
Party Parliamentary Group on Disability, vice-chair of the All Party
Parliamentary Groups on multiple sclerosis and ME, and chair of the All Party
Primary Care and Public Health Group.
In 1999 Charles Kennedy offered him
the job of speaking for older people, and after the 2001 General Election
invited him to join the Shadow Cabinet with the same brief covering issues
affecting the elderly and vulnerable in the responsibilities of several
government departments. In 2003 Paul was promoted to be Shadow Health Secretary
and between July 2005 and March 2006 he was Shadow Minister for London. He was
agent for Sir Menzies Campbell's successful party leadership campaign in early
2006. Under Nick Clegg Paul now serves as Chief Whip.
An active supporter
of the NSPCC campaigns for a Children's Commissioner for England and the removal
of the defence of reasonable chastisement, Paul was invited by the NSPCC in 2001
to become one of their Parliamentary Ambassadors. He was instrumental in getting
the Liberal Democrats to adopt reform of the law on physical punishment of
children as party policy in 2003.
Paul and his wife Mary have three
children, and Paul's relaxations are cooking, reading and working out in the
gym.
