Graham Brady facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Brady of Altrincham
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Chairman of the 1922 Committee | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 January 2020 – 9 July 2024 Acting: 3 September 2019 – 20 January 2020 |
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| Leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by | Bob Blackman | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 26 May 2010 – 24 May 2019 |
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| Leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Sir Michael Spicer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by |
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| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 19 August 2024 Life peerage |
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| Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West |
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| In office 1 May 1997 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Connor Rand | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Graham Stuart Brady
20 May 1967 Salford, Lancashire, England |
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| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Victoria Lowther
(m. 1992) |
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| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | St Aidan's College, Durham (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Graham Stuart Brady, Baron Brady of Altrincham (born 20 May 1967) is a British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Altrincham and Sale West from 1997 to 2024. An MP is a person elected to represent a specific area (constituency) in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament.
Graham Brady is a member of the Conservative Party. From 2010 to 2024, he was the chairman of the 1922 Committee. This committee is a group of all Conservative MPs who are not government ministers. It plays a big role in choosing the party's leader.
Before becoming chairman, Brady worked as a "shadow minister" for different areas. A shadow minister is an MP from the opposition party who watches over a specific government department. He left this role in 2007 because he disagreed with David Cameron about grammar schools. In 2010, he was named "Backbencher of the Year" by The Spectator magazine. A backbencher is an MP who is not a government minister or a shadow minister.
As chairman of the 1922 Committee, Brady helped oversee the elections of three Conservative Party leaders: Theresa May, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak. All of them later became Prime Minister. He also oversaw votes of no confidence in May and Boris Johnson. A vote of no confidence is when MPs decide if they still support their leader.
Brady stepped down as an MP in 2024. He was then appointed to the House of Lords, becoming a "life peer." This means he can sit in the House of Lords for the rest of his life.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Graham Brady was born in Salford, Lancashire, on 20 May 1967. He went to Altrincham Grammar School for Boys. After school, he studied Law at the University of Durham, graduating in 1989.
While at university, Brady was very involved in politics. He was the chairman of the Durham University Conservative Association from 1987 to 1988. He also represented his university at the national student conference.
Early Career
After university, Graham Brady worked in public relations starting in 1989. This means he helped companies and organizations manage their public image. In 1990, he joined the Centre for Policy Studies, a research group.
From 1992, he worked in "public affairs" at the Waterfront Partnership. This involved working with government and public bodies. He stayed there until he was elected to the House of Commons in 1997.
Parliamentary Career
Graham Brady was chosen to run for MP in the area of Altrincham and Sale West. He won the election in 1997 with 43.2% of the votes. He was the youngest Conservative MP elected that year, just before his 30th birthday.
From 1997 to 2001, he was part of the Education and Employment Select Committee. This committee looks closely at the work of government departments. In 1998, he became a member of the executive of the 1922 Committee.
In 1999, Brady became a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Chairman of the Conservative Party. A PPS helps a senior minister or party leader. In 2000, he became an Opposition Whip. Whips make sure MPs attend votes and vote the way their party wants. He also became an opposition spokesman on Education and Employment.
Brady was re-elected as MP for Altrincham and Sale West in 2001, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2017, and 2019. Each time, he won with a good number of votes.
After the 2001 election, he continued to work on education issues for the opposition. In 2003, he became the PPS to the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Howard. In 2004, he became a spokesman on foreign affairs and Shadow Europe Minister.
In 2007, Brady resigned from his role as Shadow Minister for Europe. He did this to protest against David Cameron's view on grammar schools. Brady believed grammar schools helped people from all backgrounds succeed.
In 2013, he voted against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, which allowed same-sex marriage. He was concerned that this law was not in the Conservative Party's plans and that it might affect religious freedom.
In the 2016 EU referendum, Brady supported Brexit, which was the UK leaving the European Union.
In 2024, he was elected as the president of the Northern Ireland Conservatives party.
The 1922 Committee
Graham Brady became Chairman of the 1922 Committee on 26 May 2010. This committee is very important for the Conservative Party. It includes all Conservative MPs who are not government ministers. One of its main jobs is to organize the election of the party leader.
Since 2010, Brady has overseen the election of four Conservative leaders: Theresa May (2016), Boris Johnson (2019), Liz Truss (2022), and Rishi Sunak (2022). All of these leaders became Prime Minister because the Conservative Party was in power.
On 24 May 2019, Brady stepped down as chairman. He thought about running to become the leader of the Conservative Party himself, but he decided not to. His deputies, Cheryl Gillan and Charles Walker, took over for the 2019 leadership contest.
Brady returned as acting chairman on 3 September 2019 and was re-elected as the permanent chairman on 20 January 2020.
His role as chairman of the 1922 Committee has made him well-known. It is his job to announce the results of leadership elections or challenges. These announcements are often shown live on TV around the world.
In 2022, Brady became the longest-serving Chairman of the 1922 Committee ever.
Important Decisions
Brexit and the Northern Ireland Backstop
On 29 January 2019, the House of Commons voted on an amendment proposed by Graham Brady. This amendment asked for a different plan to replace the "Northern Ireland backstop." The backstop was a special agreement to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit. Brady's amendment aimed to support leaving the European Union with a deal, but only if this backstop was changed.
COVID-19 Lockdowns
In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brady spoke out. He asked the government to remove strict rules and limits on people's freedom. He felt that the public had been "a little too willing to stay at home." Brady was also part of the COVID Recovery Group. This group of Conservative MPs questioned the government's strict lockdown rules.
Becoming a Peer
After leaving his role as an MP in 2024, Graham Brady was given a life peerage. This means he became a member of the House of Lords for life. On 19 August 2024, he was given the title Baron Brady of Altrincham.
In 2024, he also published a book about his time leading the 1922 Committee, called Kingmaker.
Personal Life
Graham Brady met his wife, Victoria Lowther, at Durham University. They got married in 1992 and have two children, a daughter and a son. They live in both London and Altrincham. His wife works as his senior parliamentary assistant.
Honours
In September 2016, Graham Brady was made a "Freeman of Altrincham." This was to recognize his service to the community in Altrincham.
He was made a Knight Bachelor in the 2018 New Year Honours for his work in politics and public service. This means he can use the title "Sir." Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, officially gave him this honour at Buckingham Palace on 6 March 2018.
In November 2023, Brady became a member of the Privy Council. This is a group of senior advisors to the King. In the same month, he was also made a "freeman of the City of London."
Images for kids
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Brady at the Conservative Party conference in 2011
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Official portrait, 2017
